Antarctica – Aboard the Italica, sailing from Antarctica to New Zealand three researchers from the University of Siena took part in the 31st expedition of the Italian National Research Program in Antarctica, studying one of the largest and most important fossil forests of the South Pole. Gianluca Cornamusini, Matteo Perotti and Sonia Sandroni carried out most of the research using a remote camp in Allan Hills, more than 200 km away from the Italian Mario Zucchelli scientific base in Victoria Land. Despite adverse environmental conditions (at the beginning of the mission, wind gusts up to 40 knots brought the perceived temperature to about -55 ° C), the geological research in Allan Hills was very successful and allowed to explore an ancient and vast forest of fossils from about 245 million years. The activity was carried out within the research project PNRA AZ2.08, coordinated by Franco Talarico, professor in the Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, and with researchers from the US and Germany, as well as researchers from the universities of Padua, Perugia and Roma Tre and the CNR. (9Colonne)
