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A new study has linked the formation of Antarctica around 34 million years ago to the early evolution of the Indian monsoon system, allowing lush forests to flourish across the subcontinent. Researchers from the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences and the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology discovered fossil leaves from the Laisong Formation in Nagaland, dating back 34 million years, suggesting a warm and wet climate. The study found that the growth of Antarctic ice reshaped global wind and rainfall patterns by shifting the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) from the South Pole toward the tropics, resulting in India experiencing higher rainfall and warmer temperatures and the evolution of the India monsoon system. This discovery carries a warning for our future, as modern climate change accelerates Antarctic ice melt, potentially disrupting rainfall across the tropics.