Capybara fossil in Atacama reveals region once had humid ecosystems

A capybara fossil discovered in northern Chile indicates the Atacama Desert once supported humid environments and watercourses capable of sustaining large semi-aquatic mammals. The finding, published in a study, challenges assumptions about the region's extreme aridity and provides new data on past climate and ecosystem shifts. The exact age and full implications remain to be detailed, but the discovery is significant for understanding South American paleoenvironments.