Q. Recently, where were the fossilized Nothopegia leaves discovered?
Answer: Makum Coalfield, Assam
Notes: Scientists have discovered 24-million-year-old fossilized Nothopegia leaves in Assam’s Makum Coalfield, revealing new insights into South Asia’s ancient biodiversity. The discovery was made by researchers from the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences (BSIP), an autonomous body under the Department of Science and Technology (DST). These fossils from the late Oligocene epoch are the world’s oldest known record of the Nothopegia genus. Today, Nothopegia is found only in the Western Ghats, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and major biodiversity hotspot, far from Assam.