 The fossils were determined to be from the "Glossopteris" tree and proved that Antarctica was once forested and joined to other continents.Before his appointment to lead the "Discovery" expedition, Scott had followed the career of a naval officer in the Royal Navy.In 1899, he had a chance encounter with Sir Clements Markham, the president of the Royal Geographical Society, and thus learned of a planned Antarctic expedition, which he soon volunteered to lead.