So these articles came out speaking about Palm Trees being found in Antarctica.

Here is a quote from some searching:
"The scientists used rock samples from drill cores on the seabed obtained off the coast of Wilkes Land, Antarctica, as part of the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP)."

Well Wilkes Land, Antarctica is the same general region as where the McMurdo Station is where the Earthquake just was.
Not super close, but you can see both locations on a map.

So the Earthquake was near where they've been drilling???

Take a look on a map, to the right of Wilkes Land is where the McMurdo station is.:
[link to geographic.org]

Thread: Palm trees 'grew on Antarctica'

Who knows, maybe just another coincidence.