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Stromatolites: What are they and what would I do with one? A stromatolite is the oldest thing in the world. So could be the most important fossil you will or can ever collect. You may like facts and learning or need answers for homework so here goes all about Stromatolites: As colonies of simple bacteria, Stromatolites […]
Continental drift – the connection with a mammoth you may figure out. But paintballing? Absolutely – check it out! Like facts? Then this is for you! In 1912 German Scientist Alfred Wegener proposed the idea of continental drift. Wegener’s Continental Drift Theory simply stated that the continents drifted around on the surface, over the […]
When did Geology Begin? Not as silly as it sounds! Geology can trace its origins to ancient Greek philosophers, Aristotle for example. There is also a report on the Mount Vesuvius eruption in AD79 by Pliny the Younger. Pliny was a lawyer and author in Ancient Rome. This points to an early origin of the […]
The Elephant Bird or Aepyornis, has been extinct for at least 300 years. It was 3 metres tall, weighed up to 400 kilos and laid one of the largest eggs known in the natural world. It may come as no surprise then that it was flightless! H.G. Wells’ collection of short stories ‘Tales of Wonder’ […]
Pterosaur Eggs – what do we know? Zhejiang Museum of Natural History, China, purchased a unique fossil, found by a local farmer of a Pterosaur lying next to a fossil egg. It is assumed that the pterosaur laid the egg. Subsequent research suggests that pterosaurs behaved more like reptiles than birds when it comes to […]
Romers Gap, named after an influential American Professor, is the name that has been given to the period between 360 and 345 million years ago. Paleontologists used to scratch their heads to explain the lack of fossils from this gap – a mere 15 million years. Before 360 million years ago there were no […]
Early Birds A 50 million year old fossilised bird was found in Wyoming USA. It is only 10 centimetres long. Its well-defined feathers lead Paleontologist Daniel Ksepka to think that it was an earlier cousin of humming birds and swifts. It looks really cute. A bit like a prehistoric cave drawing of a chick. […]
Nanotyrannosaur was not quite at the top of the food chain thanks to big brother Rex, but you would not want to meet Nano on a dark night! Nanotyrannosaurs lived in the Upper Cretaceous Period and remains are 70 million years old. Nanotyrannosaur teeth have been found in Wyoming and were once thought to be […]
Amethyst, did you know … that it is one of the most popular and well-known semi-precious stones in the world. It is a type of quartz with a few parts per million of iron. This gives it the purple colouring for which it is famous. It is sometimes heat treated to produce Citrine. […]
Of Charles Darwin: ‘Fossils, Finches and Fuegians’, by Richard Keynes If you fancy a fascinating read, try ‘Fossils, Finches and Fuegians’. It is an account of Charles Darwin ’s travels on ‘The Beagle’. It is by his great grandson, Richard Keynes. Here are a few bits that made us chuckle… “I am quite charmed with Geology […]
