Sunday, June 16, 2013

Fossil Hunting

The last day of our trip was spent fossil hunting in the Green River country of southern Wyoming.  We wound our way out of the mountains, but still found ourselves at better than 7200 feet in a sandstone quarry with pick axes in hand.  Last year it was trilobites in Utah, this year it was fish from about 48 million years ago.  I could get all technical with you and tell you the era, the fish type, etc, but all I really want to say is that I sat in the sun, whacked at the sandstone and we brought some fossil fish home.  A great way to end our trip.

















8 comments:

  1. That's very exciting! When we were in Lyme Regis a few years ago, there were fossils all over the place - mostly ammonites I think.

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  3. Found a nice big Ammonite in the Lyme Regis area, about 12'' around, got it back to the states in one piece, then thought it would look good in the garden....after the first good rain it turned to mud!!!

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  4. How fascinating. I'm never sure whether to feel crushed or encouraged by datings like "48 million years ago". (Meaning it makes our own time on earth seem so insignificant, and on the other hand I guess it sort of gives hope for the planet to survive a few more years.)

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  5. This post makes me think of how absolutely delighted my students always are when they discover a fossil. Giddy is a better word.

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  6. I absolutely love geology and all that it tells us of this planet. For example Sandstone was once part of a muddy river bottom that got compressed and then heaved up out of the earth to become a mountain top.

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  7. Absolutely amazing isn't it to think how long ago that comes from. Fossils are just awesome.

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