Jurassic Coast Fossil Festival 4th to 6th May 2012

The Lyme Regis and Charmouth annual fossil festival is rapidly approaching.  This yearly gathering of fossil experts, musicians, sculptors, actors and scientists is taking place next weekend and a number of exciting, family themed events have been organised to help celebrate this World Heritage location.

Counting Down to the Lyme Regis Fossil Festival

Fossil Festival from 4th to 6th May 2012

Team members at Everything Dinosaur, caught up with one of the participants Mike Jeffries of Mikes Minerals & Fossils in Drakes Way, Lyme Regis, to ask how his plans for the festival were coming along.

Mike stated:

“I am really looking forward to the Lyme Regis Fossil Festival, this year it seems it is going to be bigger than ever with activities planned right across the May Bank Holiday weekend.”

To get a flavour of the sort of things Mike supplies: The Fossil Zone

Mike will be displaying a large selection of fossils, many of which have been sourced from the area’s world famous Jurassic strata as well as crystals and a selection of jewellery.  In addition, Mike hopes to be able to find time in his busy schedule to attend one or two of the presentations given by the many palaeontologists and other experts who will be shedding light on such topics as the lives of ammonites and the history of the life, people and planet Earth in sixty minutes – a presentation entitled “What on Earth Happened?”   This unique, interactive workshop is performed by author, historian and former Sunday Times journalist, Christopher Lloyd.

The exhibition organisers are once again anticipating that the Lyme Regis and Charmouth part of the Jurassic coast will receive many thousands of visitors next weekend, this annual event has become the biggest gathering of its kind held in the UK.

Mike, a stalwart of the festival added:

“The Lyme show is now probably the best fossil show in the country.  Let’s hope, in these difficult times, it continues for years to come.”

Team members at Everything Dinosaur, hoping to visit will be able to see Mike and his chums hard at work at the fossil fair and can pop into Mike’s fossil shop in Drake Way, which will be open all afternoon on each day the event is on.

Amongst the family orientated activities that the hard-working organisers have arranged there is the opportunity to study specimens brought from the Natural History Museum (London) and to talk to their experts, experience flying in the Jurassic Period, learn about dinosaur footprints with the University of Plymouth and to go on fossil walks along the coastline with professional fossil hunters.  Look out for Andy Cowap and Pete Langham’s stand at the fossil fair, they will be selling a range of beautiful ammonite fossils – so if you have ever wanted to pick up a Jurassic bargain…

The winter storms will have exposed a lot of new fossil material on the Dorset coast, so this is the perfect opportunity to come down to the Lyme Regis area, learn about this World Heritage site and participate in a range of fun and educational activities.  When on the beach, we would recommend sensible walking attire, with sturdy boots or wellingtons and don’t forget the waterproofs, although Lyme Regis seems to have a micro-climate all of its own, it is best to be prepared for the odd shower or two.  Besides, if you are dressed up you will be making the British Antarctic Survey team feel at home as they will be in the Grand Marquee showing fossils found on the most southerly of the continents as well as letting visitors experience life in the Antarctic .  If you have ever wondered what people eat at the South Pole and how they survive, check out the survey team’s tents, expedition equipment and rations for life at the bottom of the world.

Our chums at Rockwatch will also be attending.  Rockwatch is the nationwide club for young geologists.  It is the junior club of the Geologists’ Association and is for all those interested in things geological – rocks, fossils, minerals and landscapes.  Sue and her team have lots of hands-on activities planned this year, be sure to say hello to the Rockwatch staff in the Grand Marquee.

For Brandon Lennon, a professional fossil collector and provider of highly informative fossil hunting walks in the area, the festival gives him an opportunity to help educate the public on how fossils are prepared.  On the first day of the festival (Friday), Brandon and his father Ian, will be assisting with the fossil walks, as Brandon himself comments:

“Having the start of the festival on a Friday, gives local schools the opportunity to participate.  The fossil collecting on the beach has been really good lately, with some great finds, so I am really looking forward to helping the school parties to explore the geology and to learn more about the fossils to be found at Lyme Regis.”

Brandon is certainly going to be busy over the weekend, he can be found down on the sea front in the grand marquee on both the Saturday and Sunday demonstrating how fossils are prepared for display.  Brandon, along with his chum Chris Andrew from the Philpot Museum, will be carrying out an ammonite polishing workshop, where for a small fee members of the public can have a go at preparing and polishing their very own Jurassic specimen.  The workshop will be open from 10am until 4pm on both Saturday and Sunday, so if you want to learn how the experts handle fossils and to have a go yourself, make sure you pop in to see Brandon and his colleagues.

To learn more about fossil walks that take place at Lyme Regis:  Fossil Walks with Brandon Lennon

There is certainly something for everyone at the forthcoming Lyme Regis Fossil Festival.  For further details and to see the full programme of events visit: Lyme Regis Fossil Festival 2012

Remembering Sir Godfrey Hounsfield (1919 – 2004)

Today, the 24th April, marks the fortieth anniversary of the publication of a scientific paper by Godfrey Hounsfield (knighted in 1981), which described his new invention – the C.T. scanner.  C.T. scanners (computerised tomography), are used throughout the world and images and data they provide has revolutionised the diagnosis of internal health problems as well as finding applications in all sorts of other fields including palaeontology.

Sir Godfrey, an electrical engineer and scientist, was not regarded as a particularly intelligent or gifted pupil when he was at school, indeed, he was held back a year to enable him to progress with his studies.  However, with the outbreak of the second World War, he joined the RAF and soon his interest in electronics and mathematics was noticed.  He was assigned to work on RADAR projects and after the war he was recommended to pursue his education by attending a prestigious electrical engineering establishment based in London.  He joined EMI and worked on a number of projects, eventually becoming a senior researcher to the company.

In the early 1970s he combined a fascination with computers and X-rays to devise a method of being able to identify the what was inside boxes by focusing X-rays on the object from multiple angles and using a computer to generate an image from the data recording the level and degree of X-ray penetration.

The multi-layered use of X-ray imagery and the analysis of absorption values using a computer has changed the way that many medical conditions are diagnosed.  Godfrey was awarded the Nobel Prize (in conjunction with Allan MacLeod Cormack) for his work on the development of computer X-ray tomography.

It is not just human beings that can be scanned, all sorts of objects can now be examined in a non-destructive manner to see what lies inside.  In palaeontology, whole body scanners can provide an in-depth picture of what exactly lies inside a block of stone (matrix).  This technique can also be used to analyse internal structures of fossils to provide palaeontologists with new insights into the anatomy and physiology of prehistoric animals.

To read about the application of C.T. scans in palaeontology: Birth of a Dynasty – Earliest Ancestor of T. rex Described

Thanks to Sir Godfrey, palaeontology as well as a number of other scientific fields have an important tool to help further our knowledge.

Yuka – The Siberian Baby Mammoth Killed by Steppe Lion and then Butchered by Humans

A number of television documentaries have aired recently concerning the discovery and the initial research on a baby Woolly Mammoth (Mammuthus primigenius) whose frozen carcase was recovered from Siberia.  Each spring, as the winter snows thaw, a number of Pleistocene animal remains are discovered as they are eroded out of the thawing ground by the action of rivers in spate.  These fossils, some of them beautifully preserved with internal organs and fur intact reveal that this part of the world during the Pleistocene Epoch was inhabited by some spectacular prehistoric mammals.

The habitat known as the Russian Mammoth steppe was a huge expanse of grassland that existed between the northern ice sheets and more wooded, mainly conifer forest that was to be found further south.  A number of large herbivores grazed on the plains.  As well as Mammoths, there were Woolly Rhinos (Coelodonta spp.), giant deer, several other types of now extinct antelope and horses.  Living alongside these herbivores there were several types of predator, a number of species of bear, plus Sabre Tooth Cats and other members of the Felidae (cat family) such as Cave Lions and the slightly smaller Steppe Lion.

Recently, the body of a baby Mammoth was discovered and scientists from the international Mammuthus organisation have been studying this carcase in a bid to find out more about Mammoths in general and to identify how this particular young animal met its end.  The baby Mammoth has been given the name Yuka, and as well as being remarkably well-preserved, this corpse reveals evidence with other inhabitants of the Mammoth steppe, including the possibility of human hunters.

Yuka – The Baby Mammoth

Mammoth Carcase shows signs of Predation

Picture Credit: International Mammuthus Organisation

 The skull and pelvis have been removed from the corpse, they were found close to the body but most of the ribs and much of the spine is missing.  There is a long, straight cut along the top of the animal’s back, this was made by people, but whether it is evidence of the body being butchered as the remains rested on the steppe thousands of years ago or more recent human activity is difficult to determine.

The scientists are fairly certain that this young Mammoth was not actually killed by people.  Yuka shows signs of being attacked by an apex predator possibly a Cave Lion or a Steppe Lion, certainly a member of the Felidae (cat family).  It is very likely that this predator killed the Mammoth calf, human hunters may have discovered the carcase and removed some of the bones and meat, or perhaps they chased the lion(s) off the kill and took over the body, robbing the big cats of their meal.

Poor Yuka, seems to have had a very unfortunate and brief life.  Healed scratches on the preserved skin shows that this Mammoth survived another attack by a cat – possibly an Eurasian Cave Lion, but much deeper wounds and a broken leg which had not healed imply that a second attack was either fatal or severely weakened the young animal.

The carcase provides evidence of potential ancient human interaction.  Radio carbon dating indicates that this Mammoth lived right at the end of the Pleistocene epoch, perhaps it was one of the last Mammoths to live in this part of Siberia.  The corpse is estimated to be around 10,000 years old.  The long, straight cut along the back, in conjunction with other cut marks that show a distinctive pattern as if they were created by a saw-bladed cutting tool of some kind, provide evidence that humans have interfered with the body.

If the liver had been removed, then this could be further evidence that the carcase had been butchered for its meat.  The liver is regarded as one of the most nutritious parts of any mammal carcase.  Nomadic hunters today, when killing and butchering large mammals such as antelope often remove the liver first.  If the liver is missing and the body cavity shows signs of intrusion then this could confirm the hypothesis that some human hunters 10,000 years ago grabbed an opportunity to get some food from the young Mammoth’s remains.

The researchers from the International Mammuthus Organisation suggest that Yuka was about 30 months old at the time of death.  In Africa, lions are known to attack young elephants (African elephants – genus Loxodonta), but this is the first time that evidence has been found of a Woolly Mammoth being attacked by members of the Felidae.

Tackling an elephant is a substantial task, even for a pride of lions.  Often the elephants are aware of the big cats, but during daylight they can fend off any attacks.  The lions tend to wait until dark, their better night vision gives them an advantage over their much heavier intended victims.  It can only be speculated, but perhaps a Steppe Lion attacked a weakened Yuka at night, finally bring the young animal down.

Much of the soft tissue is still connected to the bones, and there is a substantial amount of Mammoth fur on the remains.  Fur is still on the flanks, on the rump and the feet, it is as strawberry blond colour, bearing out predictions made a few years ago on the potential colour of Mammoth fur after a detailed genetic analysis on another frozen baby Mammoth known as Lyuba.

Finding such beautifully, well-preserved remains of these ancient herbivores will help scientists to better understand Mammoth DNA and traits such as eye and hair colour.  Although, many Mammoths were a reddish-brown colour, the gene that contains fur/hair colour is very similar to the gene that controls the colour of human hair.  This means that Woolly Mammoths could be as varied in colour as human hair – Mammoths could be blond, ginger or even brunettes.

To view Woolly Mammoth soft toys and other prehistoric animal soft toys: Ice Age Soft Toys

World Autism Awareness Day 2012

Today, April 2nd is the fifth annual World Autism Awareness Day.  Every year, for the past five years, organisations with an involvement in autism or in related fields such as Asperger Syndrome on this day celebrate the uniqueness of these conditions.  Market research undertaken by the National Autistic Society in the UK a couple of years ago postulated that there were perhaps 500,000 people in the country with some form of autism.

Autism is very debilitating  affecting the way that people with this condition interact and communicate with the rest of the world.  They can find it difficult to make sense of the world around them and can be over-sensitive to sensory stimuli.  A lot of research has been undertaken over recent years to try to understand these complex conditions.   One thing that now seems certain, neither Autism or other related conditions such as Asperger’s are related to low intelligence.

Children on the autistic spectrum, may have a tendency to obsess on certain objects or subjects.  Very young children, in our experience can become fixated with cartoon shows or television programmes, or indeed characters seen in these programmes.  Some older children obsess about dinosaurs and prehistoric animals, much to the vexation of their parents and guardians who struggle to keep up.  We at Everything Dinosaur try to assist where we can.  For example, one of the attractions of dinosaurs to children on the Autism Spectrum are the long names and all the complicated facts associated with these prehistoric monsters. Some children on the spectrum, seem able to retain vast amounts of information related to their favourite dinosaurs and can recite an astonishing amount of factual information about these prehistoric creatures.  Team members send out fact sheets and pronunciation guides to parents/guardians who in turn pass these on to their charges.  We handle enquiries, answer specific questions, provide advice, email over drawing materials, send out fact cards – all sorts of things as with some of our team members coming from a teaching background we recognise the importance of offering such support.

Today, on this special day our thoughts are even more with those sufferers and with their families, we celebrate the uniqueness of the individual.

The National Autistic Society (UK): National Autistic Society

Celebrate World Autism Awareness Day on Facebook: World Autism Awareness Day on Facebook

True to our word, whilst teaching at a school in London one of the T As (Teaching Assistants) approached us requesting some assistance for her daughter who taught at a special school in the capital that catered for the needs of children on the autistic spectrum.  Within 24-hours of our visit, we had emailed a teaching contact with a dinosaur themed alphabet and our own set of prehistoric fact cards that could then be forwarded on to the teacher concerned.

Gas Build Up in Rotting Prehistoric Animal Remains did not Cause them to Explode

A new study by scientists from the University of Zurich (Switzerland) has dispelled the theory that putrefaction gases produced by decomposition caused some dinosaur and other prehistoric animal carcasses to explode before they were fossilised.

A number of animals preserved in the fossil record, their subsequent body fossils had puzzled scientists as to how the bones had come to be positioned in relation to other parts of the preserved skeleton or skeletons.  In particular, the fossilised remains of a pregnant Ichthyosaur (marine reptile) found in the Lower Jurassic deposits of Holzmaden (southern Germany), has intrigued researchers.  The skeleton of the adult, is preserved with the majority of the bones in articulation, in the same relative positions as when the animal was swimming around in the Jurassic sea.

The bones of the Ichthyosaur embryos, preserved with this specimen however, are very different.  For the most part, they lie scattered outside the body of the mother.  Such peculiar bone arrangements are repeatedly found in Ichthyosaur skeletons excavated from the finely, grained Holzmaden deposits.

Ichthyosaurs are believed to have evolved the ability to give birth to live young – viviparity.  These reptiles did not lay eggs like crocodiles and turtles, but they kept their embryos inside them, until they had reached a certain size before giving birth to independent young.

To read an article on a controversial fossil discovery that suggests that other marine reptiles such as Plesiosaurs were also viviparous: Does Plesiosaur Fossil show Evidence of Viviparity?

Holzmaden “Exploded” Ichthyosaur Skeleton

Puzzling Ichthyosaur Fossil

Picture Credit: University of Zurich

The picture above shows a photograph of the Ichthyosaur fossil and an interpretative line drawing of the fossil showing underneath it.  The beautifully preserved adult skeleton is articulated but the fossils of the embryos are scattered over a large area.  The scale bar in the photograph represents twenty centimetres.

Most scientists thought that the position of the embryo fossils and their disarticulation was due to the carcase having exploded as gases caused through the process of putrefaction built up in the body cavity.  These gases, created as a body decomposes would cause the carcass to swell up and become bloated before finally bursting.  It had been thought that through such explosions, even the bones of embryos would have been ejected out of the body.  The Zurich based researchers have challenged this hypothesis by carrying out a series of  elaborate  measurements and an analysis of the physical-biological parameters.  The scientific team, which included sedimentologists, palaeontologists and forensic scientists has put forward new evidence that may dispel the myth of exploding prehistoric animal remains.

In order to gauge the pressure of the particular gases that can actually develop inside a putrefying remains of an Ichthyosaurus, the researchers sought comparative models and found one in a surprising area of science – the forensic study of human corpses.  Humans and many Ichthyosaur are similar in size and as vertebrates we do have roughly the same body plan and digestive tract.  As a result, the formation of similar amounts of putrefaction gas can be expected during decomposition of the dead body.   At the Institute of Forensic Medicine in Frankfurt, Germany, a manometer (device used to measure pressure) was inserted into the abdominal cavity through the umbilicus in one hundred corpses.

A Beautiful Ichthyosaur Fossil

Viviparity in Ichthyosaurs

Picture Credit: Natural History Museum

The putrefaction gas pressures measured were only 0.035 bar.  In the case of the Ichthyosaur remains that came to rest in depths between fifty and one hundred and fifty metres of water, however, putrefaction gas pressures of over five to fifteen bar would have been necessary to cause a body to explode.

Zurich based palaeontologist Christian King, one of the researchers involved in this macabre study believes that gas pressures strong enough to cause a carcase to explode in this depth of water are impossible to achieve.

He stated:

“Large vertebrates that decompose cannot act as natural explosive charges.  Our results can be extended to lung-breathing vertebrates in general.”

So what did cause the anomaly of the adult body remaining virtually intact whilst the remains of any embryos associated with the fossil specimen to be scattered?

According to the researchers, the fate of Ichthyosaur bodies can be reconstructed, they have theorised as follows:

Normally, the bodies sank to the seabed immediately post mortem.  In very deep, hospitable waters, they were broken down completely through putrefaction, scavengers, bone-destroying organisms and dissolving processes, in exactly the same way that marine mammal carcases are broken up today.  In shallower water (up to fifty metres in depth) and a temperature of over four degrees Celsius, however, the corpses often rose back to the surface on account of the putrefaction gases accumulating inside the body.   As the gases built up, they made the corpse buoyant forcing the body to rise to the water surface,  just like a cork when placed in a bucket of water floats to the top.  At the surface, exposed to the waves and scavengers, such as fish, Pterosaurs and other marine reptiles, the bodies decomposed within anything from a few days to weeks and the bones which were not eaten whole by the likes of a Pliosaur were scattered over a wide area on the seabed as they sank.

However, the scientists believe that under very special conditions, Ichthyosaur bodies would remain preserved more or less in their anatomical position.  A lack of oxygen, medium water depths and insignificant bottom water currents could lead to the fossils that we see today.  Because only under these conditions were the putrefaction gases compressed strongly enough through the high water pressure and dissolved in the bodily fluids, and the carcasses not completely broken down due to a lack of scavengers on the seabed.  The carcass of the Ichthyosaur female from Holzmaden, dated to around 182 million years ago, probably sank to the bottom of the sea, which was up to 150 metres deep, where it decomposed.  It was the action of minor underwater currents on the sea floor that carried the decomposing bodies of the embryos out of the mother and scattered their remains around the larger body.  The bigger bones of the adult Ichthyosaur were less affected by the sea currents and therefore remained in situ.

The Hozmaden deposits have yielded some of the world’s best fossils of marine reptiles, especially Plesiosaurs and Ichthyosaurs.  This new study provides further information on how to interpret fossil vertebrate remains and can help shed light on the potential water depths at which these fossils came to rest.

To read about the discovery of a new species of European Ichthyosaur earlier this year: New Ichthyosaur Species Swims into View

Year 4 Pupils at School Demonstrate their Knowledge of Dinosaurs

Yesterday, one of Everything Dinosaur’s team members visited Year 4 pupils at Kensington Primary school as part of the school’s teaching topic which has focused on dinosaurs.  The budding young palaeontologists were keen to show off their special dinosaur hats that they had made under the supervision of their teacher’s Miss Rafique and Miss Vavrykovych.  The visit from Everything Dinosaur helped reinforce learning outcomes that had been covered during an earlier trip to the Natural History Museum, the classroom walls displayed the various stories and pictures that the children had created. There were even some dinosaur scenes on display that the children had made, surrounded by all these dinosaurs, we were certainly made to feel at home.

Three brave pupils in Miss Rafique’s class got the chance to cast a museum quality replica of a Tyrannosaur manual ungual (finger claw most likely from a large, Late Cretaceous meat-eater known as Albertosaurus sarcophagus).  This would make an interesting addition to the classroom’s colourful dinosaur display, after all, not many school children get to see and handle dinosaur claws.

Some of the Colourful Artwork on Display Outside the Classrooms

Are Dinosaurs Really Extinct?

Picture Credit: Everything Dinosaur/Kensington Primary School

As part of Everything Dinosaur’s commitment to the Earth Sciences we wanted to give the children an insight into some real palaeontology puzzles and problems. For example, one class looked briefly at the horned dinosaur Triceratops and why very few fossilised forelimbs seem to have been preserved in the fossil record, whilst the second class looked at Spinosaurus and what the fossils tell us about huge meat-eating dinosaurs.

Building on this theme, with the assistance of Miss Rafique and the teaching assistant, Mrs Pate,l we explored how the Sauropod (long-necked dinosaur), Brontomerus got its name.  Having examined some of the evidence, the pupils were given the chance to name their very own Sauropod.

 Naming a Dinosaur – Different Sauropod Types

Thinking of a name for a Long-Necked Dinosaur

Picture Credit: Everything Dinosaur

Based on the fossil evidence provided, the school children came up with a variety of amazing names for a herbivorous dinosaur whose long neck enabled it to reach high into trees to feed.

Some of the names the children thought of:

Branchosaurus, Altisaurus, Reachosaurus, Antelopeohsaurus and Dinnerosaurus.

When classifying newly discovered dinosaurs, if you are given the job of describing the animal then you get to name it, so perhaps these young palaeontologists may inspire some amazing dinosaur names.

Close up of the Pterosaur (Flying Reptile) in the Artwork

Interesting use of drawing pins

Picture Credit: Everything Dinosaur/Kensington Primary School

On the very colourful dinosaur artwork that was on show outside Year 4′s classroom, we noticed a novel use of drawing pins.  The pictures had been pinned to the backdrop, but also a drawing pin had been used to make the eye of the Pterosaur (flying reptile).  Drawing pins had also been used to make a dramatic, gold necklace-like marking on the neck of the creature.  We thought this was a lovely and very creative touch.  Perhaps if scientists were to discover a flying reptile fossil with distinctive markings on the cervical vertebrae (neck bones) they could call in “Machorhynchus” as the drawing pins reminded us of a chest medallion.

It was a pleasure to visit the school and to meet all the enthusiastic pupils, perhaps some of the children will go on to have a career in the Earth sciences.

Adam Sedgwick – One of the Founding Fathers of Geology

Today, the 22nd March, marks the 227th anniversary of Adam Sedgwick, one of the founding fathers of geology and perhaps one of the most influential Earth scientists of the 19th Century.  Adam Sedgwick was born in Yorkshire (England) on March 22nd 1785.  A Cambridge University graduate, Sedgwick dedicated most of his adult life to the study of rocks, rock strata and geological features and was instrumental in helping to classify the strata of the United Kingdom.

Working with the soon to become be-knighted, Roderick Murchison, Sedgwick mapped the Lower Palaeozoic strata of Wales and using fossils found in rocks that he studied, defined the Cambrian geological period  and the later Devonian geological period (with Murchison).  This work took place during the 1830′s when the extension of Britain’s canal system and the first railways led to there  being much more interest in strata and rocks in the United Kingdom, more than ever before.  The on set of the industrial revolution led to the need for more coal and the demand for this fossil fuel helped to develop a scientific interest in how rock layers are formed and how old they might be.

Sedgwick was instrumental in helping to lay the foundations for the science of biostratigraphy.  Biostratigraphy involves estimating the age of strata, which may be separated by hundreds of miles, by examining the fossils it may contain and comparing the fossil data to that found in other bands of rocks.  Widely separated outcrops of rock could be correlated using fossils to identify the relative age of different strata.  Adam Sedgwick studied theology as well as mathematics and was adopted into the English clergy.  Throughout his life he struggled to defend the established religious doctrine against the advancements made in the knowledge of the Earth’s age, formation and composition.  Although Charles Darwin was one of his geology students, he never accepted the theory of natural selection postulated by Darwin in his seminal book “On the Origin of Species”, which was published in 1859.  In fact, Sedgwick was an ardent critic of Darwin’s work and although he praised Darwin for his meticulous studies, he could not accept the consequences of the main theory that Darwin postulated – that of evolution by natural selection.

Adam Sedgwick – Founding Father of Modern Geology

Adam Sedgwick in later life

Picture Credit: 

Sedgwick was involved in a number of scientific controversies, one of the most famous of which was his long running dispute with his former friend and colleague Sir Roderick Murchison.  Whilst studying the rocks and strata of Wales, Sir Roderick in a re-assessment of some of the work carried out in conjunction with Sedgwick; subsequently lowered the base of the Silurian geological period, into the later part of the Cambrian period that had been established previously.  This debate as to when the Silurian began and the Cambrian ended was not fully resolved for many years.

Sedgwick was awarded the Woodwardian Professorship at Cambridge University, a post that he held for more than fifty years.  He played a significant role in the development and advancement of the principles of geology, and today we acknowledge his contribution to Earth Sciences.

Low Tides and Longer Days Bring Out the Fossil Hunters

Spring is in the air, it is time to dust off the overalls, get out the geological hammers, the sturdy boots, the safety goggles and the trusty high visibility clothing and to once again indulge in the hobby of fossil collecting.  At this time of year, the weather is getting a little milder, the worst of the winter storms are over and the bad weather will have eroded more exciting finds out of cliffs and onto beaches, making fossils much easier to obtain.

Beaches can be a great place to find fossils.  Wave action exposes fossils on the shoreline and helps to erode rocks and fossils out of any overhanging cliffs.  Many exciting finds, even dinosaurs have been found after a careful examination of the rocks on the shore.

In particular, spring tides can be a blessing for any keen fossil hunter.  Spring tides occur just after a new and full moon and they mark the greatest difference between high and low water.  It is the very low tides that can make the difference allowing fossil hunters to access parts of the shoreline not normally exposed.  The high tides can have an effect of scouring the beach, especially if there are plenty of pebbles and gravel available.  The low tide/high tide combination can expose new fossil bearing rocks and permit some exciting finds to be made.

Time for some Fossil Hunting

Avoid cliff edges as rock falls may be likely

Picture Credit: Everything Dinosaur

Naturally, precautions should be taken.  For a modest investment, a local tide timetable can be purchased.  This provides invaluable information in the form of a set of tables, usually broken down into calendar months that show the time of the low tide and the time of the high tide for any given day.  Armed with this knowledge, you can venture onto the beach and exploit the shoreline at the low tide, whilst remaining confident that  you will not put yourself into harm’s way with  a rising tide, threatening to cut you off.

Another sensible precaution before venturing onto the beach to look for fossils is to let someone know what time you will be expected back.  A mobile phone is useful in case you need to change you plans in mid trip, but it is still good advice to inform someone as to when you are likely to return.   If it is possible, bring a friend along to help you search.  This is much safer than venturing out onto the beach or around the bottom of cliffs on your own.  Two pairs of eyes are better than one when it comes to looking for fossils and it is always useful to have an extra pair of hands to help you carry your discoveries back home.

At low tide parts of the seabed not normally exposed to the air are available for you to explore.  After the winter storms, some large rocks may have been washed a long way down the beach and into the far reaches of the tidal zone.  This can lead to some interesting finds, especially if you are amongst the first to venture out.  It is also fascinating to see the beach at this time of year, in the early morning light it can look quite atmospheric and even though you may have visited the location on numerous occasions a low tide can make even the most mundane of beach views look entirely different.

A View of the Beach at Low Tide (Dorset, England)

Atmospheric beach at low tide

When exploring the top of the beach, near to the cliff bottoms, it is best to be cautious and to look out for any signs of a potential rock fall.  Sometimes, speaking to locals can give fossil hunters an idea of how dangerous any cliffs might be and the frequency of land slips and rock falls.  If warning signs have been posted up then they are there for a very good reason and they must be heeded at all times.

Fossils can be found on many parts of Britain’s coastline.   A geological map will provide information on the age of rocks and indications as to whether or not they are likely to contain fossils.  There are many excellent guides that can be purchased for a small fee and plenty of other information resources available both on-line and off-line.  To get the most out of any visit to a beach to search for fossils it is best to do some reading and research before hand.

Unfortunately, the weather cannot be guaranteed, so it is always a good idea take some waterproof clothing, there is nothing more frustrating than having to abandon a fossil hunting trip because rain gear was forgotten and the weather has taken a turn for the worse.  Sensible shoes are a must, even on the driest and sunniest of days.  A decent pair of walking boots is a sound investment for anyone with an interest in fossil collecting, alternatively, stout wellington boots can be worn.  When searching for fossils on a low tide, it is worth remembering that many of the exposed rocks on the beach will be covered by seaweed, this can be extremely slippy and great care must be taken when traversing rocky areas.  A strong walking stick can be of assistance as can a rucksack as keeping things in a back pack enables you to have your hands free to help with clambering over any particularly large obstacles.

If a geology hammer is to be used, perhaps to crack open a nodule searching for ammonites or such like, it is a very sensible precaution to slip on a pair of safety goggles.  Rock shards and other debris could fly up as you strike the surface of the rock and the goggles help protect your eyes.  It is certainly well worth while cracking a few nodules on certain beaches, such as those public beaches in Dorset that make up part of southern England’s Jurassic coast.  Many of these large nodules contain ammonite fossils and if you are lucky you might be able to find your own ammonite specimen.

 At Low Tide Ammonites Appear

Crack open a rock nodule and you never know

Picture Credit: Brandon Lennon

The above picture shows a super ammonite – Asteroceras confusum found by Lyme Regis fossil expert Brandon Lennon.   A superb specimen collected at low tide.

With fossil hunting a few hours on the beach can result in some amazing and fascinating additions to your fossil collection.  To get the very best out of the spring low tides, we suggest you find out if there is a local fossil expert who conducts organised trips, let an expert take you on a fossil walk and help you to discover some truly fascinating natural wonders.

To read more about guided fossil walks around Lyme Regis: Guided Fossil Walks with Brandon Lennon

Philpot Museum to Run More “Rock Cutting” Workshops

The Philpot Museum based in the historic seaside town of Lyme Regis is going to be running a series of workshops over the summer showcasing the skills of lapidary and fossil preparation.  Under the supervision of the museum’s dedicated staff and some of the professional fossil collectors at Lyme Regis, visitors will be able to test their own skills at preparing Jurassic aged fossils by having a go at polishing ammonites.

 2012 Workshop Dates at the Museum

Your Chance to be a Rock Star!

Table Credit: Everything Dinosaur

Building on the success of last year’s event the museum staff are expecting another high turnout with enthusiastic visitors observing how ammonites are carefully cut into sections using diamond bladed saws.  For a small fee, you can have a go at polishing your very own piece of the Jurassic coast.

To learn more about what the museum offers and to enquire about these special workshops: Museum Contact Details

Ammonites are cephalopods (related to modern squid and cuttlefish).  They originated in the Devonian and survived right up to the end of the Mesozoic.  Most ammonites have planispiral shells consisting of a series of living chambers that increase  in size outwards from the centre of the spiral.  They are a particularly diverse group and by cutting a fossil specimen, an internal mould for example,  in cross section and then polishing it a lot of the internal structure can be clearly seen.  Elements of the structure, reviewed by these processes, the suture lines for example, help palaeontologists to recognise individual ammonite species.

Polished Ammonites Showing Internal Structure

Have a go a lapidary this Summer

Picture Credit: Everything Dinosaur

Commenting on the museum’s plans, Brandon Lennon, a local fossil expert who takes Lyme Regis visitors on guided fossil walks along the Jurassic coast stated:

“Last year, hundreds of people attended the sessions, which lasted until 4.30pm each day, working on wonderful local specimens and gaining a real insight into the work of fossil preparation.”

This year, Brandon will once again be involved with the workshops.  He will be joined by Chris Andrews, a marine biologist and geologist who has been one of the main driving forces behind these events, helping to organise the museum’s outreach activities.

For Brandon, the spring tides and longer daylight hours will give him the chance to find more fossils along the beaches that surround Lyme Regis.  Experienced fossil hunter Brandon, conducts organised fossil walks along the Jurassic coast, giving visitors to the town an insight into the geological importance of this part of the Jurassic coast.

To learn more about Brandon’s fossil walks: Lyme Regis Fossil Walks with Brandon Lennon

There will also be an opportunity to meet up with Brandon and Chris at this year’s Lyme Regis Fossil Festival (4th to the 6th of May), the pair intend to showcase some ammonite polishing skills over the festival weekend.

For further details about the Lyme Regis Fossil Festival: Lyme Regis Fossil Festival 2012

Dinosaur Artwork on Display

Following a visit from one of Everything Dinosaur’s teacher/palaeontologists to Higher Openshaw Community School in Manchester, the young, enthusiastic pupils were sent some dinosaur drawing materials to help illustrate some of the teaching topics covered that term by their teacher Ms Boyd and her colleagues.

We really enjoyed working with the junior palaeontologists at the school and their teacher very kindly sent us some examples of the children’s artwork that they had produced with the drawing materials we had sent them.

Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animals ( Higher Openshaw Community School)

A Jurassic Scene

Picture Credit: Everything Dinosaur/Higher Openshaw

At Everything Dinosaur, we try to give pupils a sense of deep, geological time and that different prehistoric animals lived in different geological periods.  The drawing materials that we sent the school included a Jurassic landscape with authentic Jurassic aged plants.  The school children were then able to add their own Jurassic aged prehistoric animals , as we had emailed them specifically, dinosaurs and flying reptiles that lived during the Jurassic.

Jurassic Park – By Higher Openshaw Community School

School Children illustrate Dinosaurs

Picture Credit: Everything Dinosaur/Higher Openshaw

Our congratulations to all the school children involved in the dinosaur teaching topics, their artwork and illustrations are super.

Dinosaurs on the Prowl

A Bright red Stegosaurus on the Prowl

Picture Credit: Everything Dinosaur/Higher Openshaw

The picture above shows a bright red Stegosaurus as drawn by one of the pupils with a Pterosaur (Rhamphorhynchus) flying overhead.  The colouration on the Stegosaur is particularly apt as palaeontologists believe that this plant-eating dinosaur could flush their plates with blood, making them turn bright red.  Scientist Ken Carpenter proposed that with such a rich blood supply to the dermal plates, they could have been flushed with blood at will making a colourful and impressive display.

Openshaw’s Young Dinosaur Illustrators

A very colourful Jurassic scene

Picture Credit: Everything Dinosaur/Higher Openshaw

They are certainly very colourful scenes and we enjoyed working with the school children and helping them to study dinosaurs.

An Allosaurus Hiding in the Ferns

A hiding Allosaurus

Picture Credit: Everything Dinosaur/Higher Openshaw