Rain Forest Fossil
Giant Fossil Rain Forest Discovered in Illinois National Geographic - April 25, 2007
A giant fossilized rain forest has been unearthed in an Illinois coal mine. Preserved by a major ancient earthquake, the forest covers four square miles (a thousand hectares) and features an abundance of huge leaf impressions, large trunks of extinct trees, and tree-size horsetail plants, the researchers said. The fossils reveal a 300-million-year-old forest that bears little resemblance to most wooded areas today. Trees in the ancient forest sported few branches and were veiled with only scattered leaves, allowing plenty of sunlight to filter down from the forest canopy. A major earthquake 300 million years ago caused the forest to drop below sea level, burying the entire ecosystem in mud almost immediately, Elrick explained. This rapid burial kept the forest's plant life from decomposing and allowed it to be preserved. Geologist John Nelson, also with ISGS, found the fossils in 2004 when he was visiting the mine and noticed plant imprints in its shale-covered ceiling.
Ancient Rainforest Revealed in Coal Mine Live Science - April 23, 2007
Scientists exploring a mine have uncovered a natural Sistine chapel showing not religious paintings, but incredibly well preserved images of sprawling tree trunks and fallen leaves that once breathed life into an ancient rainforest. Replete with a diverse mix of extinct plants, the 300-million-year-old fossilized forest is revealing clues about the ecology of Earthıs first rainforests.
CRYSTALINKS MAILING LIST, NEWSLETTER, UPDATES