Latest news with #Paleozoic
Korea Herald
16-07-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
CNOOC Limited Achieves Major Exploration Breakthrough in the Deep Plays of the South China Sea
HONG KONG, July 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- CNOOC Limited (the "Company", SEHK: 00883 (HKD Counter) and 80883 (RMB Counter), SSE: 600938) today announces that it has achieved a major breakthrough in the exploration of metamorphic buried hills in the deep plays in the South China Sea for the first time. The Weizhou 10-5 South Oil and Gas Field is located in the Beibu Gulf of the South China Sea, with an average water depth of 37 meters. Exploration well WZ10-5S-2d encountered an oil and gas pay zone of 211 meters, with a total drilled depth of 3,362 meters. The test results indicate that the well produces 165,000 cubic feet of natural gas and 400 barrels of crude oil per day. It marks a major exploration breakthrough in the metamorphic sandstone and slate buried hills offshore China. Mr. Xu Changgui, the Chief Geologist of the Company, said, "In recent years, CNOOC Limited has consistently intensified theoretical innovation and tackled key technology challenges in buried hills and deep plays exploration. Breakthroughs have been achieved in the exploration of Paleozoic granite and Proterozoic metamorphic sandstone and slate buried hills within the Beibu Gulf Basin. They demonstrate the vast exploration potential in buried hills formations, drive the secondary exploration process in mature areas, and mark the commencement of large-scale exploration of buried hills in the Beibu Gulf Basin." Mr. Zhou Xinhuai, the Chief Executive Officer of the Company, said, "This represents the first major breakthrough in metamorphic sandstone and slate buried hills exploration offshore China, setting important example for advancing deep plays and buried hills oil and gas exploration. In the future, CNOOC Limited will continue to intensify research on key theories and technologies for deep play exploration, to enhance research and development capabilities, advance reserves and production growth, and to ensure stable supply of oil and gas." Notes to Editors: More information about the Company is available at *** *** *** *** This press release includes forward looking information, including statements regarding the likely future developments in the business of the Company and its subsidiaries, such as expected future events, business prospects or financial results. The words "expect", "anticipate", "continue", "estimate", "objective", "ongoing", "may", "will", "project", "should", "believe", "plans", "intends" and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These statements are based on assumptions and analyses made by the Company as of this date in light of its experience and its perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors that the Company currently believes are appropriate under the circumstances. However, whether actual results and developments will meet the current expectations and predictions of the Company is uncertain. Actual results, performance and financial condition may differ materially from the Company's expectations, including but not limited to those associated with macro-political and economic factors, fluctuations in crude oil and natural gas prices, the highly competitive nature of the oil and natural gas industry, climate change and environmental policies, the Company's price forecast, mergers, acquisitions and divestments activities, HSSE and insurance policies and changes in anti-corruption, anti-fraud, anti-money laundering and corporate governance laws and regulations. Consequently, all of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements. The Company cannot assure that the results or developments anticipated will be realised or, even if substantially realised, that they will have the expected effect on the Company, its business or operations. *** *** *** *** For further enquiries, please contact: Ms. Cui Liu Media & Public Relations CNOOC Limited Tel: +86-10-8452-6641 Fax: +86-10-8452-1441 E-mail: mr@
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Scientists make stunning discovery hidden along 2,000-mile stretch of ancient Antarctic mountains: 'More dynamic … history than previously recognized'
Novel findings from University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh, geologist Timothy Paulsen and University of Colorado, Boulder, thermochronologist Jeff Benowitz have shed light on the complex and enigmatic history of Antarctica's ice sheets, The Debrief reported. Paulsen and Benowitz's research will appear in the August edition of the journal Earth and Planetary Science Letters. The study builds on a broader understanding of Antarctica's bedrock geology and introduces new insights. The Antarctic ice sheets "today blanket and mask the bedrock geology of Antarctica," the study's authors began. "However, when this bedrock landscape formed over many regions of Antarctica and how it has influenced ice sheet evolution remain as unresolved problems." Paulsen, Benowitz, and their research team set out to glean insights from a mysterious, "hidden" mountain range in Antarctica. Those massive mountains were first discovered during the British National Antarctic Expedition of 1901-1904. "Early exploration of the Antarctic continent revealed a surprising result, a 3,500-kilometer (2,175-mile) long mountain range with peaks over 4,500 meters (2.8 miles) crossing the Antarctic continental interior. This range was known as the 'great Antarctic horst' and is recognized today as the Transantarctic Mountains," Paulsen explained. Research examined periods of "exhumation" — a term in geology for periods when objects beneath or near the Earth's crust have moved closer to the surface — and their "potential influence on Paleozoic and Cenozoic glacial cycles" on the continent. The team analyzed an "exceptionally large data set from igneous rocks recovered from the Transantarctic Mountains," uncovering new evidence with respect to glacial cycles. Their findings hinted at a "much more dynamic Antarctic landscape history than previously recognized," which Paulsen expounded on. "Our new results suggest Transantarctic Mountain basement rocks experienced several punctuated mountain-building and erosion events, creating surfaces along which ancient rocks are missing. These events are curiously associated with major plate tectonic changes along the margins of Antarctica," he said. As is often the case, the team indicated that further research could reveal more about the continent's glacial cycles — which in turn can inform our broader knowledge of climate. An "older geologic history of the continent may have profoundly shaped the patterns of the modern landscape, which likely influenced cycles of glacial advance and retreat, and perhaps evolutionary steps in Earth's global ocean-atmosphere system," Paulsen stated. Do you think we still have a lot to learn from ancient cultures? Definitely Only on certain topics I'm not sure No — not really Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Welcome to our 2025 Delaware Summer Guide
And just like that, summer is nearly here. Visit us on Delaware Online for more stories every week about the beaches, as well as fairs and festivals, concerts and family fun, downtowns and museums and so much more. We will offer all the details you need for active recreation including camping, golfing, surf fishing, cycling, hiking and pickleball, water sports, boat rides and even Skee-ball. Visit us often for photo galleries from the Riverfront to the beaches, and everywhere in between, as well as updates on summer concerts, arts events, family fun and all the things that will make summer in Small Wonder all it can be. Memorial Day weekend is in the books, and the month of June is starting at the Delaware beaches. Insert sunglasses emoji here. While it was slightly easier than usual to find parking last weekend, there were some sure signs of tourism: Traffic stalled in Dewey Beach, long lines for Thrasher's fries and teens carrying out loud, awkward mating rituals on the boardwalk at night. (Overheard: "Hey, my friend likes you!") Some rebels in Delaware and Maryland will celebrate the Fourth of July in June, while others will keep the patriotic party going past the holiday. Of course, plenty of folks will observe America's 249th birthday right on July 4. Delaware isn't messing around when it comes to summer concerts this year, and some of them are already on pace to sell out. Here are 33 major concerts, including legendary artists across various genres, that will grace the First State this summer. Dining outdoors is one of the best aspects of summer. It's not hard to find a seat in Delaware where you can enjoy an al fresco restaurant experience. The backyard barbecue vibes are strong at the Crooked Hammock Brewery with locations in Lewes and Middletown. The Summer House in Rehoboth Beach has a "summer garden" adjoining the Rehoboth Avenue restaurant. It has chairs, tables with umbrellas, a large fountain, and seats at a long counter that faces the town's main thoroughfare. The best time to see the ancient wonders that are horseshoe crabs is now, as they return to Delaware Bay beaches for spawning season. Horseshoe crabs first developed 540 million years ago in the Paleozoic era, more closely related to arachnids than crabs. The amazing arthropods lived through the age and extinction of dinosaurs and many, many other species, and are sometimes called "living fossils." Today, the shallows of the Delaware and Chesapeake bays are essential habitat for one of the four living horseshoe crab species: the Atlantic horseshoe crab. Check out our photos from the Delaware beaches on the unofficial kickoff of Summer 2025 season. Memorial Day was the unofficial start of summertime, and parents will soon be bargaining with their teens about summer curfews after days at the beach and nighttime hang outs in Delaware. And while there's no statewide curfew, here's what parents need to know about curfew laws in several popular towns and locations in Delaware. Delaware offers a wide variety of public golf courses throughout the state. Courses range from short par-3 layouts to challenging championship courses. Terrain varies from hilly and tree-lined in the north to flatter and sandier in the south. If you're looking for some fresh air, exercise and the thrills and frustrations a round of golf can bring, the First State has you covered. Delaware's three counties boast dozens of golf courses open to the public, from par-3 layouts you can zip around in two hours to full-length, hazard-strewn championship courses that can provide all the challenge you can handle The state's varied terrain leads to a wide variety of layouts. Northern Delaware is known for its hilly, tree-lined courses. Southern Delaware shows off with flatter, sandier courses with plenty of water-lined holes. It's unofficially the start of summer this weekend: Memorial Day weekend. Here is what it's looking like right now at Rehoboth Beach as well as at beaches from Ocean City, Maryland, to the Hamptons in New York. Check out these live webcams. Memorial Day is fun almost here, and the fashion police are already salty – because they'll have to wait months before they can ticket Delawareans for rocking white after Labor Day. As a heads up, make sure your pedicure game is strong this summer – because questionable toes in flip-flops or open-toe shoes? That could land you an indecent exposure charge. As you rummage through your closet for the perfect Memorial Day outfit, here are some can't-miss entertainment events in the First State where you can show off your style over the holiday weekend. Festival season is just getting started in Delaware, and will soon be in full swing. This whirlwind of events will hit every part of the state, and aims to hit every interest. Here's a preview of notable fests that will awake from hibernation this spring and summer. Hardly a day goes by at the Delaware beaches in the summertime without some festival or concert or show to entertain the masses, but there are a few events that simply can't be missed. If you'll be at the Delaware beaches this season, here are the events you need to put on your calendar. With summer traffic and parking being what it is at the Delaware beaches, using public transportation is a no-brainer. Let someone else navigate Coastal Highway while you scroll on your phone. Get dropped off right at the boardwalk rather than parking blocks away from beach. Pay a few bucks to get driven around all day, as opposed to paying the same hourly for something missing?: 21 things Delaware beaches need to be more fun: beach concerts, swim-up bars, IMAX & more If all that sounds good, these are your options. Update your ParkMobile app now because pay-to-park season has begun at Delaware beaches. How much? During what hours? Where exactly? Can I use a credit card? What is the meaning of life? Don't get overwhelmed; we have answers to all your questions below. Well, mostly. Here are the prices of a few things you're likely to purchase on a day at the Delaware beaches: $4 an hour for parking $3.75 for a slice of Grotto pizza $3 for a bottle of water $7.50 for a small order of Thrasher's fries $5 for a Kohr Bros. frozen custard cone $20 for a T-shirt Multiply the total by the number of people in your family and a beach vacation may seem financially out of reach. One-stop summer planning: Welcome to our 2025 Delaware Summer Guide Money's tight, but that doesn't mean you can't have a good time at the Delaware beaches. After all, the sand and the surf are free, you just have to be frugal with the basics. Longwood Gardens isn't just a flowery name; it's a floral paradise. When guests sneak a peek behind Longwood's veil of rose petals, they'll find a world-class horticulture destination decorated with over 1,000 acres of vibrant foliage, fountains and more. While Longwood is open year-round, the summer is naturally an attractive time for many visitors around the globe to tour the gardens. Here's a preview of what you should know before making a stop at Longwood this summer. Another Delaware beach town now has a curfew for minors. The Rehoboth Beach Board of Commissioners on May 16 voted to establish a curfew for anyone under 18. Between 11 and 5 a.m. daily, juveniles are not permitted in public places or privately owned businesses unless accompanied by a parent or guardian. Rehoboth Beach Police Department Chief Keith Banks asked the commission to adopt the law at the May 16 meeting. The department has seen a 110% increase in juvenile arrests over the past three years, he said. If you're looking for a low-cost summer 'day-cation,' try the nature centers throughout Delaware. They provide indoor and outdoor education and recreation, with displays on history, art and the environment – some with live animals – along with places to hike, special programs with nature experts and even picnics and concerts. Some also offer day camps for kids. For this story, we focused on nature centers operated by the Delaware Nature Society, state parks and the state Division of Fish and Wildlife. Centers more focused on history or art were included if they also offered nature programs. Springtime means flowers blooming, bees buzzing and tourists returning to the Delaware beaches. Locals, too, will be in the sand more now that temperatures are warming up, so what's changed during the off-season? Changes at the beaches are related to parking, tents and lifeguards, depending on which beach you're going to. Know before you go to save time and frustration. Here's what's different at the Delaware beaches since last summer: There's a big world outside of the Small Wonder worth exploring this summer. Don't believe us? Here's a preview of some major events near Delaware worth a mini road trip this spring and early summer. Two heavy hitters in the weather forecasting business have weighed in with their summer predictions: AccuWeather and The Old Farmer's Almanac. One is predicting slightly higher temperatures but near average rainfall for Delaware, while the other is forecasting warmer and drier weather compared with the averages. AccuWeather unveiled its summer forecast April 30, in a report by Brian Lada, meteorologist and senior content editor. Founded in 1962, AccuWeather has more than 100 meteorologists using more than 190 forecast models serving 100 TV stations, over 400 radio stations and 700 newspapers. In the Mid-Atlantic corridor along the East Coast, including Delaware, AccuWeather is predicting temperatures to be one to two degrees above average with precipitation between 75% and 124% of average. Rocking The Docks is looking to create a mini earthquake in Lewes this summer with 17 booming concerts, including Billboard artists, making this year's lineup its biggest yet. All shows went on sale on March 28. The 17 shows will be held over 11 weeks at the Lewes Ferry grounds at the Cape May-Lewes Ferry terminal. Arguably, the two biggest shows of this year's concert season are the Philly rock band Low Cut Connie and The Amish Outlaws, a cover band that wears Amish outfits. Some of the members grew up Amish before deciding to leave their community to live the secular world and play instruments. While Low Cut Connie is more famous than the Outlaws, the Amish crew is wildly popular downstate. Ready to surf-fish on the Delaware beaches this summer? Not so fast. You need certain permits and licenses, and possibly a reservation. You need to check your tire pressure and throw a shovel in your trunk, and when you're on the beach, there are certain rules you have to follow. Delaware's surf-fishing regulations may seem complex, but we've broken it down for you. Here's what you need to know. Longwood Gardens, the Disney World of plants, is set to bring to life its magical Fireworks & Fountains Shows – six enchanting summer and fall events that will likely sell out fast. Tickets for the first three shows (July through August) go on sale to the public May 14. The second half of shows (August through September) go on sale to the public June 25. Step aside, Rehoboth Beach – because Dover Motor Speedway is getting a brand-new beach with cool attractions during NASCAR race weekend this summer. The Monster Mile will transform into "Miles Beach" from July 17-20. Miles Beach will be located in the Speedway's Fan Zone and feature dozens of family-friendly events and beach-themed attractions, many of which will be free. Another wave of big musical acts has been announced for the Freeman Arts Pavilion's summer concerts series near Selbyville, including new additions like ZZ Top and Young the Giant. The new lineup (below) features 12 more events and performers, including the Arts & Jazz Festival. Tickets go on sale Friday, April 11. Music stars previously announced for the Freeman Arts' 18th season feature standouts like The Beach Boys, Sam Hunt, Buddy Guy, Andy Grammer, Trombone Shorty and many more. More warm weather is on the horizon, which means it's time to head outdoors and enjoy the sunshine. Looking for a place to picnic and read? A location fit for a light hike and wildlife sightings? How about jumping through the waves before relaxing on the sand? Whatever you have on your agenda, there's a good chance one of Delaware's state parks will check many or all of the boxes required for your perfect day in the sun. With 17 options to choose from, it can be difficult figuring out which state park would be best for your activity of choice. Delaware's surplus of state and county parks, its many rider-friendly trails and roadways with bike lanes make it somewhat of a cycling paradise. As the weather warms, more will begin pushing their pedals as a form of exercise or travel in the great outdoors. With that in mind, here are a dozen Delaware bike rides that are particularly appealing and worth a try, starting up north and then moving south with four in each of the state's three counties: Birdwatching, known as 'birding' by enthusiasts, isn't as popular in the summer as in the spring and fall because of heat, humidity and insects. Plus, spring and fall bring migratory birds to Delaware so there are more species to spot. But with more daylight and vacations, summer is probably when people have the most time for the activity. Delaware is home to plenty of great places to see and hear well over 150 species, from common birds to the extraordinary. We asked experts for their top five summer birding spots, some of the species people can expect to see there and what you should bring to make your trip more enjoyable. Eager for fresh fruits, veggies and other items from local farms and growers this spring and summer?Delaware has a number of farmers markets, and many are opening soon. Here's your guide to this season's markets. Since its opening in the summer of 2023, Great Wolf Lodge Maryland has attracted thousands of Delaware-area residents to its largest water park yet. This summer, the chain is offering several limited-time deals and discounts. If you're craving a vacation without straying too far from home, here is your guide to booking and staying at Great Wolf Lodge Maryland. If you're looking for a promotion to attend a Wilmington Blue Rocks game this season, you're in luck. The Rocks have something going on before, during or after every home game. As the season approaches, here's a refresher on who the Rocks are, where they play, how to purchase tickets and much more. Every few years over the past decade, Delaware Online/The News Journal has published an occasional series called "What Wilmington needs to be more fun." A bit of a think-out-loud brainstorming session, we reach for the stars, but keep a dash of reality in our minds as we cook up ideas. Over the years, many have actually come to be: beer gardens (Constitution Yards Beer Garden, Maker's Alley), record store (SqueezeBox Records), another art house movie theater (The Screening Room at 1313), production brewery (Wilmington Brew Works), rooftop bar (The Quoin Hotel) and more. With the weather heating up, we figured it's time to turn our attention down south to Delaware's beaches, already a bastion for summertime fun. Newark wants to keep people coming back to its downtown while the Blue Hens are on summer break. Before saddling up to play Dover this summer, Delaware country star Jimmie Allen gave fans a Jay-Z-inspired message on Instagram: "I got 99 problems but a beer ain't one." Tickets are now on sale for Allen's concert at Bally's Dover Casino Resort on June 20. The lyrics Allen sang are from Justin Moore's 2024 song "Beer Ain't One" featuring Blake Shelton. (Justin Moore will play two nights at the Bottle & Cork in Dewey Beach on July 24-25.)Before saddling up to play Dover this summer, Delaware country star Jimmie Allen gave fans a Jay-Z-inspired message on Instagram: "I got 99 problems but a beer ain't one." Tickets are now on sale for Allen's concert at Bally's Dover Casino Resort on June 20. The lyrics Allen sang are from Justin Moore's 2024 song "Beer Ain't One" featuring Blake Shelton. (Justin Moore will play two nights at the Bottle & Cork in Dewey Beach on July 24-25.) For many of us, going to the zoo is a summer tradition we look forward to every year. From watching lemurs and tamarins swing from branch to branch to feeding goats and alpacas right out of our hands, there's something at the zoo for everyone. And with summer just around the corner, both kids and kids at heart are itching to see their favorite animals and embark on yet another exciting, zoo-related adventure. While there seems to be plenty of uncertainty when it comes to tourism this summer, there are studies finding that Americans will be traveling this coming season — although maybe not as many. Despite the economic uncertainty, Americans aren't staying home, says the market research company Leger. Leger's study found 49% of Americans plan to take at least one leisure trip this summer and one in five are likely to travel for business, both consistent with 2024 levels. That's slightly less than last year when 51% Americans planned to take a leisure summer trip. The warmer weather means the end of the school year is right around the corner. Kids will be home. But the question may be, can they be home alone? It's a tricky question for any parent, but here's some help to aid you in your decision. Starbucks will unveil its full summer menu in May, but this week, it offered USA TODAY a sneak peek of some of the items that will be included. The company is unveiling a new Iced Horchata Oatmilk Shaken Espresso, while bringing back the Summer-Berry Refreshers that were introduced in 2024, a spokesperson told USA TODAY. The coffee chain will also be debuting a new Strawberries & Cream Cake Pop. The Summer-Berry Refreshers, unveiled last year, featured a layer of popping raspberry flavored pearls at the bottom of the cup, adding fruity flavor to the drink. The refreshers were available in three flavors: Summer-Berry, Summer-Berry with Lemonade and Summer Skies. A summer vacation at the beach on a budget can be difficult, but here are tips on how to save money on hotels and motels. Usually, rates depend on how far away from the beach you stay, when you go on vacation, and if you only need a bare-bones place to rest your head or if you want a more luxurious room, with a small kitchen, a pool and room service. For this story, we searched national travel websites for hotel prices at the Delaware beaches under $300 per night from Memorial Day weekend to the last weekend in September and found rates starting at $93 per night. Opening day at Citizens Bank Park is a treat for the senses. As you walk through the parking lot, the tantalizing smell of brats and burgers cooking over charcoal lures you through the parking lot toward the stadium. Once in The Bank, you can smell the popcorn or spilled beer. You can hear the sizzling of Italian sausages, hot dogs and cheesesteaks at Hatfield Grill. You can hear the crunch of peanut shells. It all rewards you for making it through winter as you relax in your seat for a few hours of Phillies baseball on the first home date of the year. This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Everything you need to know about enjoying your summer in Delaware
Miami Herald
27-05-2025
- Science
- Miami Herald
The world's best-preserved fossils are right outside Chicago. But there are no dinosaur bones at Mazon Creek
CHICAGO - Sixty-five miles southwest of Chicago, a small hill that looks like a prop from an Indiana Jones movie breaks up the flat, monotone landscape. Consisting of shale, sandstone and rocks from an old coal mine, the waste pile - located on a massive river delta from another era - is an unremarkable remnant from the region's once-thriving coal industry. Except it contains many of the world's best-preserved, most diverse fossils. The defunct mine's location in Grundy County is one of several sites spanning six counties that belong to the Mazon Creek fossil beds, a time capsule dating back some 309 million years - way before the age of dinosaurs - to the Carboniferous period, when large coal deposits formed around the world and terrestrial ecosystems developed. At the time, this area was swampy and tropical, and home to various organisms like the Illinois state fossil, the peculiar Tully monster, which has been found only here - a cigar-shaped vertebrate creature up to a foot long with eyes that protruded sideways, a long snout and a toothy mouth. "You get everything from insects, millipedes, plants, jellyfish, all the way to early tetrapods, big animals like embolomeri, as well as larval forms," said Arjan Mann, who recently joined the museum as an assistant curator of fossil fishes and early tetrapods, or four-limbed animals, such as the crocodile-like and predatory embolomeri. "This makes Mazon Creek the most complete record of a Paleozoic ecosystem" - an era that contained six periods and spanned from 541 million to 252 million years ago. Despite their uniqueness, these sites remain relatively unknown to many outside paleontology circles. Maybe because no dinosaur bones have ever been found in this area or the rest of Illinois, and those tend to draw the most attention. Even as the Field Museum celebrates on Friday 25 years since the arrival of famed Sue the T. rex to its halls after the bones were discovered in South Dakota, some scientists are shining a light on other creatures and plants that once roamed and grew in Illinois. Mann's role as a paleontologist, specifically at the Field Museum, was recently ranked the second-coolest job in the country on a survey. And he wants to make the science more accessible, regardless of age or expertise, by collaborating with amateur fossil collectors from the Earth Science Club of Northern Illinois to find new specimens. The club and museum take amateur fossil hunters to Mazon Creek sites on public land like state parks, where permits are required, as well as on private property like the Grundy County site they recently visited where they have an established relationship with the landowners. In 1946, the museum hired Eugene Richardson as curator of fossil invertebrates, and he became a strong advocate for collaborating with amateur fossil collectors in Mazon Creek localities. Since Richardson's death in 1983, paleontological research at the institution has skewed toward dinosaurs, Mann said. Now, he wants to renew the museum's focus on Mazon Creek. "I did my dissertation entirely on this site, even though I'm from Canada," Mann said. "So my love for this site and my knowledge of what it was in the past, gives me a drive to want to revitalize both the scientific research to show how important the locality is, (and) how important it is as a social experiment - and how we can involve people at all levels." Treasure hunting Rich Holm, a software engineer, joined the club about 20 years ago with his daughter, Anna. While picking through the pea gravel in their Naperville backyard, she'd found tiny fossils of a now-extinct, horn-shaped coral and a brachiopod - a marine animal that resembles a clam. A visit to a gift shop that sold stones and crystals solidified Anna's interest and she told Holm she wanted to collect rocks. "I said, 'Sure, that's fine,'" he recalled. Which is how he ended up on the club's website and began taking her to junior group outings. "Now I'm on the board of directors." Holm said the paleontology experiences fostered a love for science in Anna, who went on to study microbiology in college. Sometimes she'll join him on one of his 20 to 40 yearly collecting field trips. On one trip, he found a fossilized Paleocampa anthrax, a rare, extinct worm with bristles that make it look like a caterpillar and is related to modern-day fireworms. He has also found a fossilized tailless whip scorpion, of the extinct species Graeophonus carbonatius; arachnids like this are rare and coveted among collectors. But acquiring rare specimens requires patience and identifying a lot of concretions, or mineral masses that sometimes contain fossils. The shape of a concretion generally offers a clue into what's inside, so collectors want to bring back as many as possible to open, Holm said. At the recent Mazon Creek dig, participants used pickaxes to sift through the waste pile, known as a spoil tip. "Can I give you some of the stuff in my pocket?" Mann asked a colleague as he stood on top of the spoil tip. "It's weighing me down." In a comical scene, he started pulling out rock after rock. "You just keep getting them," Mann laughed. "And it's like a second collection experience when you open them," he said. "These act as little time capsules that entomb animals within them." Holm has found so many fossils that he often gives them away to family, friends and even co-workers, who proudly display the gifts on their desks. "You can get buried" in a collection, he joked. "So I give them away quite readily." While some prefer to crack the concretions with a hammer for faster results, this can damage the fossil inside. Experts suggest opening the Mazon Creek stones by alternately freezing and thawing them in water. As the liquid freezes and expands, it gently cracks the rocks open by putting pressure on their weakest points. This method often requires that collectors' families make room for the fossils at home. "It's a passion that just grows exponentially," Holm said. "So, probably very soon after you start, you need a freezer of your own." For Father's Day one year, Holm's wife gave him one that he put in his basement. It is always stacked full of containers with concretions from different sites. "It can sometimes take six months to a year for some to open," Holm said. "I go down there almost every other day, and I'm constantly cycling the containers and checking. So that's where the treasure hunt can continue all year round." Participants in the Grundy County fossil hunt are still in the freeze-thaw stage for the concretions they found that day. Jeff Allen, another member of the club, uses half of the freezer in his basement to store his frozen fossils. "I have a very patient wife," he chuckled. "That's the kind of enthusiasm that these collectors have," Mann said. "As the Field Museum, we would never be able to do the kind of operation that we're able to accomplish involving local collectors who are doing this work, and having good relationships with them." A snapshot in time Mann and a colleague have set out to find the missing stage between the anatomies of primitive amphibians and modern ones, hoping the fossils in the 309 million-year-old Mazon Creek hold the answer. Some modern amphibians have long had body characteristics that make them easily recognizable: frogs with powerful hind legs and salamanders with forelimbs and long tails. Less universally familiar but still peculiar is another kind of amphibian that's still around today, the so-called caecilians, which have long, legless, snake-like bodies and spend most of their lives underground. "But the thing is, if you go back into the fossil record, you basically see them maintaining the same body plan for about 250 million years. And before that, we have nothing," said Cal So, a postdoctoral scientist at the museum who specializes in amphibians. "This time period essentially provides a really good place to look for what some of these early relatives of amphibians looked like. That's one of the biggest mysteries in paleontology - evolutionary biology in general." The fossils in Mazon Creek offer a snapshot in time from hundreds of millions of years ago, when high oxygen levels, coal deposits and rapid burial caused many plants and animals, including soft tissues, to be well-preserved. Mann looked toward the top of the waste pile. "When you go up, it's like you're going back in time," he said. "When you see topology like this, rounded hills are probably spoil piles. And if you dig into these, there's a good chance you're going to find a concretion." The Mazon Creek fossil beds include a variety of sites, including local mine spoil piles, no-dig zones like the Mazonia-Braidwood State Fish and Wildlife Area, which requires a permit, and other localities that require sifting through rocks and silt on riverbeds and riverbanks, or bushwhacking through overgrown vegetation. Fossils in the state are not just limited to this one area. Paleontologists also visit Danville and surrounding areas in east central Illinois, and the Little Egypt region around Cairo in far southern Illinois. "This geologic history is really all over Illinois. And Mazon Creek could be a gateway into that for people," Mann said. "That's really what this locality is about. It's about the intersection between private collectors, amateur paleontologists and professionals, and working together synergistically to unveil the natural history data here - and getting kids hooked on fossils when they're young." ____ Copyright (C) 2025, Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Portions copyrighted by the respective providers.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
The world's best-preserved fossils are right outside Chicago. But there are no dinosaur bones at Mazon Creek
CHICAGO — Sixty-five miles southwest of Chicago, a small hill that looks like a prop from an Indiana Jones movie breaks up the flat, monotone landscape. Consisting of shale, sandstone and rocks from an old coal mine, the waste pile — located on a massive river delta from another era — is an unremarkable remnant from the region's once-thriving coal industry. Except it contains many of the world's best-preserved, most diverse fossils. The defunct mine's location in Grundy County is one of several sites spanning six counties that belong to the Mazon Creek fossil beds, a time capsule dating back some 309 million years — way before the age of dinosaurs — to the Carboniferous period, when large coal deposits formed around the world and terrestrial ecosystems developed. At the time, this area was swampy and tropical, and home to various organisms like the Illinois state fossil, the peculiar Tully monster, which has been found only here — a cigar-shaped vertebrate creature up to a foot long with eyes that protruded sideways, a long snout and a toothy mouth. 'You get everything from insects, millipedes, plants, jellyfish, all the way to early tetrapods, big animals like embolomeri, as well as larval forms,' said Arjan Mann, who recently joined the museum as an assistant curator of fossil fishes and early tetrapods, or four-limbed animals, such as the crocodile-like and predatory embolomeri. 'This makes Mazon Creek the most complete record of a Paleozoic ecosystem' — an era that contained six periods and spanned from 541 million to 252 million years ago. Despite their uniqueness, these sites remain relatively unknown to many outside paleontology circles. Maybe because no dinosaur bones have ever been found in this area or the rest of Illinois, and those tend to draw the most attention. Even as the Field Museum celebrates on Friday 25 years since the arrival of famed Sue the T. rex to its halls after the bones were discovered in South Dakota, some scientists are shining a light on other creatures and plants that once roamed and grew in Illinois. Mann's role as a paleontologist, specifically at the Field Museum, was recently ranked the second-coolest job in the country on a survey. And he wants to make the science more accessible, regardless of age or expertise, by collaborating with amateur fossil collectors from the Earth Science Club of Northern Illinois to find new specimens. The club and museum take amateur fossil hunters to Mazon Creek sites on public land like state parks, where permits are required, as well as on private property like the Grundy County site they recently visited where they have an established relationship with the landowners. In 1946, the museum hired Eugene Richardson as curator of fossil invertebrates, and he became a strong advocate for collaborating with amateur fossil collectors in Mazon Creek localities. Since Richardson's death in 1983, paleontological research at the institution has skewed toward dinosaurs, Mann said. Now, he wants to renew the museum's focus on Mazon Creek. 'I did my dissertation entirely on this site, even though I'm from Canada,' Mann said. 'So my love for this site and my knowledge of what it was in the past, gives me a drive to want to revitalize both the scientific research to show how important the locality is, (and) how important it is as a social experiment — and how we can involve people at all levels.' Rich Holm, a software engineer, joined the club about 20 years ago with his daughter, Anna. While picking through the pea gravel in their Naperville backyard, she'd found tiny fossils of a now-extinct, horn-shaped coral and a brachiopod — a marine animal that resembles a clam. A visit to a gift shop that sold stones and crystals solidified Anna's interest and she told Holm she wanted to collect rocks. 'I said, 'Sure, that's fine,'' he recalled. Which is how he ended up on the club's website and began taking her to junior group outings. 'Now I'm on the board of directors.' Holm said the paleontology experiences fostered a love for science in Anna, who went on to study microbiology in college. Sometimes she'll join him on one of his 20 to 40 yearly collecting field trips. On one trip, he found a fossilized Paleocampa anthrax , a rare, extinct worm with bristles that make it look like a caterpillar and is related to modern-day fireworms. He has also found a fossilized tailless whip scorpion, of the extinct species Graeophonus carbonatius; arachnids like this are rare and coveted among collectors. But acquiring rare specimens requires patience and identifying a lot of concretions, or mineral masses that sometimes contain fossils. The shape of a concretion generally offers a clue into what's inside, so collectors want to bring back as many as possible to open, Holm said. At the recent Mazon Creek dig, participants used pickaxes to sift through the waste pile, known as a spoil tip. 'Can I give you some of the stuff in my pocket?' Mann asked a colleague as he stood on top of the spoil tip. 'It's weighing me down.' In a comical scene, he started pulling out rock after rock. 'You just keep getting them,' Mann laughed. 'And it's like a second collection experience when you open them,' he said. 'These act as little time capsules that entomb animals within them.' Holm has found so many fossils that he often gives them away to family, friends and even co-workers, who proudly display the gifts on their desks. 'You can get buried' in a collection, he joked. 'So I give them away quite readily.' While some prefer to crack the concretions with a hammer for faster results, this can damage the fossil inside. Experts suggest opening the Mazon Creek stones by alternately freezing and thawing them in water. As the liquid freezes and expands, it gently cracks the rocks open by putting pressure on their weakest points. This method often requires that collectors' families make room for the fossils at home. 'It's a passion that just grows exponentially,' Holm said. 'So, probably very soon after you start, you need a freezer of your own.' For Father's Day one year, Holm's wife gave him one that he put in his basement. It is always stacked full of containers with concretions from different sites. 'It can sometimes take six months to a year for some to open,' Holm said. 'I go down there almost every other day, and I'm constantly cycling the containers and checking. So that's where the treasure hunt can continue all year round.' Participants in the Grundy County fossil hunt are still in the freeze-thaw stage for the concretions they found that day. Jeff Allen, another member of the club, uses half of the freezer in his basement to store his frozen fossils. 'I have a very patient wife,' he chuckled. 'That's the kind of enthusiasm that these collectors have,' Mann said. 'As the Field Museum, we would never be able to do the kind of operation that we're able to accomplish involving local collectors who are doing this work, and having good relationships with them.' Mann and a colleague have set out to find the missing stage between the anatomies of primitive amphibians and modern ones, hoping the fossils in the 309 million-year-old Mazon Creek hold the answer. Some modern amphibians have long had body characteristics that make them easily recognizable: frogs with powerful hind legs and salamanders with forelimbs and long tails. Less universally familiar but still peculiar is another kind of amphibian that's still around today, the so-called caecilians, which have long, legless, snake-like bodies and spend most of their lives underground. 'But the thing is, if you go back into the fossil record, you basically see them maintaining the same body plan for about 250 million years. And before that, we have nothing,' said Cal So, a postdoctoral scientist at the museum who specializes in amphibians. 'This time period essentially provides a really good place to look for what some of these early relatives of amphibians looked like. That's one of the biggest mysteries in paleontology — evolutionary biology in general.' The fossils in Mazon Creek offer a snapshot in time from hundreds of millions of years ago, when high oxygen levels, coal deposits and rapid burial caused many plants and animals, including soft tissues, to be well-preserved. Mann looked toward the top of the waste pile. 'When you go up, it's like you're going back in time,' he said. 'When you see topology like this, rounded hills are probably spoil piles. And if you dig into these, there's a good chance you're going to find a concretion.' The Mazon Creek fossil beds include a variety of sites, including local mine spoil piles, no-dig zones like the Mazonia-Braidwood State Fish and Wildlife Area, which requires a permit, and other localities that require sifting through rocks and silt on riverbeds and riverbanks, or bushwhacking through overgrown vegetation. Fossils in the state are not just limited to this one area. Paleontologists also visit Danville and surrounding areas in east central Illinois, and the Little Egypt region around Cairo in far southern Illinois. 'This geologic history is really all over Illinois. And Mazon Creek could be a gateway into that for people,' Mann said. 'That's really what this locality is about. It's about the intersection between private collectors, amateur paleontologists and professionals, and working together synergistically to unveil the natural history data here — and getting kids hooked on fossils when they're young.' ____
