UK Fossils

The weird and wonderful of the Ediacaran Period (Part 6): Funisia dorothea – early experiments in animal reproduction Jon Trevelyan (UK) This is the sixth of my series of short articles on fossils of the Ediacaran Period. Funisia dorothea is one of the most revealing fossils from the late Ediacaran Period, offering a rare glimpse into the behaviour of early animals rather than only their anatomy. Found in the Ediacara Member of South Australia and dating to around 565-550 million years ago, this tubular organism is remarkable for the way it grew, reproduced and formed dense communities on the seafloor.

The weird and wonderful of the Ediacaran Period (Part 6): Funisia dorothea – early experiments in animal reproduction

Jon Trevelyan (UK) This is the sixth of my series of short articles on fossils of the Ediacaran Period. Funisia dorothea is one of the most revealing fossils from the late…

Critical minerals (Part 9): Tungsten – the minerals, geology, technology roles, and collector appeal of a strategic metal Michael C. Mackiewicz (USA) Tungsten as an element is well-known for its extreme physical characteristics. It melts at a higher temperature than any other metal, is unusually dense, and remains hard and stable even under extreme heat, thereby making it crucial in both scientific and industrial settings. Even though tungsten has these special qualities, it has not made it any more familiar to the general public.

Critical minerals (Part 9): Tungsten – the minerals, geology, technology roles, and collector appeal of a strategic metal

Michael C. Mackiewicz (USA) Tungsten as an element is well-known for its extreme physical characteristics. It melts at a higher temperature than any other metal, is unusually…

The weird and wonderful of the Ediacaran Period (Part 5): Fractofusus – the dominant rangeomorph of the Mistaken Point biota Jon Trevelyan (UK) This is the sixth of my series of short articles on fossils of the Ediacaran Period Fractofusus is one of the most abundant and ecologically revealing organisms of the Ediacaran Period, flourishing around 565 million years ago in the deep-marine settings of the Mistaken Point Formation, Newfoundland.

The weird and wonderful of the Ediacaran Period (Part 5): Fractofusus – the dominant rangeomorph of the Mistaken Point biota

Jon Trevelyan (UK) This is the sixth of my series of short articles on fossils of the Ediacaran Period Fractofusus is one of the most abundant and ecologically revealing…

The geology of Essex Robert J Williams (UK) Fig. 1. Walton-on-the-Naze. To the north-east of London lies the county of Essex, which extends out to the east coast of England. Although not noted for its geology, it does have quite a bit to offer the amateur geologist. In addition, there is a significant body of published geological research on the area and, in this article, I will discuss some of the geological work (focusing, in particular, on the London Clay) that amateur palaeontologists and collectors have undertaken in recent times to show that amateurs really can make a difference to the earth sciences.

The geology of Essex

Robert J Williams (UK) Fig. 1. Walton-on-the-Naze. To the north-east of London lies the county of Essex, which extends out to the east coast of England. Although not noted for its geology, it does have quite a bit to offer the amateur geologist. In addition, there is a…

Forests, floodplains and the first amber: Terrestrial transformations during the Carnian Pluvial Event Jon Trevelyan (UK) This is the last of three articles on the Carnian Pluvial Event (CPE). The first covered the climate engine of the CPE and the second described the marine ecosystem upheaval during those times. This final article turns to the continents, examining how the CPE transformed terrestrial landscapes and ecosystems. When the Triassic continents turned green At the start of the Late Triassic, much of Pangaea’s interior was a world of seasonal dryness, red-bed floodplains, ephemeral lakes and sparsely vegetated uplands.

Forests, floodplains and the first amber: Terrestrial transformations during the Carnian Pluvial Event

Jon Trevelyan (UK) This is the last of three articles on the Carnian Pluvial Event (CPE). The first covered the climate engine of the CPE and the second described the marine ecosystem upheaval…

Critical minerals (Part 8): Graphite – a quiet mineral with a big story Michael C Mackiewicz (USA) A familiar mineral with an unfamiliar story Graphite is one of those minerals that most people think they intrinsically know until they actually hold a good specimen in their hands. The word ‘graphite’ brings visions of pencils and grey streaks. However, graphite occupies the centre of some of the most important industrial systems of the twenty-first century.

Critical minerals (Part 8): Graphite – a quiet mineral with a big story

Michael C Mackiewicz (USA) A familiar mineral with an unfamiliar story Graphite is one of those minerals that most people think they intrinsically know until they actually hold a good specimen in their hands. The word…

The weird and wonderful of the Ediacaran Period (Part 4): Ernietta – the buried basket of the Ediacaran seafloor Jon Trevelyan (UK) This is the fourth of my series of short articles on fossils of the Ediacaran Period. And among the most intriguing organisms of the late Ediacaran Period is Ernietta, a sack-shaped, partly infaunal creature that lived around 548-541 million years ago in the shallow seas of what is now Namibia.

The weird and wonderful of the Ediacaran Period (Part 4): Ernietta – the buried basket of the Ediacaran seafloor

Jon Trevelyan (UK) This is the fourth of my series of short articles on fossils of the Ediacaran Period. And among the most intriguing organisms of the late Ediacaran Period is…

What Did Dinosaurs Think About? by Ronan Le Loeuff Jon Trevelyan (UK) At first glance, What Did Dinosaurs Think About? looks like a slightly mischievous title attached to a familiar subject. Dinosaurs, after all, have been thought about endlessly; whether they themselves did much thinking is another matter. Ronan Le Loeuff’s book makes no claim to settle that question definitively, but it does something arguably more interesting - it asks what sort of…

What Did Dinosaurs Think About? by Ronan Le Loeuff

Jon Trevelyan (UK) At first glance, What Did Dinosaurs Think About? looks like a slightly mischievous title attached to a familiar subject. Dinosaurs, after all, have been thought about endlessly; whether they themselves did much thinking is…

In praise of a favourite fossil site: the beach from Overstrand to Cromer, north Norfolk Stephen K Donovan (UK) If asked what is my favourite fossil collecting site, I would have to say the Farquhar’s Beach oyster bed on the south-central coast of Jamaica. I taught at the University of the West Indies for over 12 years and this locality was an easy drive. In my retirement I doubt if I will ever see it again – too far away and too expensive a trip – but it has a special place in my heart.

In praise of a favourite fossil site: the beach from Overstrand to Cromer, north Norfolk

Stephen K Donovan (UK) If asked what is my favourite fossil collecting site, I would have to say the Farquhar’s Beach oyster bed on the south-central coast of Jamaica. I taught at the University of the West…

Reefs in crisis: Marine ecosystem upheaval during the Carnian Pluvial Event Jon Trevelyan (UK) This is the second of three articles on the Carnian Pluvial Event (CPE). The first covered the climate engine of the CPE. This article turns to the marine record, tracing how the CPE destabilised reefs and reorganised shallow-marine ecosystems. When the Triassic seas lost their balance In the early Late Triassic, the warm epicontinental seas along the western Tethys margin were home to thriving carbonate platforms.

Reefs in crisis: Marine ecosystem upheaval during the Carnian Pluvial Event

Jon Trevelyan (UK) This is the second of three articles on the Carnian Pluvial Event (CPE). The first covered the climate engine of the CPE. This article turns to the marine record, tracing how the CPE destabilised reefs…

Planetary Geology: An Introduction (3rd ed), by Dominic Fortes and Claudio Vita-Finzi Jon Trevelyan (UK) Planetary geology occupies an awkward but fascinating position between disciplines. It draws its physical framework from physics and astronomy, its observational tools from remote sensing and space missions, and its interpretative instincts from terrestrial geology. Planetary Geology: An Introduction by Dominic Fortes and Claudio Vita-Finzi has, since its first appearance, sought to bring these strands together into a coherent teaching text.

Planetary Geology: An Introduction (3rd ed), by Dominic Fortes and Claudio Vita-Finzi

Jon Trevelyan (UK) Planetary geology occupies an awkward but fascinating position between disciplines. It draws its physical framework from physics and astronomy, its observational tools from remote sensing and…

Fluorite (Part 7): The collector’s gem with critical importance Michael Mackiewicz (USA) Fluorite has long captivated mineral collectors with its range of colours, sharp cubic crystals, and its magical glow under ultraviolet light. Once sought after for its beauty, it is now a mineral that is essential to modern industry and clean-energy supply chains. Fluorite, also called fluorspar, is now considered a critical mineral by the US Geological Survey, the European Union and China, and a strategic mineral by the UK.

Fluorite (Part 7): The collector’s gem with critical importance

Michael Mackiewicz (USA) Fluorite has long captivated mineral collectors with its range of colours, sharp cubic crystals, and its magical glow under ultraviolet light. Once sought after for its beauty, it is now a mineral that is…

The weird and wonderful of the Ediacaran Period (Part 3): Dickinsonia – the iconic quilt-like organism of the Ediacaran Jon Trevelyan (UK) This is the third of my series of short articles on fossils of the Ediacaran Period. Dickinsonia is one of the most recognisable and debated organisms of the Ediacaran Period, living between 558 and 550 million years ago on shallow seafloors long before the rise of animals with hard parts.

The weird and wonderful of the Ediacaran Period (Part 3): Dickinsonia – the iconic quilt-like organism of the Ediacaran

Jon Trevelyan (UK) This is the third of my series of short articles on fossils of the Ediacaran Period. Dickinsonia is one of the most recognisable and debated organisms of the…

Geology museums of mainland Europe: The Naturmuseum Südtirol Bolzano, Austria Jon Trevelyan (UK) The Naturmuseum Südtirol is housed in an historic building in the old town of Bolzano and was opened in 1997 in its current form. Its major theme consists of the geology of South Tyrol, that is, the region’s rocks, minerals (Fig. 1) landscapes, tectonics, its natural habitats (Figs. 2 and 3), forests, alpine zones, valleys, and so on.

Geology museums of mainland Europe: The Naturmuseum Südtirol Bolzano, Austria

Jon Trevelyan (UK) The Naturmuseum Südtirol is housed in an historic building in the old town of Bolzano and was opened in 1997 in its current form. Its major theme consists of the geology of South Tyrol, that is, the…

Volcanoes, monsoons and a flooded supercontinent: The climate engine of the Carnian Pluvial Event Jon Trevelyan (UK) This is the first of three articles on the Carnian Pluvial Event (CPE), often referred to as an ‘event’, although increasingly recognised as a prolonged episode, as I will discuss) of the Triassic that seems to have grown in importance and interest, and only become more widely known in relatively recent times. In this article, I will introduce the topic, concentrating on what might be called the “climate engine” driving what was happening.

Volcanoes, monsoons and a flooded supercontinent: The climate engine of the Carnian Pluvial Event

Jon Trevelyan (UK) This is the first of three articles on the Carnian Pluvial Event (CPE), often referred to as an ‘event’, although increasingly recognised as a prolonged episode, as I will discuss)…

A pebble across Deep Time: From Staffordshire to Budleigh Salterton and back again Jon Trevelyan (UK) I found the pebble almost by accident, while staying with friends near Eccleshall in Staffordshire. We had taken their two dogs (the much missed Holly and Chutney) out for an afternoon walk - the kind of slow, stop-start loop where the dogs dictate the pace and the conversation meanders as much as the footpath. Along a muddy stretch of track, something smooth and rounded caught my eye: a faintly banded, reddish stone lying half-buried among the usual Midlands gravel and mud (Fig.

A pebble across Deep Time: From Staffordshire to Budleigh Salterton and back again

Jon Trevelyan (UK) I found the pebble almost by accident, while staying with friends near Eccleshall in Staffordshire. We had taken their two dogs (the much missed Holly and Chutney) out for an afternoon walk - the…

The weird and wonderful of the Ediacaran Period (Part 2): Charniodiscus – a frond in the quiet depths of the Ediacaran seas Jon Trevelyan (UK) This is the second of my series of short articles on fossils of the Ediacaran Period. Charniodiscus is one of the most characteristic frondose organisms of the Ediacaran Period, living around 560-555 million years ago in the quiet, low-energy seafloors that preceded the Cambrian explosion. With its elegant, leaf-like body anchored to the substrate by a sturdy holdfast, …

The weird and wonderful of the Ediacaran Period (Part 2): Charniodiscus – a frond in the quiet depths of the Ediacaran seas

Jon Trevelyan (UK) This is the second of my series of short articles on fossils of the Ediacaran Period. Charniodiscus is one of the most characteristic frondose organisms of…

The Southern Pennines, by John Collinson and Roy Rosen (Classic Geology in Europe 13) Jon Trevelyan (UK) The Classic Geology in Europe series has, over many years, established a distinctive and reliable identity: authoritative regional syntheses written by specialists, designed for geologists who want to understand landscapes through field observation rather than armchair generalities. The Southern Pennines sits comfortably within that tradition and, in several respects, exemplifies the mature strengths of the series. The Southern Pennines—includingmuch of the Peak District National Park - are not an obviously dramatic geological province.

The Southern Pennines, by John Collinson and Roy Rosen (Classic Geology in Europe 13)

Jon Trevelyan (UK) The Classic Geology in Europe series has, over many years, established a distinctive and reliable identity: authoritative regional syntheses written by specialists, designed for geologists who…

Critical minerals (Part 6): Nickel – a mineral of beauty, industry and strategic value Michael C Mackiewicz (USA) Minerals have shaped human societies since ancient times, but the idea of ‘critical minerals’ is fairly recent. As explored in earlier articles in this series, the Top Ten critical minerals, lithium, cobalt, nickel, graphite, manganese, the rare‑earth elements, tungsten, vanadium, bismuth and antimony are central to advanced technologies, the global economy and national security. These minerals are essential for renewable energy, high‑tech manufacturing and strategic infrastructure, and they also play a major role in global politics and the economy.

Critical minerals (Part 6): Nickel – a mineral of beauty, industry and strategic value

Michael C Mackiewicz (USA) Minerals have shaped human societies since ancient times, but the idea of ‘critical minerals’ is fairly recent. As explored in earlier articles in this series, the Top Ten critical…

The weird and wonderful of the Ediacaran Period (Part 1): Charnia – a frond in the depths of the Ediacaran sea Jon Trevelyan (UK) This is the first of my series of short articles on fossils of the Ediacaran Period. Charnia is one of the most iconic fossils of the Ediacaran Period, known for its elegant frond-like form and its place among the earliest large, complex organisms in Earth’s history. First discovered in Charnwood Forest, Leicestershire, it was the first Precambrian fossil ever recognised, overturning the long-held belief that complex life began only in the Cambrian.

The weird and wonderful of the Ediacaran Period (Part 1): Charnia – a frond in the depths of the Ediacaran sea

Jon Trevelyan (UK) This is the first of my series of short articles on fossils of the Ediacaran Period. Charnia is one of the most iconic fossils of the Ediacaran Period, known for its…

A closer look at a Jurassic dinosaur bone from the Morrison Formation: A dinosaur bone primer Kurt Lahmers (USA) A closer look at a dinosaur bone found in the Garden Park area of Cañon City, Colorado (USA) shows some interesting details on the end of the bone. The holes in the dinosaur bone shownin Fig. 1 used to be tube-like structures called Haversian canals. These are branching channels, where the blood vessels and nerve fibres are carried through the bone.

A closer look at a Jurassic dinosaur bone from the Morrison Formation: A dinosaur bone primer

Kurt Lahmers (USA) A closer look at a dinosaur bone found in the Garden Park area of Cañon City, Colorado (USA) shows some interesting details on the end of the bone. The holes in the dinosaur bone…

What do you think? Let us know in the comments. #fossils #whatarethey #natural #science #art #ancient #pre #pov #prehistoric #rayban

The weird and wonderful of the Pre-Cambrian (Part 3): Tumbiana stromatolites – Archean Life in ancient lakes

Jon Trevelyan (UK) This is the third and last of my series of short articles on fossils of the Pre-Cambrian. The stromatolites of the Tumbiana Formation, Western Australia, form one of the…

Critical minerals (Part 5): Gallium – the hidden metal behind modern technology Michael Mackiewicz (USA) Gallium is one of those odd minerals that somehow gets people’s attention. Unlike cobalt, lithium or the majority of other critical minerals, you do not find gallium in rich ore bodies that can be mined directly. Instead, it shows up in trace amounts inside common minerals like bauxite and sphalerite. It often substitutes for aluminium or zinc atoms because they are similar in size, which means gallium is recovered as a by-product when aluminium and zinc ores are processed and not mined on their own.

Critical minerals (Part 5): Gallium – the hidden metal behind modern technology

Michael Mackiewicz (USA) Gallium is one of those odd minerals that somehow gets people’s attention. Unlike cobalt, lithium or the majority of other critical minerals, you do not find gallium in rich ore bodies that can…

Beautiful day for beautiful finds #fossils #nautilus #burtonbradstock #bridport #lapidary #museum #beachcombing #finds #pov

#fossils #pov #firstpointer #pointofview #collecting #collector #collection #lapidary #museum #beachcombing

The weird and wonderful of the Pre-Cambrian (Part 2): Strelley Pool stromatolites – among the oldest signs of life Jon Trevelyan (UK) This is the second of my series of short articles on fossils of the Pre-Cambrian. The Strelley Pool stromatolites, preserved in the ~3.45-billion-year-old Strelley Pool Formation of Western Australia, rank among the oldest widely accepted macroscopic evidence of life. Formed on shallow marine carbonate platforms during the early Archean, these laminated domes offer a rare glimpse into Earth’s earliest ecosystems, when microbial life had only recently emerged.

The weird and wonderful of the Pre-Cambrian (Part 2): Strelley Pool stromatolites – among the oldest signs of life

Jon Trevelyan (UK) This is the second of my series of short articles on fossils of the Pre-Cambrian. The Strelley Pool stromatolites, preserved in the ~3.45-billion-year-old Strelley…

GeoHibernica: The Irish Landscapes, Peoples and Cultures, by Paul Lyle Paul Lyle begins GeoHibernica with a slightly mischievous acknowledgement: the book exists only because the author of GeoBritannica was unable to take on its Irish counterpart himself. It is a revealing admission, and one that immediately invites comparison between the two works. That comparison is instructive, although not always in the ways one might expect.

GeoHibernica: The Irish Landscapes, Peoples and Cultures, by Paul Lyle

Paul Lyle begins GeoHibernica with a slightly mischievous acknowledgement: the book exists only because the author of GeoBritannica was unable to take on its Irish counterpart himself. It is a revealing admission, and one that…

That’s gotta hurt 🤣🤭 #bloopers #funny #fossils #funnymoments #4u #fossilhunting #behindthescenes #uk #dorset

Shocking fall! #fossils #pov #cliff #fall #erosion #rockfall #landslide