Burgess Shale Fossils

In celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Burgess Shale fossils being discovered, here are 3 images of some of those fossils on display at Muséum National D'Historie Naturelle Jardin Des Plantes Paléontologie et Anatomie Comparée in Paris, France. Looking at their labels they appeared to have been collected in 1937-1938. They are on display on the 2nd level of the museum in the invertebrate fossil section (maybe the crustaceans area next to the trilobites).

The famous American paleontologist Charles Walcott discovered this landmark on August 30, 1909 in British Columbia, Canada. Thanks to geology.com for bringing this date to my attention. You can learn more about the Burgess Shale and its fossils at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. at their website.

Disclaimer: I had to take these images through a display case that did not provide the best of lighting conditions. Also since these fossils are black on a dark gray background in addition to being flatten thus making them 2-dimensional it is hard to get a good image.


The arthropod Waptia fieldensis that sort of looks like today's shrimp. Its genus name comes from Mount Wapta near the fossil bed in Canada while its species name reflects a town local to the site named Field. Learn more at this Smithsonian Institution web page.


Here is a Burgess Shale trilobite, though when first discovered by Charles Walcott he did not realize it. He classified it as a Crustacea instead and called it Naraoia compacta. It was later to be determined a trilobite by Professor Harry Whittington (Harvard University & Cambridge University till 1983). The genus name comes from Nareo lakes in British Columbia, Canada. See this Smithsonian web page for more information about this trilobite.

This last fossil is called Burgessia bella that is phylum Arthropoda and Class Trilobitoidea. See some better pictures at the Fossil Mall web page

Billion Year Old Kentucky Basement Rock Sample

A test well drilling in Hancock County, Kentucky brought to the surface a red sandstone sample that could be a billion years old. A sample was retrieved from the "basement rock" at 2447 meters.

Rick Bowersox from the Kentucky Geological Survey is studying whether the layer this rock was extracted can be used to store carbon dioxide. The idea is to store carbon dioxide produce by modern energy production and store it underground in less dense rock. This sample is apparently too dense to for that type of storage. Mr. Bowersox is also trying to determine how this rock formed and what the climate was like in an age long ago.

This particular core sample was thought to be formed by erosion of northern Kentucky mountains composed mostly of granite. It is not expected that any fossils will be found in the core samples at that depth.

Find out more and see a picture of the sample at Lexington Herald-Leader website: www.kentucky.com/news/local/story/913600.html

According to the article, "The carbon dioxide was injected in the Knox dolomite formation between 3,800 and 7,400 feet. Scientists figure that overlying impermeable rock formations and natural pressure will hold the carbon forever." The well will be monitored for up to 3 years to see if any carbon dioxide dissipates.

Dawsonoceras Cephalopod

These pictures show a Silurian Period Dawsonoceras cephalopod (ID guess on my part) in a meeting room display case at the Cincinnati Museum Geier Collection Center. I am guessing the fossil was 40 cm in length. Also note the coiled cephalopods in the case with it.



 
Dawsonoceras Classified:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Cephalopoda
Subclass: Orthoceratoidea
Order: Orthocerida
Family: Dawsonceratidae