Kona Dolomite Stromatolite

One of the oldest fossil remains found in North America, stromatolite cyanobacteria colony formed over 2 billion years ago. Yes, you read that right over 2,000,000,000 years ago!
 
The Kona Dolomite has a lovely reddish-pink-white color. One side is polished to allow a better view of the colorful pattern. The other sides are in a rough form. Material was collected in Marquette County of the upper penisula of Michigan, USA.

You have an opportunity to own this unique piece of Paleozoic history now available for a short time on eBay: CLICK HERE TO SEE!

Archimedes Bryozoan with Roots?

The fossil pictured is a very interesting find.  It appears to me that this Archimedes sp. bryozoan has a holdfast or root like structure at its base.  Another nice feature of this bryozoan preserved in matrix is the Fenestella like netting still somewhat attached to the screw like structure of the colony.

Next two pictures show magnified views of this root like structure. The microscope images are over exposed somewhat due to the halogen light source.  It is difficult to see but the line pattern on the main Archimedes screw surface matches that found on the thinner wire like root structures.

Last two images give sense of size/dimensions of the bryozoan fossil.

Fossil found in Crawford County, Indiana in Mississippian Period age matrix.

Tellus Mineral Symposium 2011

Saturday, August 20, 2011 the Tellus Science Museum of Cartersville, Georgia will be presenting a Fluorescent Minerals Symposium from 11 AM till 4 PM.  Learn more at their web site: www.tellusmuseum.org or CLICK HERE to go there.  Call 770-606-5700 for more information.

Looks like a great program of speakers:

Lectures:
11:00 AM – Luminescence: A phenomenon of Beauty and Illumination
Dr. John Rakovan, Miami University of Ohio, Oxford, Ohio

1:00 PM – Why do Scientists study Fluorescence
Dr. Earl Verbeek, Sterling Hill Mining Museum, Ogdensburg, New Jersey

2:00 PM – Behind the Scenes at Tellus: Building a Successful Fluorescent Mineral Display
Julian C. Gray, Tellus Science Museum, Cartersville, Georgia

3:00 PM – History of Fluorescent Mineral Collecting in South Greenland
Mark Cole, the Miner Shop, Dowelltown, Tennessee