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HalfMooner
Dingaling
Philippines
15831 Posts |
 Posted - 10/27/2006 : 01:55:00
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I stumbled onto a bit of information in Wikipedia tonight. It seems there is a remarkable 500 million year old geological deposit at Kinnekulle, just down Highway E20 from where Dr. Mabuse lives in Sweden. In that formation, microfossils of ancient arthropods are so perfectly preserved that even the phylogeny of their soft-bodied larvae can studied to reveal their likely evolutionary ancestors.
Some Orsten fossils
The Swedish name for the deposits is "orsten," or "stinking stones." The material is said to still have so much organic matter in it after half a billion years, that it still stinks!
Dr. Mab, did you know you lived so close to one of the wonders of evolution? Can you smell the stink from where you live, given a breeze from the south-west?
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“Biology is just physics that has begun to smell bad.” —HalfMooner
Here's a link to Moonscape News, and one to its Archive. |
Edited by - HalfMooner on 10/27/2006 02:04:54
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filthy
SFN Die Hard
USA
14408 Posts |
Posted - 10/27/2006 : 02:19:27 [Permalink]
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Pretty amazing, that ancient bait...
Thanks 'mooner!
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"What luck for rulers that men do not think." -- Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)
"If only we could impeach on the basis of criminal stupidity, 90% of the Rethuglicans and half of the Democrats would be thrown out of office." ~~ P.Z. Myres
"The default position of human nature is to punch the other guy in the face and take his stuff." ~~ Dude
Brother Boot Knife of Warm Humanitarianism,
and Crypto-Communist! 
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Dr. Mabuse
Septic Fiend
Sweden
9688 Posts |
Posted - 10/27/2006 : 07:12:46 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by HalfMooner
I stumbled onto a bit of information in Wikipedia tonight. It seems there is a remarkable 500 million year old geological deposit at Kinnekulle, just down Highway E20 from where Dr. Mabuse lives in Sweden.
30km of nice motorcycle riding from my parent's house in Mariestad.
quote:
Dr. Mab, did you know you lived so close to one of the wonders of evolution? Can you smell the stink from where you live, given a breeze from the south-west?
No, I wasn't aware of this kind of deposits, however, the limestone in this area is chock full of trilobites and Orthocerida.
The smell is only aparent if you rub the stones againt eachother or split it to create fresh surfaces. |
Dr. Mabuse - "When the going gets tough, the tough get Duct-tape..."
Dr. Mabuse whisper.mp3
"Equivocation is not just a job, for a creationist it's a way of life..." Dr. Mabuse
Support American Troops in Iraq:
Send them unarmed civilians for target practice..
Collateralmurder. |
| Edited by - Dr. Mabuse on 10/27/2006 07:13:33 |
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HalfMooner
Dingaling
Philippines
15831 Posts |
Posted - 10/27/2006 : 12:35:22 [Permalink]
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Well, I envy you for living near such wonderful fossils, Mab. Have you actually smelled a newly-split limestone rock? If so, is the odor strong?
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“Biology is just physics that has begun to smell bad.” —HalfMooner
Here's a link to Moonscape News, and one to its Archive. |
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Dr. Mabuse
Septic Fiend
Sweden
9688 Posts |
Posted - 10/27/2006 : 13:57:05 [Permalink]
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It's not the limestone that smell, but orsten.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthraconite
(pronounced "oor-sten" with 'o' as in tomb, both vocals long and equally stressed)
I smelled orsten a few times when I was a kid. It wasn't strong, just bad. |
Dr. Mabuse - "When the going gets tough, the tough get Duct-tape..."
Dr. Mabuse whisper.mp3
"Equivocation is not just a job, for a creationist it's a way of life..." Dr. Mabuse
Support American Troops in Iraq:
Send them unarmed civilians for target practice..
Collateralmurder. |
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HalfMooner
Dingaling
Philippines
15831 Posts |
Posted - 10/27/2006 : 14:57:19 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by Dr. Mabuse
It's not the limestone that smell, but orsten.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthraconite
(pronounced "oor-sten" with 'o' as in tomb, both vocals long and equally stressed)
I smelled orsten a few times when I was a kid. It wasn't strong, just bad.
Ah, thanks for the info! That one can still smell rotten fauna after half a billion years is in itself a true wonder.
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“Biology is just physics that has begun to smell bad.” —HalfMooner
Here's a link to Moonscape News, and one to its Archive. |
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Dr. Mabuse
Septic Fiend
Sweden
9688 Posts |
Posted - 10/27/2006 : 16:31:18 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by HalfMooner
Ah, thanks for the info! That one can still smell rotten fauna after half a billion years is in itself a true wonder.
Don't tell creationists about that, they will only say that it's just a few thousand years old. |
Dr. Mabuse - "When the going gets tough, the tough get Duct-tape..."
Dr. Mabuse whisper.mp3
"Equivocation is not just a job, for a creationist it's a way of life..." Dr. Mabuse
Support American Troops in Iraq:
Send them unarmed civilians for target practice..
Collateralmurder. |
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