Alexandria, VA – The Burgess Shale provides us with a rare glimpse into the softer side of paleontology. Most fossils are preserved hard parts – bones, teeth and shells – but one of the most famous fossil locales in the world, the Burgess Shale, reveals subtle soft body structures like gills and eyes delicately preserved between the layers of dark rock. For more than 100 years, the Burgess Shale has been giving us a unique perspective on what life was like in the Cambrian seas. This month, EARTH Magazine contributor Mary Caperton Morton reminds us that no matter how well we think we know a fossil locality, it can still surprise us.
Since its discovery, more than 100,000 fossils have been removed from the site – the vast majority stored in drawers at the Smithsonian and the Royal Ontario Museum – and yet visitors regularly find treasure after overturning just a few slabs. Removing fossils is prohibited, however, and a number of motion- and pressure-sensor cameras protect the UNESCO World Heritage Site from unescorted visitors and sticky-fingered fossil enthusiasts, ensuring that the Burgess Shale will be able to dazzle us for years to come. To read more about the spectacular finds at the Burgess Shale visit http://www.earthmagazine.org/article/travels-geology-famous-fossils-and-spectacular-scenery-british-columbias-burgess-shale.
Read this story and more in the January issue of EARTH Magazine, available online now! Also learn how decreasing trade winds could spell drought for Hawaii; learn that a fanged dinosaur was actually a vegetarian; and discover Australia's mineral potential all in this month's issue of EARTH.
Keep up to date with the latest happenings in Earth, energy and environment news with EARTH magazine online at http://www.earthmagazine.org/. Published by the American Geosciences Institute, EARTH is your source for the science behind the headlines.
The American Geosciences Institute is a nonprofit federation of geoscientific and professional associations that represents more than 250,000 geologists, geophysicists and other earth scientists. Founded in 1948, AGI provides information services to geoscientists, serves as a voice of shared interests in the profession, plays a major role in strengthening geoscience education, and strives to increase public awareness of the vital role the geosciences play in society's use of resources, resiliency to natural hazards, and interaction with the environment.