World's Largest Fossil Forest, and One of the Oldest

solitas writes in with news from last week of the discovery of a fossilized forest in Illinois. The forest was found in the ceiling of a working coal mine, 250 feet below the surface. It was drowned 300 million years ago in an earthquake, its discoverers speculate — here is a graphic of its formation. Geologists are excited because the huge fossilized forest, over 25 square miles in extent, preserves trees and other plants upright, as they grew.

Comments

There's no way it's 300 million years old

[Anonymous Coward]

It's 6000, tops.

Re:There's no way it's 300 million years old

[VoidCrow]

They have 6000 thousand finger? I knew inbreeding was a problem, but seriously.

Re:There's no way it's 300 million years old

[Anne_Nonymous]

>> C) The easter bunny is apparently just a human invention

Die, you infidel!

Re:There's no way it's 300 million years old

[Nutria]

Sure sounds like a badge of honor to me.

Which is pride, and therefore a sin.

Speculating already!

[dublinclontarf]

"It was drowned 300 million years ago in an earthquake, its discoverers speculate" They only just found this thing and they're giving it's life story. In other news: Archaeologists found a small piece of pottery near the site, they believe it to have been a pre-historic settlement. They have managed to reconstruct their entire society.... here's an artists impression. http://www.speedygrl.com/Racer/wallpaper/flintston es.jpg

Not fuel!

[sunami]

I swear, I had to read that 3 times before I stopped seeing "fossilized fuel forest."

Re:Not fuel!

[Daniel Dvorkin]

Good thing it's not, 'cause otherwise we'd be invading Illinois first thing tomorrow.

Aw crap...

[Cervantes]

Aw crap, an actual expert showed up ...

*sigh* CmdrTaco, close the doors, put up the sign, slashdot is now officially closed.

CleverNickName, time to end the charade... everyone deserves to know you're actually William (fucking) Shatner just pretending to be WW. Please let Wil out of your basement, his mother misses him.

Would all editors who are actually bots step forward? We have a betting pool going.

Rob, it's time to admit you never actually got married, and are still a virgin. Yes, yes, most of us bought it with the "Will you marry me" post, but after last years "OMG Ponies!"... well, let's just say that ruined any image of you as a heterosexual male.

Thanks everyone, for many fine years of uninformed and biased internet discussion. I know it was only a matter of time till an actual expert showed up, but still, I'm a little sad to see it all end. I'm not sure how I'll get my next chapter of the scientology books... but at least now I can safely view "the poisoned post" without forever losing my mod rights.

So long, and thanks for all the fish.
RIP /.
(Netcraft confirms it)
1997 - 2007

(PS: Thanks for the excellent, informative post, and congratulations on your find!) :D