Spectacular Fossil Forests Found In US Coalmine

Smivs passes along a report up on the BBC about the fossil forests found in coal mines in Illinois. "The [US-UK] group reported one discovery last year, but has since identified a further five examples. The ancient vegetation — now turned to rock — is visible in the ceilings of mines covering thousands of hectares. These were among the first forests to evolve on the planet, [according to] Dr. Howard Falcon-Lang... 'These are the largest fossil forests found anywhere in the world at any point in geological time. It is quite extraordinary to find a fossil landscape preserved over such a vast area; and we are talking about an area the size of [the British city of] Bristol.' The forests grew just a few million years apart some 300 million years ago; and are now stacked one on top of another."

Comments

Re:Some better images

[bendodge]

Atheism is believe in one's self.

Re:What I find more interesting

[Aaron Aardwolf]

There is coal at the top of K2.
That's why it is called K2 (Koal2)
British Imperialists attempted to climb it simply to extract the coal. It was cheaper than paying wages to striking Newcastle miners.
But after an avalanche, and an attack by Paki terrorists, the upper-class twits went home.
So now the Taliban are mining K2. (Mining in the peaceful sense)
With their experience, they hope to blow the whole mountain down, just like those Buddhist statues, and then hold the world to Coal ransom, once the oil runs out.
Huh. Have your chador ready.

.