Philosophy
This undated handout image shows what U.S. researchers say appears to be the oldest imprint of a prehistoric insect, made while the dragonfly-like creature was still alive. The fossilized remains were uncovered two weeks ago at a rocky outcrop near a large shopping center in North Attleboro, Massachusetts and is believed to have been made by an insect about three inches (7.6 cm) long as it stood on mud some 312 million years ago.
Perhaps this feature, "serendipity", should be given more consideration in the realm of science. Many discoveries were manifested by "chance".
U.S. researchers say they have discovered what appears to be the oldest imprint of a prehistoric insect, made while the dragonfly-like creature was still alive.
The imprint found at a rocky outcrop near a large shopping center in North Attleboro, Massachusetts, is believed to have been made by an insect about three inches long as it stood on mud some 312 million years ago.
"It's not a dragonfly but picture a dragonfly-like body. We're looking at something related, maybe a mayfly. They have the same body plan," said the discoverer, Richard Knecht, a geology student at Tufts University in Massachusetts.
The fossilized remains of a wing that may have belonged to the same species were uncovered two weeks ago.
The imprint of the insect shows the thorax and abdomen, along with six legs, two of which may have moved slightly to create drag marks that hardened into burgundy-colored stone.
"It's unusual to see a flying insect make such a deep impression in this muddy sediment," said Tufts paleontologist Jake Brenner. "We don't have many good body fossils from this time period with these early flying insects. The level of detail is really unseen in continental deposits."
At the time the impression was made, insects and amphibians were common. Reptiles, the ancestors of the dinosaurs, were just beginning to come to prominence.
Many of the fossilized remains of insects show only individual body parts, such as a wing left behind when a predator ate the rest. The impression of an intact insect "fills in the blanks of what we imagined," Knecht said in a telephone interview.
The rock that contained the fossil broke off in Knecht's hands as he was trying to rediscover an outcrop that had yielded four-digit footprints of an ancient amphibian the day before.
"It was a really lucky find," he said.
Imagination/Science
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Philosophy
Serendipity again...in Massachusetts
This undated handout image shows what U.S. researchers say appears to be the oldest imprint of a prehistoric insect, made while the dragonfly-like creature was still alive. The fossilized remains were uncovered two weeks ago at a rocky outcrop near a large shopping center in North Attleboro, Massachusetts and is believed to have been made by an insect about three inches (7.6 cm) long as it stood on mud some 312 million years ago.Perhaps this feature, "serendipity", should be given more consideration in the realm of science. Many discoveries were manifested by "chance".
"Ancient insect imprint found in Massachusetts"
by
Gene Emery
December 3rd, 2008
Reuters
by
Gene Emery
December 3rd, 2008
Reuters
U.S. researchers say they have discovered what appears to be the oldest imprint of a prehistoric insect, made while the dragonfly-like creature was still alive.
The imprint found at a rocky outcrop near a large shopping center in North Attleboro, Massachusetts, is believed to have been made by an insect about three inches long as it stood on mud some 312 million years ago.
"It's not a dragonfly but picture a dragonfly-like body. We're looking at something related, maybe a mayfly. They have the same body plan," said the discoverer, Richard Knecht, a geology student at Tufts University in Massachusetts.
The fossilized remains of a wing that may have belonged to the same species were uncovered two weeks ago.
The imprint of the insect shows the thorax and abdomen, along with six legs, two of which may have moved slightly to create drag marks that hardened into burgundy-colored stone.
"It's unusual to see a flying insect make such a deep impression in this muddy sediment," said Tufts paleontologist Jake Brenner. "We don't have many good body fossils from this time period with these early flying insects. The level of detail is really unseen in continental deposits."
At the time the impression was made, insects and amphibians were common. Reptiles, the ancestors of the dinosaurs, were just beginning to come to prominence.
Many of the fossilized remains of insects show only individual body parts, such as a wing left behind when a predator ate the rest. The impression of an intact insect "fills in the blanks of what we imagined," Knecht said in a telephone interview.
The rock that contained the fossil broke off in Knecht's hands as he was trying to rediscover an outcrop that had yielded four-digit footprints of an ancient amphibian the day before.
"It was a really lucky find," he said.
Imagination/Science
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- Amazing Close-up Macro Photographs Of Bugs
I've been noticing this week that the internet seems to have become the victim of an insect photography awesomeness epidemic. Don't quite know if that's just a coincidence, or some entomological trend of which I am not aware, but who cares?...
- "tinkerbella Nana" Is Just 250 Micrometers In Length
"The real Tinker Bell: Scientists discover new species of minute fairyfly that is just one quarter of a millimetre long" by Becky Evans April 25th, 2013 Daily Mail It may not be as common as the Peter Pan fairy, but this newly discovered insect is...
- Thalattosaur's Fossilized Skeleton Found In Alaska
What causes an "extreme low tide"? "Rare fossil of sea reptile found on Alaska beach" by Yereth Rosen July 29th, 2011 Reuters Alaska scientists have discovered the fossil of a rare, prehistoric marine reptile that is likely the most complete remnant...
- Bug Food?
This will not work anytime soon except at weird partys. It is more than just making the insect palatable but convincing people of the concept. McDonald's new entree...the Happy Roach or Egg and Cricket Biscuit? "Replace cattle? Edible insects produce...
- 700 New Species...from Indian Amber
"Ancient Amber Reveals 700 New Insect Species" October 26th, 2010 Science News Researchers have discovered more than 700 new species of prehistoric insects in a 50-million-year-old amber deposit in India. The 330 lb. deposit, dubbed Cambay amber, was...