Ancient amphibian almost ended up forgotten inside a sandstone slab wall

August 17, 2023 9:47 PM

"An incredibly rare find": This ancient amphibian almost ended up forgotten inside a sandstone slab wall. Almost 30 years after a chicken farmer found an almost perfectly preserved fossil in a slab of sandstone, scientists have identified the skeleton as a prehistoric amphibian.
posted by chariot pulled by cassowaries (5 comments total)

Huzzah, Mihail Mihailidis! Good on him catching it!
posted by brundlefly at 10:45 PM on August 17, 2023

The headline makes it sound like it was a builder’s mistake, like they were finishing the wall, and someone noticed there was an amphibian inside. I kind off don’t want to read the article for disappointment.
posted by GenjiandProust at 4:35 AM on August 18, 2023

The headline makes it sound like it was a builder’s mistake, like they were finishing the wall, and someone noticed there was an amphibian inside.

Right there with ya.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 4:42 AM on August 18, 2023 [2 favorites]

FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, MONTRIBBIT!
posted by Etrigan at 5:43 AM on August 18, 2023 [8 favorites]

"And with this one, we've got remnants of soft tissue, so its fat and its skin as well."

It still blows my mind that this happens from time to time. That seems more miraculous than the builder's find.
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 5:54 AM on August 18, 2023 [3 favorites]