When were opalized fossils opalized?

December 16, 2023 7:04 PM

Timing of Opalization at Lightning Ridge, Australia: New Evidence from Opalized Fossils.
posted by chariot pulled by cassowaries (4 comments total)

As someone who has a Bachelor's degree, IN SCIENCE!!! (Geology), so cool. Science just keeps on coming up with new techniques and science to do stuff like this.

Fossilization is whack. As my paleo teacher taught me, "no individuals get preserved". Fossilization is pretty random. The fact that all these in the GAB show opalization, just what? Why only there? What conditions led to this? So awesome.
posted by Windopaene at 9:36 PM on December 16, 2023

The theories on the origin and timing of sedimentary opalization in Australia are marked by diversity, uncertainty, and disagreement

This is also true of the people of Lightning Ridge, who’ve I’ve had some contact with, who are an extraordinary random collection of fortune hunters, escapees from society, yobbos, eccentrics, fanatics, and loose units. It’s absolute Mad Max country, beautiful and completely strange.
posted by Fiasco da Gama at 10:33 PM on December 16, 2023 [8 favorites]

Yay! Another Bachelors in geology here (although I haven't geologized for a very long time).

Geology is so cool... and scary, when you start looking at things like plateau basalts and Yellowstone.
posted by 43rdAnd9th at 5:39 AM on December 17, 2023

MetaFilter: ...marked by diversity, uncertainty, and disagreement.

However, I came for the opalized fossils, stayed for the Weewarrasaurus.
posted by mule98J at 7:37 AM on December 17, 2023