Researchers discover Earth's earliest fossilised forest in UK

March 8, 2024 7:29 PM

Researchers discover Earth's earliest fossilised forest in UK. Scientists discover the oldest fossilised forest known on Earth, dating back 390 million years, according to a new study. To put that in context, dinosaurs first appeared during the Triassic period, between 243 and 233.23 million years ago.
posted by chariot pulled by cassowaries (6 comments total)

Nice one. British geologists have been fossicking over the landscape for 200 years asserting naming rights [Cambrian, Ordovician, Silurian, Devonian] over the early part of the Phanerozoic (φανερός phanerós visible + ζωή zōḗ life) and yet these trees were hidden in plain sight for all that time. It will encourage young geologists to get out in the field and look sideways at the obvious.
posted by BobTheScientist at 12:15 AM on March 9 [5 favorites]

> "The evidence contained in these fossils preserves a key stage in Earth's development, when rivers started to operate in a fundamentally different way than they had before, becoming the great erosive force they are today," Professor Davies said.

what does this mean
posted by glonous keming at 8:28 AM on March 9 [1 favorite]

People sometimes think that British rocks have been looked at enough

this article is full of delightfully weird sentences. I wish I could see what those forests looked like. I love trees. this is way cool.
posted by supermedusa at 8:53 AM on March 9 [2 favorites]

glonous keming, it’s a change in geomorphology. Soil with roots in it erodes differently than soil without roots in it, which changes how watercourses form and move, which changes the shape of landforms even up to mountains. It’s one of the things astrobiology hopes to see.
posted by clew at 10:13 AM on March 9 [5 favorites]

ahhh, ok, that makes sense. thank you, clew!
posted by glonous keming at 10:40 AM on March 9

A Lower Devonian Tea

Swaggering, in torn and mephitic striped pyjamas, a three foot high humanoid, with a bulbous nose, pear-shaped head, huge protuberant ears, facial whiskers, a silver dinner-fork in one hand and a silver dinner knife in the other, emerged from the ferns.

Jherek, too, had once worn the pyjamas of the Nursery; had suffered the regime of that robot survivor from the Late Multitude Cultures. He recognized Captain Mubbers, leader of the Lat brigand-musicians. He had seen him twice since the Nursery — at the Cafe Royal, and later, in custody together, at Scotland Yard.

Captain Mubbers grunted at Jherek with something like grudging neutrality, but when his three pupils focussed on Inspector Springer he uttered an unpleasant laugh.

Inspector Springer would accept no nonsense, even when five more Lat joined their leader and shared his amusement. "In the name of Her Majesty the Queen," he began. But he hesitated; he was off-guard.

"Ood ja shag ok gongong pish?" Captain Mubbers was contemptuous. "Klixshat efang!"

posted by ovvl at 9:06 PM on March 9 [1 favorite]