A goldmine of science: Exciting discovery: Amateur researchers have found hundreds of fossils

A goldmine of science
Exciting discovery: Amateur researchers found hundreds of fossils

February 9, 2024 at 5:26 pm

Listen to the material

In southern France, two amateur paleontologists come across a site containing hundreds of fossils. Scientists are excited about this discovery. Larger excavations are now scheduled to be conducted in the area.

Two fossil hunters have discovered extremely well-preserved fossils about 470 million years old in southern France. Experts were thrilled with nearly 400 fossils during their first visit to the site, according to the Swiss University of Lausanne. It is currently evaluating the site in collaboration with the French National Research Center (CNRS). The analysis is available in the specialized journal.”Nature ecology and evolution“Posted.

Eric Monseret and Sylvie Monseret-Gougeon are amateur paleontologists who have been searching for fossils for many years, the university said. They would have discovered one of the richest and most diverse sites in the world. The place is called Biote de Cabrière and is located in the French province of Hérault. “When we found these amazing fossils, we understood the importance of this discovery and moved from astonishment to excitement,” the university quoted Monseret-Gougeon as saying.

Among the fossils are mussels, arthropods, which include millipedes and shrimp, cnidarians, which include jellyfish and coral, and many species of sponges and algae. Fossilized soft components such as the digestive system and membranes have also been found.

The university said the high biodiversity at the site could indicate that species had retreated to this area from areas with higher temperatures at the time. “The distant past gives us a glimpse into our possible near future,” the university quoted co-author Jonathan Antcliffe as saying. More larger excavations are now scheduled to be conducted in the area.