Mysterious 'monster' discovered by amateur palaeontologist

[Tank]

Mysterious 'monster' discovered by amateur palaeontologist

(Phys.org) -- Around 450 million years ago, shallow seas covered the Cincinnati region and harbored one very large and now very mysterious organism. Despite its size, no one has ever found a fossil of this "monster" until its discovery by an amateur paleontologist last year.

The fossilized specimen, a roughly elliptical shape with multiple lobes, totaling almost seven feet in length, will be unveiled at the North-Central Section 46th Annual Meeting of the Geological Society of America, April 24, in Dayton, Ohio. Participating in the presentation will be amateur paleontologist Ron Fine of Dayton, who originally found the specimen, Carlton E. Brett and David L. Meyer of the University of Cincinnati geology department, and Benjamin Dattilo of the Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne geosciences faculty.

Fine is a member of the Dry Dredgers, an association of amateur paleontologists based at the University of Cincinnati. The club, celebrating its 70th anniversary this month, has a long history of collaborating with academic paleontologists.

"I knew right away that I had found an unusual fossil," Fine said. "Imagine a saguaro cactus with flattened branches and horizontal stripes in place of the usual vertical stripes. That's the best description I can give."...

This guy has been fossil hunting for 39 years. What a coup to find such a large and unique fossil, the first of it type.

Somewhat ironic (and not a little amusing) that this was found in Kentucky home of the infamous Creation Museum!

[OldGit]

Must be wrong - the world is only 4,000 years old.  The FSM must have planted it to test our faith.

[Tank]

Must be wrong - the world is only 4,000 years old.  The FSM must have planted it to test our faith.

[Amicale]

VERY cool!



Looks like they found Asmo's great, great (to the power of a TON) grandfather!

The fossilized specimen, a roughly elliptical shape with multiple lobes....

And grey...

It all fits!