Scientists stunned by find in Outback desert

[hummingbirdstones]

Very cool Plesiosaurs find.  


www.news.com.au/technology/environment/natural-wonders/scientists-stunned-by-find-in-outback-desert/news-story/d7a5c4cbcba95ed142a04fae2c6070b5

[opalpyrexia]

Very interesting, thank you Robin.

For the benefit of those who are unaware, this area is part of the Australia's Great Artesian Basin. It's the source of freshwater for much of Eastern Australia. The basin, its underground freshwater and the Plesiosaur fossil are remnants of a great inland sea. Some of that water still exists underground largely due to a quartz layer that was deposited while the sea existed.

Something else related to that inland sea and quartz is Australian opal. Clearly, but for that sea, Australia would have had very little opal. Take a look at the locations of opal mining with the inland sea outline:

Map of Opal Fields with inland sea shown in light yellow 

And then there's Eric the Opalized Pliosaur, which I think someone may have posted a few years ago. A pliosar is a short-necked version of  long-necked plesiosaurs, but with a more crocodile-like head.

[jasoninsd]

I loved the overhead pic of all the palaeontologists laying around the skeleton! LOL

Another cool story Robin!

opalpyrexia - Gary thanks for mentioning Eric. I had never even heard of opalized fossils! Really cool!!