Saving the Distant Past

Palaeontologists at Mistaken Point, Newfoundland are working to preserve the distant past by making casts of the fossils. The fossils that are found on the Avalon Peninsula are estimated to be around 565 million years old. As CBC news writes:

"One advantage of casting is, obviously, is to show similar objects to a wider audience, which is the case here," said [Royal Ontario Museum] ROM associate curator of invertebrate paleontology, Jean-Bernard Caron.

"We are going to show the casts, not only in Newfoundland close to the site, but also at the Royal Ontario Museum, where a million visitors come through our doors every year."

The fossil casts will be shown in Portugal Cove South, near Mistaken Point, about 135 kilometres south of St. John's, and at the Johnson Geo Centre, in St. John's.

People have damaged some of the fossils on the site by walking on them. Other fossils have been chiselled out of the rock.

Hats off to the ROM!

----------------
Now playing: Mannheim Steamroller - The Sky
via FoxyTunes