In the winter of 1985 I was driving through the Mojave Desert with a friend, talking about our apparent need for new river gear. As we passed the Twenty Nine Palms Marine Base, a man unexpectedly appeared on the side of the road selling used ammo cans. My friend and I laughed wildly and quickly came to realize that the moment was "All In A Days' Karma". This blog contains the occasional ramblings of a died-in-the-wool westerner who loves seeing, understanding, and being alive upon these landscapes. I cherish the moments of bliss and irony that come to all of us as we explore the planet and its residents (and perhaps visitors) in the short time we are here.

Tuesday, January 11, 2022

Giant Ichthyosaur Uncovered in England


Check out this giangantic fossil Ichthyosaur that was recently uncovered in England. I saw this in a NY Time article, which may be read here. (There may be a paywall if you are not a subscriber - sorry). The specimen comes from Jurassic-age rocks, about 180 million years old. It was only discovered as part of landscaping project at the Rutland Water Nature Preserve in the East Midlands. The lagoon had been partially drained when a naturalist saw vertebrae poking out of the lagoon mud. The fossil has now been excavated and the lagoon refilled. If you are able to access the NY Times article, there is a nice video of the specimen by drone, which gives a spectacular view of its immense size within the entire site.
An example of one species of Ichthyosaur recovered from Triassic rocks in Nevada.


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