“Sailing Stones” of Death Valley Mystery Solved

“Sailing Stones” of Death Valley Mystery Solved

Mystery Solved: “Sailing Stones” of Death Valley
Seen in Action for the First Time (Thin sheets of
ice push rocks across the desert when conditions
are just right. Scripps Institution of Oceanography
https://scripps.ucsd.edu/news/mystery-solved-sailing-stones-death-valley-seen-action-first-time?hash=3f42fa4a60340630b1fde436c4f177fe

Mystery Of Death Valley's 'Sailing Stones' Has
Finally Been Solved by Ryan Grenoble
The Huffington Post, August 27, 2014
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/27/death-valley-sailing-stones-solved_n_5718827.html

Mystery solved: The sailing stones of Death Valley
by Michelle Starr, CNET, August 27, 2014
http://www.cnet.com/news/mystery-solved-the-sailing-stones-of-death-valley/

Finally! Secret of Death Valley’s ‘Sailing Stones’ Is
Solved by Carl Engelking, Discover Magazine, Aug. 27, 2014
http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/d-brief/2014/08/27/secret-behind-death-valleys-sailing-stones-revealed/

The paper is:

Norris, J. D., J. M. Norris, R. D. Lorenz, J. Ray, and
B. Jackson, 2014, Sliding Rocks on Racetrack Playa,
Death Valley National Park: First Observation of
Rocks in Motion. PLOS ONE. 9(8): e105948.
doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0105948
http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0105948

Yours,

Paul H.

Fossil Collecting At The Rockford Preserve, Floyd County, Iowa

Fossil Collecting At The Rockford Preserve, Floyd County, Iowa

Found the below short notices online:

Fossils plentiful at Rockford preserve.
Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier, August 5, 2014
http://wcfcourier.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/fossils-plentiful-at-rockford-preserve/article_b41c1110-f015-5578-8b82-6d043f77c700.html

No. 10: Rockford fossils
Globe Gazette, August 19, 2014
http://globegazette.com/news/local/no-rockford-fossils/article_4dc83e4c-b146-5eaf-9fa6-1620050576bb.html

It refers to:

Fossil & Prairie Park Preserve
http://www.fossilcenter.com/Fossil.html
http://www.mycountyparks.com/county/Floyd/Park/Fossil-Prairie-Park-Preserve-and-Center.aspx

Rockford Brick & Tile Company
http://www.fossilcenter.com/B&T2.html

Devonian Day Trip, Lost in Iowa. PDF fil at
http://www.iowadnr.gov/portals/idnr/uploads/Iowa%20Outdoors%20Magazine/Travel/files/LII_DevonianDayTrip.pdf?amp;tabid=597

Yours,

Paul H.

Mysterious, Giant Half-Mile-Long Crack Splits Ground In Mexico

Mysterious, Giant Half-Mile-Long Crack Splits Ground In Mexico

Mysterious, Giant Half-Mile-Long Crack Splits Ground
In Mexico by Ryan Grenoble, The Huffington Post
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/22/giant-crack-in-mexico-video_n_5699362.html

Huge half-mile crack opens in the ground in Mexico
by Michael Morrow, New York Post, August 22, 2014
http://nypost.com/2014/08/22/huge-half-mile-crack-opens-in-the-ground-in-mexico/

Yours,

Paul H.

Beecher's Trilobite Bed Article in New Yorker Magazine

Beecher's Trilobite Bed Article in New Yorker Magazine

Kolbert, E., 2014, Bug Bed. The New Yorker.
http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/topic/49003-trilobites-in-the-new-yorker-magazine/

Some web pages:

Beecher's Trilobite Bed
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beecher%27s_Trilobite_Bed

Beecher's Trilobite type preservation
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beecher%27s_Trilobite_type_preservation

Beecher's Trilobite Bed
http://www.yale.edu/ypmip/locations/beechers/

Beecher’s Trilobite Bed by Martha Buck
http://www3.amherst.edu/~jwhagadorn/theses/martha/index.html

Papers about Beecher’s Trilobite Bed
http://www3.amherst.edu/~jwhagadorn/theses/martha/page_photos/sources.html

Some papers:

Briggs, D. E. G., 2013, Exceptional preservation in the
Ordovician – contrasting settings. Geological Society
of America Abstracts with Programs. vol. 45, no. 7, p. 306
https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2013AM/webprogrampreliminary/Paper231997.html
https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2013AM/finalprogram/abstract_231997.htm

Briggs, D. E. G. and G. D. Edgecombe, 1993, Beecher’s
Trilobite Bed. Geology Today. vol. 9, pp. 97-102.
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1365-2451.1993.tb01107.x/abstract

Briggs, D. E. G., S. H. Bottrell, and R. Raiswell, 1991,
Pyritization of soft-bodied fossils: Beecher's Trilobite
Bed, Upper Ordovician, New York State. Geology.
vol. 19, no. 12, pp. 1221–1224.
http://geology.gsapubs.org/content/19/12/1221.abstract

Cisne, J. L., 1973, Beecher's Trilobite Bed revisited:
Ecology of an Ordovician deepwater fauna. Postilla.
vol. 160. Peabody Museum, Yale University, 25 p.
http://peabody.yale.edu/sites/default/files/documents/scientific-publications/ypmP160_1973.pdf

Etter, W., 2002, Beecher’s Trilobite Bed: Ordovician
Pyritization for the Other Half of the Trilobite. in, Bottjer,
D.J.; Etter, W.; Hagadorn, J.W.; Tang, C.M., eds.,
pp. 131-141, Exceptional Fossil Preservation: New York,
Columbia University Press,

Farrell, Ú. C., and D. E. G. Briggs, 2007, taphonomy and
paleoecology of ordovician pyritized deep-water faunas
from Upstate New York. Geological Society of America
Abstracts with Programs. vol. 39, no. 6, p. 397
https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2007AM/finalprogram/abstract_130978.htm

Farrell, Ú. C., and D. E. G. Briggs, 2008a, Pyritized trilobite
faunas from the Ordovician of New York State: Beecher’s
Trilobite Bed and theWhetstone Gulf Formation near
Lowville, in Rábano, I., Gonzalo, R., and García-Bellido, D.,
eds., pp. 109–112, Advances in trilobite research: Cuardernos
del Museo Geominero, 9, Instituto Geológico y Minero de
España, vol. 9.
http://libros.igme.es/download.php?id=57&pdf=products_pdfindice

Farrell, Ú. C., and D. E. G. Briggs, 2008b, Pyritized olenid
trilobite faunas of upstate NY: Palaeoecology and
taphonomy. In Cusack, M; Owen, A; Clark, N. Programme
with Abstracts. Palaeontological Association Annual
Meeting 52. Glasgow, UK.
http://downloads.palass.org/annual_meeting/2008/Glasgow2008abstracts.pdf

Farrell, Ú. C., and D. E. G. Briggs, 2008c, Pyritization
and Paleoecology of Olenid Trilobite Faunas from the
Ordovician of Upstate NY. Geological Society of America
Abstracts with Programs. vol. 40, no. 6, p. 501.
https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2008AM/finalprogram/abstract_151631.htm

Farrell, Ú. C., M. J. Martin, J. W. Hagadorn, T. Whiteley,
and D. E. G. Briggs, 2009, Beyond Beecher’s Trilobite
Bed: Widespread pyritization of soft tissues in the Late
Ordovician Taconic foreland basin: Geology. vol. 37, no. 10
pp. 907–910, http://geology.gsapubs.org/content/37/10/907.abstract
http://www.academia.edu/248238/TAPHONOMY_AND_PALEOECOLOGY_OF_ORDOVICIAN_PYRITIZED_DEEP-WATER_TRILOBITE_FAUNAS_FROM_UPSTATE_NEW_YORK

Farrell, Ú. C., D. E. G. Briggs, R. R. and Gaines, 2011,
Paleoecology of the olenid trilobite Triarthrus: New
evidence from Beecher’s Trilobite Bed and other sites
of pyritization: PALAIOS. vol. 26, no. 11, pp. 730–742,http://palaios.geoscienceworld.org/content/26/11/730.abstract

Farrell, Ú. C., D. E. G. Briggs, E. U. Hammarlund, E. A.
Sperling, and R. R. Gaines, 2013, Paleoredox and
pyritization of soft-bodied fossils in the Ordovician
Frankfort Shale of New York. American Journal of
Science. vol. 313, no. 5, pp. 452-489.
http://www.ajsonline.org/content/313/5/452.abstract

Hagadorn, J. W., and M. M. Buck, 2004, Digital
Paleobiology and Taphonomy of an Ordovician l
agerstätte: Beecher's Trilobite Bed. Geological Society
of America Abstracts with Programs. vol. 36, no. 5, p. 383.
https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2004AM/finalprogram/abstract_78505.htm

Raiswell, R., R. Newton, S. H. Bottrell, P. M. Coburn,
D. E. G. Briggs, D. P. Bond, and S. W. Poulton, 2008,
Turbidite depositional influences on the diagenesis of
Beecher’s Trilobite Bed and the Hunsruck Slate; sites
of soft tissue pyritization: American Journal of Science,
vol. 308, no. 2, pp. 105-129, http://dx.doi.org/10.2475/02.2008.01

Whiteley, T. E., 1998, Fossil Lagerstätten of New York,
Part 1; Beecher’s trilobite bed: American Paleontologist.
vol. 6, pp. 2-4.

Whiteley, T. E., 2000, Beecher’s trilobite bed; a historical
overview. Geological Society of America Abstracts with
Programs. vol. 32, p. 67.

Yours,

Paul H.

Fossil Dinosaur Tracks, Marine Reptiles, and Fishes of Svalbard

Fossil Dinosaur Tracks, Marine Reptiles, and Fishes of Svalbard

Dinosaur Footprints on the Roof… Of the World!
by Jørn Hurum, National Geographic Explorers
Journal, August 6, 2014
http://newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/2014/08/06/dinosaur-footprints-on-the-roof-of-the-world/

The Hunt for Triassic Sea Monsters in Svalbard Is On
by Jørn Hurum, National Geographic Explorers
Journal, August 6, 2014
http://newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/2014/08/06/the-hunt-for-triassic-sea-monsters-in-svalbard-is-on/

Mega-Ichthyosaur Discovery on Svalbard by Jørn
Hurum, National Geographic Explorers Journal, August 8, 2014
http://newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/2014/08/08/mega-ichthyosaur-discovery-on-svalbard/

Geology of Svalbard by the Norwegian Polar
Institute, Polar Environmental Centre, Norway
http://brage.bibsys.no/xmlui/bitstream/handle/11250/173141/GeologyOfSvalbard.pdf?sequence=1

Yours,

Paul H.

The curse of the $8 million dinosaur (Review of the film "Dinosaur 13")

The curse of the $8 million dinosaur (Review of the film "Dinosaur 13")

The curse of the $8 million dinosaur (Review of the film
"Dinosaur 13") by Horatia Harrod, The Telegraph.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/11016945/The-curse-of-the-8-million-dinosaur.html

"Dinosaur 13" (Film) - http://dinosaur-13.com/

A Native American's thoughts about Sue in:

After T-Rex Troubles, Dinosaurs Stay on the Rez
by Christina Rose, Indian Country, March 21, 2014
http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2014/03/21/after-t-rex-troubles-dinosaurs-stay-rez-154111

Yours,

Paul H.

The Not-So-Solid Earth Beneath Us

The Not-So-Solid Earth Beneath Us

Dramatic Pictures of Recent Sinkholes Reveal Hazards
Lurking Below Natural and human-caused sinkholes have
swallowed cars and houses in Florida, Minnesota, England,
China, Latin America, and beyond, National Geographic
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/07/140724-sinkhole-pictures-photos-geology-science/

Devastating Sinkholes Around the Globe, Viral Global
News by Lauren DiDonato, July 25, 2014
http://www.viralglobalnews.com/world/devastating-sinkholes-around-globe/12943/

Sinkhole in Florida: In 'Sinkhole Alley,' another massive
one swallows a street Christian Science Monitor, July 21, 2014
http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/USA-Update/2014/0721/Sinkhole-in-Florida-In-Sinkhole-Alley-another-massive-one-swallows-a-street-video

Record-breaking skyscraper threatened by sinkholes
by Euan McKirdy, CNN, August 6, 2014
http://www.cnn.com/2014/08/05/world/asia/seoul-skyscraper-sinkholes/

Yours,

Paul H.

Yukon Gold Miners Uncover Pleistocene Vertebrate

Yukon Gold Miners Uncover Pleistocene Vertebrate

Fossils in them there hills: Yukon gold miners
uncover bounty in ancient animal remains each
year by Tristan Hopper, National post, July 31, 2014
http://news.nationalpost.com/2014/07/31/fossils-in-them-there-hills-yukon-gold-miners-uncover-bounty-in-ancient-animals-remains-each-year/?__federated=1

Ice age horse skull found near Dawson City, Yukon
Yukon's paleontologist Grant Zazula says fragments
not uncommon, but a complete skull is rare
CBC News, July 14, 2104,
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/ice-age-horse-skull-found-near-dawson-city-yukon-1.2710664

Yours,

Paul H.

The Kardashian index: a measure of a scientist's discrepant social media profile

The Kardashian index: a measure of a scientist's discrepant social media profile

Some strangeness from the world of science. :-) :-) :-)

The Kardashian Index by Tommaso Dorigo
August 4th 2014
http://www.science20.com/a_quantum_diaries_survivor/blog/the_new_bit_of_the_summer_the_kardashian_index-141848

'Kardashian-index' raises awareness of
cult of celebrity in sciences, Phys.Org
http://phys.org/news/2014-08-tongue-in-cheek-kardashian-index-awareness-cult-celebrity.html

Hall, K., 2014, The Kardashian index: a measure
of discrepant social media profile for scientists,
Genome Biology. vol. 15, no. 424
DOI: 10.1186/s13059-014-0424-0 , http://genomebiology.com/2014/15/7/424

Proposes the ‘Kardashian Index’ to measure
"the discrepancy between a scientist’s social
media profile and publication record based
on the direct comparison of numbers of
citations and Twitter followers."

Yours,

Paul H.

Interesting Paper About Pseudo-Impact Craters

Interesting Paper About Pseudo-Impact Craters

I came across an interesting paper about crater-like
landforms that were formed by erosional processes.

It is:

Seward, C. L., Jr. and I. D. Boone, 1966, Erosion
Craters Kimble County, Texas. Texas Journal of
Science. vol. XVIII, no. 2, pp.184-190.

They looked at numerous small crater-like features
that they noticed in the Llano River valley in the
Junction, Texas, area. Instead of finding impact
craters, which they expected these features to be,
they found features to be erosional origin. They
suggested that similar pseudo-impact craters likely
would be created by similar climatic and geologic
conditions and could be found elsewhere.

Yours,

Paul H.

Asteroid impacts significantly altered ancient Earth

Asteroid impacts significantly altered ancient Earth

Arizona State University, Science Daily, July 31, 2014.http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/07/140731150045.htm

Marchi, S., W. F. Bottke, L. T. Elkins-Tanton, M.
Bierhaus, K. Wuennemann, A. Morbidelli, D. A.
Kring, 2014, Widespread mixing and burial of
Earth’s Hadean crust by asteroid impacts.
Nature. vol. 511, no.7511, pp. 578-582.
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v511/n7511/full/nature13539.html

Yours,

Paul H.

Yukon Gold Miners Find Pleistocene Fossils

Yukon Gold Miners Find Pleistocene Fossils

Fossils in them there hills: Yukon gold miners
uncover bounty in ancient animal remains each
year by Tristan Hopper, National post, July 31, 2014
http://news.nationalpost.com/2014/07/31/fossils-in-them-there-hills-yukon-gold-miners-uncover-bounty-in-ancient-animals-remains-each-year/

Ice age horse skull found near Dawson City, Yukon
Yukon's paleontologist Grant Zazula says fragments
not uncommon, but a complete skull is rare
CBC News, July 14, 2104,
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/ice-age-horse-skull-found-near-dawson-city-yukon-1.2710664

Yours,

Paul H.

Deltas In Martian Craters

Deltas In Martian Craters

Experimental Delta Formation in Crater Lakes
by G. de Villiers, Faculty of Geoscience, Utrecht University.
http://planetarygeomorphology.wordpress.com/2014/08/01/experimental-delta-formation-in-crater-lakes/
http://planetarygeomorphology.wordpress.com

Other articles are:

Most deltas on Mars created by short, catastrophic floods
by rburnham, Red Planet Report, April 22, 2013
http://redplanet.asu.edu/?p=2534

Aeolis Serpens, Mars’ longest sinuous ridge, is an ancient riverbed
by rburnham, Red Planet Report, May 17, 2013
http://redplanet.asu.edu/?p=2555

Papers are:

de Villiers, G., M. G. Kleinhans and G. Postma, 2103,
Experimental delta formation in crater lakes and
implications for interpretation of Martian deltas
Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, vol. 118,
no. 4, pp. 651-670.
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jgre.20069/abstract
https://uu.academia.edu/GeorgePostma

de Villiers, G. Postma and M. G. Kleinhans, 2011,
Interpretation of Martian Delta Morphology and
Processes Based on Experimental Work. 42nd
Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (2011) no. 1784
http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2011/pdf/1784.pdf
http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2011LPI....42.1784D

Kraal, E. R., M. van Dijk, G. Postma, and M. G.
Kleinhans, 2013, Martian stepped-delta formation
by rapid water release. Nature. vol. 451, pp. 973-976
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v451/n7181/full/nature06615.html

Yours,

Paul H.

More About Mysterious Giant Siberian Holes

More About Mysterious Giant Siberian Holes

Inside Siberia's mysterious sinkhole that appeared
at the 'end of the world, The Mirror, July 31, 2014
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/inside-siberias-mysterious-sinkhole-appeared-3940712

Two new mysterious craters emerge in Siberia,
deepening giant hole saga. Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2014/07/29/two-new-mysterious-craters-emerge-in-siberia-deepening-giant-hole-saga/

Mystery of giant holes in Siberia may be solved
Shelley Hazen, USA Today, August 1, 2014
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2014/08/01/newser-mystery-giant-holes-siberia/13455833/

Mysterious Holes In Siberia May Actually Be
Odd Type Of Sinkhole by Tanya Lewis, LiveScience
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/31/mysterious-siberian-holes-explained_n_5637303.html

Yours,

Paul H.

Man Made Crater in Turkmenistan

Man Made Crater in Turkmenistan

This Hellish Desert Pit Has Been On Fire for More
Than 40 Years. In the Turkmenistan desert, a crater
dubbed "The Door to Hell" has been burning for decades
by Natasha Geiling, Smithsonian Magazine, May 20, 2014
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/giant-hole-ground-has-been-fire-more-40-years-180951247/?no-ist

How 'the Gates of Hell' Emerged in a Soviet Desert
Giant pit has become tourist spot. byMatt Cantor,
USA Today, May 25, 2014
http://www.newser.com/story/187280/how-the-gates-of-hell-emerged-in-a-soviet-desert.html

Door to Hell, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Door_to_Hell

Yours,

Paul H.