fossilizedvcr

[fossilizedvcr]

Finally, into the Quaternary Period (approximately 40,000 years ago)! Humans are here in full force, although they still talk in the language of "grunt" and STINK to high heaven. I can't wait to get back home and take a shower. We visited a Neanderthal cave in Germany, and saw some of the earliest cave paintings ever seen (still fresh). This is my favorite geologic period, as there are so many things to discover! I received a gift from the Neanderthal tribe we met in Germany. It was some fire starter tools, definitely museum-worthy. Aside from the obvious monetary value, this can probably be used to increase our understanding of how early humans lived. In addition to the tools, the team unearthed this human skull. Depending on the age of this skull, it could be used to provide new evidence for the timeline of human evolution. I can't wait to get back home and show everyone the things we collected!

[fossilizedvcr]

Here we are in the Mesozoic Era (approximately 67. 3 MYA), the age of the dinosaurs! Say hi to Max and Pauline!

Real talk, Max tried to eat me. Let’s just say I’ve gotten better at running.

Anyways, life is flowering on Earth (literally). There are an abundance of flowering plants, and early mammals have started to develop. Not a human in sight though, besides me and my coworkers.

Unfortunately, a mass extinction is on the horizon. Sorry, Max and Pauline!

While out, I found this foot. It was literally just an old foot, decayed to the bone. So, I decided to take it back for research purposes. Our overall goal here seems to be to complete and fortify the fossil record, so why not!

[fossilizedvcr]

Just got back from the Devonian Period (approximately 361 MYA), with a couple of friends. Good news, plants and land are finally here!!! Plus, fish that look like fish finally swim in these oceans. It actually looks similar to the oceans of present day!

After sunrise, I found this boi (pictured above) washed up on shore. It was just a dead fish at first, but it had a surprisingly intact skeleton, so one of my co-workers stripped it of its… flesh… (ew) and kept the bones. We hope to help complete/bolster the fossil record even more!

[fossilizedvcr]

I am now in the Cambrian Period, during the Cambrian explosion (approximately 531 MYA). There is a great diversity of life, but on the downside, the whole world is an ocean (I wish someone would have told me to pack waterproof shoes).

There are a lot of creatures that resemble horseshoe crabs, which we call ‘trilobites’. While snorkeling, I discovered a fossil of one of these little guys (at least 50,000 years old at this point) and I’ve decided to bring it back home. Hopefully, we’ll be able to accurately carbon date this little guy, and strengthen the fossil record!

[fossilizedvcr]

So here I am in the Precambrian (approximately 733 MYA). Everything is nasty and hot, BUT on the bright side, water is beginning to form. We know that soon enough, teensy little cells (Cyanobacteria) will start producing oxygen in the new ocean and the ozone layer will finally be born! Then life will be able to flourish without being eliminated by deadly sun lasers.

(if you can understand that reference, I love you)

While I was here, this small meteorite landed near my setup. I decided to take it back with me, for study. When I get back, we will probably analyze the mineral/elemental composition of the rock, to find out where it’s from and if it contains any water (to see if these meteorites were of any help in the forming of the oceans during the Precambrian).