Oct 15, 2008 11:26 am US/Eastern
300 Million-Year-Old Fossil Found In N. Attleboro
NORTH ATTLEBORO (WBZ) ―
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Knecht discovered the prehistoric insect impression in a wooded field behind a stip mall in North Attleboro.
Jodi Hilton, Tufts University
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Geologists believe this fossil impression dates back to the Carboniferous Period.
The Sun Chronicle
Geologists in North Attleboro estimate that a recently discovered fossil is 300 million years old.
Geologists found the fossil impression of what they believe is that of a flying insect in a wooded field behind a strip mall in North Attleboro.
According to geologists at Tufts University, the fossil may be the world's oldest whole-body impression of a prehistoric insect. It's believed to be from the
Carboniferous Period.
A fossil is not the actual remains of the insect by an imprint in the rock, geologists explained.
Tufts geology major Richard J. Knecht told the
Sun Chronicle the impression is a 3-inch-long imprint on a flat rock with the body and legs of a large insect.
Knecht discovered the rare fossil during a recent exploration in the area as part of his senior project. Using chisels and hammers, Knecht and his team members carefully picked away pieces of rock before reaching the fossil.
Geologists will examine the impression with the hopes of learning more about the time period from which it's from, and specifically about the ecosystem of that period.
"Once we pin down what type of insect it is we can begin to think about the conditions, the climate and life that must have existed in the environment to support its life," says Knecht. "One focus is the insect itself. Another is the broader big picture of the world it lived in."
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