Bristol University Researcher Discovers World’s Oldest Fossil Rain Forest

What would you do if you walked inside a coal mine and found instead that you’ve just stumbled into a fossil forest with the roots forming a lovely canopy over your head?

Well, that’s what Dr Howard Falcon-Lang, Bristol University researcher along with colleagues discovered in a coalmine in Illinois, USA.

The world’s first and largest tropical fossil rainforest has been just discovered. If you have always been curious to know how life in a rain forest was 300 million years ago, here’s your chance to find out.

Want to know what it felt like inside the forest. Hear what Dr Falcon-Lang has to say, “It was an amazing experience. We drove down the mine in an armoured vehicle, until we were a hundred metres below the surface. The fossil forest was rooted on top of the coal seam, so where the coal had been mined away the fossilized forest was visible in the ceiling of the mine.

We walked for miles and miles along pitch-black passages with the fossil forest just above our heads. We were able to make a map of the forest by the light of our miner's lamps."

There you are, rich imagery and vivid details. Perhaps, you would like to plan a trek inside the forest. But first, if you like to know all the details, you can write to Dr Howard Falcon-Lang at howard.falcon-lang@bris.ac.uk and get to know more about his work at http://www.gly.bris.ac.uk/www/admin/personnel/HJFL.html

Source: http://www.bristol.ac.uk/news/2007/5405.html
Image source: www.cepolina.com