Tread lightly, dear reader, for this post has been assembled following April Fools Day.
I've done my best to eliminate scurrilous nonsense, and have double checked sources, but even so , doubts remain !
Recent discoveries in Brazil give me a new word - paleoburrows.
I am amazed and humbled that I didn't even know that such things existed.
My inner cynic wonders why the disoveries are not more widespread.
At this point, I apologise for the links to speculative blogs, as opposed to hard science.
Further examinations led me to a treatise published in 2009, which makes me feel less of an ' April Fool ', but then the virtual burrow of the internet provided pictorial evidence...ahem
I stopped to ponder the science behind pictures of girls posing with fossils, decided there wasn't any, and carried on.
I pondered the issue of giant mammals creating underground caverns.
Was there evidence of a prehistoric landscape in Britain, carved out by huge badgers ?
And what of the were-rabbits ?
In other strange news...
As we head for the exploration of worlds containing large bodies of water, inevitably we consider the strange reality of cephalopods, and their very alien consciousness.
A charming tale of an intelligent octopus making a break for freedom.
Aquatic communications have been observed between dolphins, and on a larger scale, the cries of whales can cross vast distances underwater.
Recent discoveries point to a possible 'sixth sense' emanating from external body plates on dinosaurs which enabled more effective hunting of prey.
Another form of consciousness is used by mycelium, allowing for communication over large distances underground , even warning of predators.
Meanwhile , in space...
The final candidates for the planned ExoMars landing have been selected - Oxia Planum and Mawrth Vallis , areas which were once water-saturated.
The Trace Gas Orbiter is already in place , although its companion, the Schiaparelli lander, bit the martian dust, to coin a phrase .
Its follow up, the ExoMars rover is scheduled for launch in 2020
Speaking of Mars, in on-going tests in Peru , a single potato plant is growing in conditions which emulate Mars, but have nothing to do with Matt Damon.
In other news, apparently Pluto has been reclassified as a planet.
I say apparently, as this news emeged not long after April Fools Day, and I could only find two sources of info.
Personally, I hope it is true , as poor old Pluto is a very interesting world, and deserves a proper designation.
Which brings us to the end of this rambling missive - until next time , be careful out there !
G
I've done my best to eliminate scurrilous nonsense, and have double checked sources, but even so , doubts remain !
 |
| paleoburrow |
Recent discoveries in Brazil give me a new word - paleoburrows.
I am amazed and humbled that I didn't even know that such things existed.
My inner cynic wonders why the disoveries are not more widespread.
At this point, I apologise for the links to speculative blogs, as opposed to hard science.
Further examinations led me to a treatise published in 2009, which makes me feel less of an ' April Fool ', but then the virtual burrow of the internet provided pictorial evidence...ahem
 |
| Giant Sloth remains - human for scale |
I pondered the issue of giant mammals creating underground caverns.
Was there evidence of a prehistoric landscape in Britain, carved out by huge badgers ?
And what of the were-rabbits ?
 |
| There were no prehistoric telegraph poles... |
As we head for the exploration of worlds containing large bodies of water, inevitably we consider the strange reality of cephalopods, and their very alien consciousness.
A charming tale of an intelligent octopus making a break for freedom.
Aquatic communications have been observed between dolphins, and on a larger scale, the cries of whales can cross vast distances underwater.
Recent discoveries point to a possible 'sixth sense' emanating from external body plates on dinosaurs which enabled more effective hunting of prey.
Another form of consciousness is used by mycelium, allowing for communication over large distances underground , even warning of predators.
Meanwhile , in space...
The final candidates for the planned ExoMars landing have been selected - Oxia Planum and Mawrth Vallis , areas which were once water-saturated.
The Trace Gas Orbiter is already in place , although its companion, the Schiaparelli lander, bit the martian dust, to coin a phrase .
Its follow up, the ExoMars rover is scheduled for launch in 2020
Speaking of Mars, in on-going tests in Peru , a single potato plant is growing in conditions which emulate Mars, but have nothing to do with Matt Damon.
In other news, apparently Pluto has been reclassified as a planet.
I say apparently, as this news emeged not long after April Fools Day, and I could only find two sources of info.
Personally, I hope it is true , as poor old Pluto is a very interesting world, and deserves a proper designation.
Which brings us to the end of this rambling missive - until next time , be careful out there !
G
