Who discovered ashfall fossil beds?
Paleontologist Mike Voorhies
Special Sites: Ashfall Fossil Beds In 1971, University of Nebraska Paleontologist Mike Voorhies was prospecting for fossils in a ravine at the edge of a cornfield North of the town of Royal, Nebraska, when he found the perfectly preserved skull of a baby rhinoceros projecting from a layer of soft volcanic ash.
How was Ashfall discovered?
The Ashfall site, however, remained unknown until 1971 when paleontologist Mike Voorhies noticed a thick layer of volcanic ash exposed by recent rainfall, located high on the side of a steep ravine.
What volcano caused ashfall fossil beds in Nebraska?
Ash from a Yellowstone hotspot eruption 10-12 million years ago created these fossilized bone beds. The ash depth was up to 1 foot….Ashfall Fossil Beds.
| Ashfall Fossil Beds State Historical Park | |
|---|---|
| Elevation | 1,722 ft (525 m) |
| Designation | Nebraska state historical park |
| Established | 1986 |
| Operator | University of Nebraska–Lincoln |
How were the ashfall fossil beds discovered?
In 1978 and 1979, a total of 200 skeletons were unearthed from what once had been a water hole. Volcanic ash, blown by heavy winds, drifted into the depression of the low-lying pool, creating the uncharacteristically deep layer of ash that had drawn Voorhies to the site in the first place.
How old are the fossils in Nebraska?
Floods in 1993 and 2008 eroded the area below the spillway at the bottom of Coralville Lake, just north of Iowa City. Once the waters receded, people noticed fossils from about 375 million years ago.
What caused Ashfall Nebraska?
Volcanic ash, blown by heavy winds, drifted into the depression of the low-lying pool, creating the uncharacteristically deep layer of ash that had drawn Voorhies to the site in the first place. Forty years later, the Nebraska cornfield is now the Ashfall Fossil Beds State Historical Park.
Where are ashfall fossil beds in Nebraska?
Ashfall Fossil Beds is located 2 miles west and 6 miles north of Royal, Nebraska.
Was Nebraska once underwater?
Some 100 million years ago, nearly all of Nebraska was engulfed by the Western Interior Seaway. The sea, which was hundreds of meters deep, was home to a variety of marine creatures, including ancient sharks.
Can you find shark teeth in Nebraska?
Fossilized teeth of a great white shark, found along the Nebraska side of Lewis and Clark Lake, are dated at about 90 million years old. These specimens were found by Crofton teacher Tom Vollmer’s science class during an archaelogical dig last year.
What animals died at Ashfall?
Nearly 12 million years ago, hundreds of rhinos, three-toed horses, camels, and other animals died and were buried by volcanic ash around the edges of a watering hole in what is now northeast Nebraska.
Where are the rarest fossils found in Nebraska?
Location in Nebraska. U.S. National Natural Landmark. The Ashfall Fossil Beds of Antelope County in northeastern Nebraska are rare fossil sites of the type called lagerstätten that, due to extraordinary local conditions, capture a moment in time ecological “snapshot” in a range of well-preserved fossilized organisms.
Who was the paleontologist who discovered ashfall?
In 1971, University of Nebraska State Museum paleontologist Michael Voorhies was walking with his wife Jane through a series of gullies on Melvin Colson’s farm in northeastern Nebraska and made this discovery. The Nebraska Game and Parks Foundation purchased the Ashfall site in 1986.
What fossils have been found at Ashfall?
The remains of Teleoceras are so numerous and concentrated that the main section of Ashfall is called the “Rhino Barn”. Other fossils at the “Rhino Barn” include the remains of horses and camels. Taxa discovered in the Ashfall deposits include:
What is Ashfall Fossil Beds State Historical Park?
Ashfall Fossil Beds State Historical Park opened in 1991. The site was declared a National Natural Landmark on May 9, 2006. The park’s Hubbard Rhino Barn opened in 2009. The 17,500-square-foot (1,630 m 2) pavilion lets visitors observe as paleontologists carry out excavations of new discoveries exactly where the fossilized remains lie preserved.