How A Chilean Coal Mine Revealed A Monster Snake

The Cerrejon mine in Colombia is a major coal producer and a significant site for paleontological discoveries. It is renowned for unearthing fossils of the Titanoboa, a prehistoric snake that lived in a warm, swampy ecosystem 60 million years ago. The mine has also revealed other prehistoric creatures, providing insights into ancient climates and ecosystems. Despite its industrial purpose, the mine aids scientific research by exposing new fossil sites.

What is the Cerrejon mine primarily known for besides coal production?

• Diamond mining

• Oil extraction

• Prehistoric fossil discoveries

• Gold mining

Who was the geology student that made the initial fossil discovery at Cerrejon?

• Jonathan Bloch

• Fabbiani Herrera

• Scott Wing

• Carlos Jaramillo

What was the first land vertebrate fossil found in tropical South America?

• A jawbone

• A turtle shell

• A dinosaur bone

• A petrified branch

What is the Titanoboa known for?

• Being a type of prehistoric turtle

• Being the largest snake ever discovered

• Being the smallest snake ever discovered

• Being a type of prehistoric crocodile

How long could the Titanoboa grow?

• 50 feet

• 20 feet

• 30 feet

• 40 feet

What does the discovery of Titanoboa suggest about prehistoric climates?

• They were similar to today's climate

• They were drier than today

• They were colder than today

• They were warmer than today

What other prehistoric creatures were found at Cerrejon besides Titanoboa?

• Dinosaurs

• Prehistoric birds

• Prehistoric crocodiles and turtles

• Prehistoric mammals

What is unique about the prehistoric turtle discovered at Cerrejon?

• It had no shell

• It had a circular shell

• It had a triangular shell

• It had a spiky shell

How do the miners at Cerrejon contribute to fossil discoveries?

• By identifying fossils

• By preserving fossils

• By transporting fossils to museums

• By uncovering new fossils through mining

What does the Cerrejon mine reveal about the world 60 million years ago?

• It was a desert

• It was a frozen tundra

• It was a swampy jungle

• It was a volcanic landscape