Fossil find ‘Discovery of the century’

A team from Edinburgh University and the National Museum of Scotland discovered a significant fossil on a beach, leading to a challenging excavation. The fossil, from the Middle Jurassic period, fills a gap in the fossil record and highlights Scotland's role in understanding evolutionary radiation during that time.

Who was responsible for finding the fossil on the beach?

• A local fisherman

• A professor

• Amelia Penny

• Steve

What tool did the team use to cut the fossil out of the rock?

• Drill

• Diamond tip saws

• Laser cutter

• Hammer and chisel

What challenge did the team face during the excavation?

• Tides covering the fossil

• Wild animals

• Heavy rainfall

• Lack of proper equipment

Why was the Middle Jurassic period significant in this discovery?

• It was the era of the first mammals.

• It marked the extinction of many species.

• It is a period with a large gap in the fossil record.

• It was the time when dinosaurs first appeared.

What does the fossil discovery reveal about the Middle Jurassic period?

• Species were less diverse than previously thought.

• It was dominated by marine life.

• It was a time of little evolutionary change.

• There was significant evolutionary radiation.