Have you ever wanted to split open a rock to see if there was something interesting inside? Well, in the case of the Mazon Creek nodules, you wouldn’t be disappointed! The ferns you see here are only a few examples of the many discoveries made at Mazon Creek. Hundreds of millions of years ago, many plants and animals from both land and marine environments died, were buried in sediments, and cemented with iron carbonate to create a tell-tale nodule. These plants and animals from the Carboniferous period left impressions in the nodules, and by splitting them open, we can better understand another time in Earth’s history.
Watch this short video to learn more about Mazon creek fossils!
