Silicon Valley Uncovers Over 500 Marine Fossils
 |
| Miocene Epoch findings in the Calaveras Dam Silicon Valley California US |
Over 500 marine fossil belonging to the Miocene era 20 million years back have been uncovered at the Calaveras Dam in Silicon Valley US. The finding still to be closely examined could reveal secrets of a geological historic time in which the Earth was taking its "final shape" and marine mammals while "fairly modern" were supposed to be less numerous. Massive shark and even a giant pre-historical whale have been identified on site.
International Press reported on the first week of July on the news described the finding as a "fossil treasure trove".
The fossils were discovered during the replacement project for the Calaveras Dam project in California –the tallest Earth-filled dam in the world.
Mercury News reported on July 7th that most of the fossils are believed to be about 20 million years old, dating to the Miocene Epoch. In those days the ocean extended as far into land as Bakersfield and most interesting the gaps between the oceans were not formed yet.
A full inventory of the fossils has not been released yet. However, workers assure that fossils include Scallops, clams, barnacles, an extinct hippopotamus-like creature called a Desmostylus, and giant teeth from a 40-foot-long shark as well as what seems to be taking the shape of an entire prehistorical whale skeleton.
Paleontologist Jim Walker explained what the Silicon Valley looked like 20 million years ago during the Miocene Epoch.
"This area used to be the beach," Walker said, gazing around at the dry, pastoral landscape as dump trucks and bulldozers rolled nearby. "Twenty million years ago, this would have looked like Half Moon Bay."
The creatures that died sunk to the bottom and became fossilized and have shifted around because of California's seismic activity.
The discovery also provides a bigger picture of the history of the oceans and planet –details of a key time. To think that an area which used to be flooded by ocean waters 20 million years ago today is dry land is sure an issue to reflect upon. The Miocene Epoch is a fascinating time. The Miocene is the first geological epoch of the Neogene period –meaning the period before our time. It is set from about 23.03 to 5.33 million years ago.
This was the time of the formation of the largest and most influential mountain ranges of the world, including the Himalayas, the Andes and the mountains of India -result of the collision of the continent with Africa. Mountain building took place in America, Europe, and East Asia changing forever Global climate, life on Earth and the Oceans. Oceans themselves were also taking their final shape. Ocean temperature and climate cooled giving way to sea level decrease and the formation of the south and north ice caps “modern shape”.
Most noteworthy the Panamanian bridge -Centro American land bridge which unites today South and North America was not present yet. This was time of earthquakes, volcanic activity and slow but steady change.
"We started finding fossils here before construction even started," Walker said. "It was exciting. We were finding scallops, and I said, 'I want to get a whale.' And we did."
Since 2011, when work on the project began, crews have found nine whale skulls, to be exact. They have inventoried 529 types of fossils altogether. Of those, 168 are vertebrates, such as sharks; 267 are invertebrates, such as scallops -- some as big as dinner plates. Thirty-nine 39 are plants, such as fossilized pine cones; and 55 are other ancient items, from animal tracks to burrows.
"Whales like this have been found in the Bay Area before," Walker said, "but not this many together."
Fossils eventually will end up in a still-undetermined Bay Area museum, according to officials from the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission.
"This is the most interesting stuff," he said, smiling.
