21 June 2022 - ANCIENT FOOTPRINTS FOUND in TANZANIA

 

ANCIENT FOOTPRINTS 

FOUND in TANZANIA

 

G'day folks,

Human ancestor’s 3.6 million year-old footprints found in Tanzania. 

Roughly 3.6 millions years ago the Sadiman Volcano erupted covering the surrounding ground in ash; rain soon followed making a soft and muddy ground over which prehistoric animals trekked. More ash then erupted from the volcano covering and, in effect, preserving the prehistoric tracks.

 

Forward to 1978, when a group of researchers (led by paleoanthropologist Mary Leakey) discovered the preserved tracks, within which were the oldest known footprints of human ancestors. From the prehistoric footprint’s shape, length, and toes it was evident that these hominids were bipedal and were walking upright on two legs, before even the use of stone tools. The prints were left by two or three hominids (one or two adults and a child) and show that these early humans walked in a very similar manner as modern humans.

Today, the actual footprints have been covered up in hopes of protecting them, but due to fear of erosion they are planned to be uncovered again. Whether the prints remain at their discovered location (with a possible museum built over them) or are to be cut-out and moved entirely is currently under debate.

For now visitors can visit the covered up site of discovery and the nearby Olduvai Gorge Museum, which features casts of the prints and related artifacts.

 

20 December 2021 - DINOSAUR TRACKS ON THE ISLE OF SKYE

 

DINOSAUR TRACKS 

ON THE ISLE OF SKYE

G'day folks,

On this stunning Scottish island, you can walk in the footsteps of dinosaurs.  

The past is vast on the Isle of Skye. Ruined castles that are hundreds of years old stand atop an unusual topography shaped by glaciers during the last Ice Age. But the land holds traces of an even more ancient past as well.

Before the dinosaurs died out, they roamed this breathtaking stretch of land. Fortunately, you can still find marks of their presence in a few places on the island.

Sometimes the footprints are hard to find because the tide covers them with seaweed or sand, so you may have to scour about a little. Once you find one, you will soon see the others and be able to connect with these amazing, lost creatures.

 

There are a few places to find the dinosaur prints on the Isle of Skye. On An Corran, you can see prints on rocks not far from the ramp. These three-toed prints belonged to a family of ornithopods, which were two-legged herbivores. You can also visit Score Bay to see prints from sauropods, which are from the same family as brontosaurus and diplodocus. These tracks are about 170 million years old. Some of these footprints are quite big, and it’s believed to be the largest dinosaur trackway in Scotland.

Clancy's comment: They must have been enormous in size.

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