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Our visit to the fossil expert (Part 1)

9/20/2012

4 Comments

 
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Today, we met Dr Martin Whyte. He works at the University of Sheffield, and he said he would look at my collection of stones where I don't know if they're fossils. We have learnt lots and we can't write it all at once, so we'll do it a bit at a time. We took this stone, and Martin said it's not a fossil, it is a bryozoan. It is an animal that digs itself into the rock, and then it grows and it can't get out. There are lots of bryozoans, here is a picture - they are 'moss animals':

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We also learnt about brachiopods. They are not the same as bivalves, they are different. They have two shells, but they are symmetrical different to bivalves.



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And he said that our vertebrae was probably from a plesiosaur. We love that we found that!

Now, another day I'm going to tell you about fossils I got as a present from Martin!!! And we looked at some dinosaur footprints, too, and we're still looking at pictures of them on the internet, and we're going to make a massive dinosaur footprint pattern like Martin had. And he had a lobster in a special potion that was not a fossil, but it wasn't alive, but we forgot to take a photo. It was brilliant that Martin had time for us and told us lots and gave me fossils. When I grow up, I want to be a fossil expert working for a university!!

4 Comments
ruth duck
9/20/2012 04:31:31 am

Wow! sounds like you had a really exciting day Toby, I can't wait to read the next installment. I went to a museum today but they didn't have any fossils, but I did see a mummy!

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Hazel
9/20/2012 07:44:56 am

It sounds like you had an awesome day, you sound really excited! It's amazing that you found a plesiosaur vertebrae yourself. I'm looking forward to reading more about your visit.
Hazel xx

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Heather
9/20/2012 03:58:40 pm

Wow Toby - what a great day you had! You taught me loads too! I shall definitely visit your website again to see what else you can tell me. Is there a special name for a fossil expert, because I think you are fast becoming one? I need to remember to take some pictures of my teeny tiny fossil to show you.

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Toby link
9/20/2012 04:13:42 pm

Thank you so much for writing to me!! Hazel, I think a fossil expert is a palaeontologist, but I keep forgetting that word. You have to learn about all creatures and all rocks to become a fossil expert.

Ruth, at first I thought you saw *my* Mummy at the museum, that was silly :o) Was it a cool mummy?

Hazel, we have written the second bit now, but we still need to write about the dinosaur footprints!

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    Hello, my name is Toby. I am five years old, and I want to be a palaeontologist. I really like fossils, so I'm writing down everything I do with fossils! My Mummy is doing the typing until I'm a bit older, but she writes everything I say.

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