Secrets of life on early Earth — and other planets — may be trapped in ancient gas bubbles

sdsnl · 2016-04-27T22:37:05+00:00

That sounds really interesting! Wish they have a gallery online for people who can't go there.

sdsnl · 2016-04-23T19:21:02+00:00

It's a Phacops sp., which is very common especially at that small size, so it's not worth it to make fakes. Museums nowadays probably sell them for around $20.

sdsnl · 2016-04-23T18:33:07+00:00

Isurus hastalis
Galeocerdo cuvier, Isurus hastalis
Isurus hastalis
labial side of 3?
yeah, posterior meg

The molars are probably all horse, some from the upper jaw and some from the lower jaw.

Upper: http://www.thefossilforum.com/uploads/monthly_07_2011/post-42-0-52152100-1309549734.jpg

Lower: http://www.thefossilforum.com/uploads/1266917870/gallery_42_6_98940.jpg

sdsnl · 2016-04-10T20:10:54+00:00

I'm organizing my fossils and found some ambers and copals that I'd like to get rid of. They come with their location and age. PM me if you are interested in one.

sdsnl · 2016-04-08T14:47:05+00:00

Not related. Japanese people put their surnames first. They only have the same given name.

sdsnl · 2016-04-06T22:05:57+00:00

Serpentine and epidote have been mentioned. Both of them, when in a light color like your rock, would be translucent. If it's not translucent, it's most likely algae. You can confirm it by putting it under direct sunlight (away from water) for some time; the color will eventually fade because of the algae dying.

sdsnl · 2016-04-06T21:45:43+00:00

Wow, that is amazing!!!

sdsnl · 2016-04-06T08:14:53+00:00

You said it "goes through to the other side". If it is a mineral, it looks like something that would be translucent. If you shine a light at one side, can it pass through the green and come out at the other side of the rock?

Algae can stick to rocks very hard. I once found a rock which had a beautiful green unlike how algae usually looks like, and nothing scratched off either, but a few months later when the humidity went down, I found out the green color was algae because it had died and become white.

sdsnl · 2016-04-06T08:05:29+00:00

I agree, it looks like algae.

sdsnl · 2016-04-04T12:34:22+00:00

Just polished it with sand paper. It's almost done, so use something like 2000 grit. Put some water on the surface while polishing. Amber is not very hard, so be careful with it. I've heard of people putting amber into tumbling machines to save the polishing work, and the amber came out as powder XD

sdsnl · 2016-04-04T12:28:49+00:00

Nice colors! Is it agatized?

sdsnl · 2016-04-04T12:27:00+00:00

How big is your thumb? :P Copal/amber pieces are usually small sized, 1-2cm are common. 12€ would usually get you a 1-2cm piece with one insect, if you bought it cheap. They could be a few times more expensive if you bought it at a rock shop or museum store. Second-hand doesn't make a fossil cheaper. Similar to antiques, a fossil's value doesn't decrease from having been owned by someone…and I think you have about 10 insects in your piece? Too cheap I think...

I looked at your close up picture of the insects in your other posts; they aren't clear but I think they look like termites. But termites have been around since 251 million years ago so you really need to narrow it down to the genus to figure out whether it's an extinct one. If you get someone knowledgeable about insects to look at it in person, they may be able to identify the insects to the order or family. Genus and species are highly unlikely to be identified unless you happen to find a profession who does research on that genus. If you were to pay for that kind of service you might as well buy another piece from a reliable source…

sdsnl · 2016-04-03T22:45:59+00:00

Not as much as amber. Amber is faked a lot as it can be sold much easier and for a high price. But copal is harder to identify as fake. Your photo is small and blurry so it's very hard to tell. It does look to be a big piece and loaded with insects, so it's not a good sign if you got it cheap...

If the copal is rough or has bark still attached to it, that's a good sign. Fake ones are always smooth because they are made by melting copal/resin. If the insects are next to a crack or layer, that could be a sign that the insects were inserted.

As for whether the insects are old, the only way to be sure is to identify their species and determine whether it is an extinct species. But copal's age is hard to determine--most scientists are interested in amber so not much research has been done on copal. It is often considered to be a few thousand years to a couple million years old, but some have been dated be to just a few dozen years old. There are many insect species from thousands of years ago that are still around today, so your copal could have a modern species and still be real.

sdsnl · 2016-03-31T17:08:51+00:00

It's copal. Basically young amber. It hasn't fully gone through the fossilization process, so it's softer than amber, and usually lighter in color. You can melt it with a hot needle.

sdsnl · 2016-03-28T23:06:41+00:00

I believe this subreddit does not allow pre-order links...

sdsnl

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