 Beachcombing … the amber found in Queensland (image credit: Beth Norris). |
Scientific gold in amber discovery on beachesDeborah Smith Science Editor (SMH) 27 December 2006 WHEN fisherman Dale Wicks and his partner Beth Norris went on evening walks on the remote coast of far north Queensland, they became intrigued by large chunks of strange-looking rock on the beaches. Luckily they decided to send some off for scientific analysis, with astonishing results. Many of the pieces, some as large as footballs, contain well preserved insects, leaves, flowers and even water and air bubbles from a distant past, perhaps 15 million years ago. "It is one of the most significant fossil finds in Australia, because of the volumes of information we will be able to get from it," said Henk Godthelp, a palaeontologist at the University of NSW, who has been studying the amber. It will not only reveal the lifeforms that flourished in the ancient rainforest, but also the composition of the atmosphere and water at the time. "And some researchers might eventually get some DNA from it," Mr Godthelp said. Next year a scientific expedition will look for the source of the amber, the main deposit on land from which the chunks have been eroded and washed into the sea before ending up on shore. It will not be easy. "It is incredibly remote up there, not to mention the dangers of saltwater crocodiles and submerged reefs," Mr Godthelp said. Mr Wicks, who fishes in the area, and Ms Norris have collected about 60 kilograms of amber, which could be worth many thousands of dollars on the gemstone market. But the couple are keen that the fossils be properly studied first. "They have been incredibly generous by offering the scientific community access," Mr Godthelp said. "This is a great example of the way scientists and the public can work together." Ms Norris, who is exploring the region with Mr Wicks, has also spent a lot of time and effort cutting and polishing the stones to reveal the fossils inside, he said. The amber was probably formed from the resin of Kauri pines or a closely related species. It is impossible to know its age without further research. "But my best guess is around 12 to 15 million years," Mr Godthelp said. |
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