discoveries

earlier this week, astronomers discovered kobol. (okay, it's probably just some random class M planet, but i like to think of it as being kobol.)

now archaeologists have discovered an enormous fossilized rain forest in an old illinois coal mine:

A giant fossilized rain forest has been unearthed in an Illinois coal mine, scientists announced today.

Preserved by a major ancient earthquake, the forest covers four square miles (a thousand hectares) and features an abundance of huge leaf impressions, large trunks of extinct trees, and tree-size horsetail plants, the researchers said.

The fossils reveal a 300-million-year-old forest that bears little resemblance to most wooded areas today.

Trees in the ancient forest sported few branches and were veiled with only scattered leaves, allowing plenty of sunlight to filter down from the forest canopy.

"The climate was ever wet, hot, and humid," said Scott D. Elrick, geologist with the Illinois State Geological Survey (ISGS).

"The modern-day equivalent would be some of the peat swamps of Indonesia."¶