UK Scientist Finds 48 Ancient Species

Through Teeth And Bone Fragments, Paleontologist Discovers 48 Pre-Historic Species In U.K.

(CBS)  You could say all Steve Sweetman had to do, was follow the tracks along the beach. Hundred-thirty million-year-old tracks, that is.

Dinosaur footprints are common here, reports CBS correspondent Richard Roth, lining the shore on what's been called the Isle of Wight's Jurassic coast.

And yes, among the fossils he's found here are remains of what you've seen in movies like Steven Spielberg's "Jurassic Park."

"They were called in the film 'Velociraptor,' but they were actually a bigger representation of that animal. But the raptor I found here on the Isle of Wight was actually bigger than the one in the kitchen scene in 'Jurassic Park," ' said Sweetman, who's with the University of Portsmouth's School of Earth and Environmental Sciences.

But "bigger" isn't Sweetman's contribution to science. In fact, most of his discoveries are microscopic. "Most people don't associate paleontology with the work that I do," he said.

Sweetman, who teaches at the University of Portsmouth, washes, dries and sifts through bowls of sand. Many of his discoveries are visible only under a microscope. Miniature teeth and tiny bone fragments help him picture a new prehistoric world.

The cliffs along the "Jurassic Coast" are where he recently found remains of eight dinosaurs no one even knew existed. Sweetman also discovered lizards, salamanders and at least six tiny mammals. In total, he discovered 48 new species.

"Well, when I started I didn't really expect to find very much. But as work went on - it was only a period of four years whilst I was actually sieving and picking the fossils - to have found so many, was, it was a 'yes!' moment, it was one of those things I can't describe."

Actually, it's one of those things that's hard to believe. Over four years he's carried about three and a half tons of mud back to his farmhouse.

"I think that anything to do with the world in which the dinosaurs lived is just fascinating. Because they were such enigmatic and intriguing creatures, there is nothing alive quite like them today. So that sparks an interest, and then to put them into the world in which they actually lived, in which they ate the plants and ate each other is just fascinating."

A local museum gets the really big stuff he finds, and by big, we're talking Velociraptor teeth. It seems that in Paleontology, size doesn't always matter.

"Well, every sample that I take, I tend to find something that is new. So you can't put a figure on the number of things that might be discovered in the course of time," said Sweetman. "But there will certainly be new discoveries."

[marcosis78]

Religion believes that we didnt evolve rather that 'God' "made" us. So with that said, why can't people bring it up in this conversation. Religion denounces Darwin and we are STILL finding new species. Doesnt that prove Darwin is/was right?

[dragonlordd]

For starters, I must protest some of these posts about religion. Religious beleifs need to be left out of this. OH btw, no christians are not for abusing women and their rights thats morman. If these posts continue in such a manner I will report all of this. One man's beleifs are not to be condemmed by other. What ever happened to equality and diversity.

Dragonlord Death
OUT

"Prehistoric" generally refers to the time preceding human literacy.

[Samuel-HiLL]

There is no such thing as "pre" historic.

Posted by singinrick09 at 4:29 PM : Mar 3, 2009

Just to let you know Rick, you are leading 2 to 1 in our daily office poll for 'dumba$$ of the day'. Somewhat tellingly, most of the winners are affiliated witht the religious right. Coincidence? I think not.

[Samuel-HiLL]

Its no surprise that Christians remain in denial regarding evolution. They base their views on a book full of talking animals, giants, witches, magic and a so called god who condones slavery, abuse of women and genocide, just to name a few of 'his' superior' attributes.

Its a good thing faith requires no facts or evidence of any kind, because there are none. At least the theory of evolution is supported by some evidence that indicates it could possibly be true.

[ibzjem]

If bones are found of a creature, that makes it historic, not "pre-historic". Yeah, yeah yeah I know...evolutionists will say "before recorded history" when it comes to the word "pre-historic", but the fact remains, everything is either historic (meaning it has existed in the HISTORY of this earth), or it didn't exist at all.

---

Not to nit pick, but isn't that what scientists do? Nit-pick? I mean, science is all about the details that most people don't care about. So lets look at what prehistoric means. From the 2nd college edition of the American Heritage Dictionary, it means "Of, pertaining to, or belonging to the era before recorded history." Now, historic means "having importance in or influence on history", and history means several things: 1 a narrative of events. 2. a chronological record of events, 3. the branch of Knowledge that records and analyzes past events, 4. the events forming the subject matter of history. ..." and a few others. So we have a clear distinction between history and prehistory; that is pertaining to record. It's not just evolutionists that think of prehistoric relevance.

[cbsantispin]

It's just a matter of time before Atlantis is found too, in fact there is a far greater chance of finding Atlantis than there is of finding the elusive Osama bin Laden!

[singinrick09]

And by the way farmerbb, nobody is "forcing" you to believe in anything. That's a childish cop-out.

If you want to believe in Darwin, that's your choice, and nobody is forcing you to believe otherwise. People have the right to choose what they want to believe in in our country pal, and that includes those of us who have chosen to believe in the LORD and His magnificent Creation, and not Charles Darwin.

So just deal with it. Bottom line is nobody is forcing you to believe in anything. You make the choices on your own.

[singinrick09]

If bones are found of a creature, that makes it historic, not "pre-historic". Yeah, yeah yeah I know...evolutionists will say "before recorded history" when it comes to the word "pre-historic", but the fact remains, everything is either historic (meaning it has existed in the HISTORY of this earth), or it didn't exist at all.

There is no such thing as "pre" historic.

And to the poster who referred to the "evolution deniers", I must say I am proud to be called that, and I take it as a compliment.

Thank you farmerbb and God bless you!

[ibzjem]

We have found a rich and elaborate collection of fossil remains, but fossilized remains are still rare in comparison to the number of creatures that ever lived. The process of fossilization is very specific and does not occur to every animal let alone complete intact animals. Darwin was not correct on a couple points in his theory, but scientists have filled those "gaps" and have strengthened his original theory. Just like Einstein did to Newton's original theory of gravity. Darwin had no idea about genetics and postulated about the mechanism for passing traits from a parent to an offspring. The number of intermediates found are increasing nearly daily.