Patapsco Formation
The Patapsco Formation is a geologic formation of varigated clays, sandy clays, and sand in Virginia, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, and in the subsurface of New Jersey. It preserves fossils such as plants and molluscs dating back to the Cretaceous period. See also * List of fossiliferous stratigraphic units in Virginia * List of fossiliferous stratigraphic units in Maryland * Paleontology in Virginia * Paleontology in Maryland The location of the state of Maryland Paleontology in Maryland refers to paleontological research occurring within or conducted by people from the U.S. state of Maryland. The invertebrate fossils of Maryland are similar to those of neighboring D ... References * Cretaceous Maryland Cretaceous geology of Virginia Cretaceous Delaware Geologic formations of Maryland Geologic formations of Virginia Geologic formations of Delaware Geologic formations of Pennsylvania {{Virginia-geologic-formation-stub ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Arundel Formation
The Arundel Formation, also known as the Arundel Clay, is a clay-rich sedimentary geological formation, rock formation, within the Potomac Group, found in Maryland of the United States of America. It dates to the Early Cretaceous, and is of late Aptian or (more likely) early Albian age. This rock unit had been economically important as a source of iron ore, but is now more notable for its dinosaur fossils. It is named for Anne Arundel County, Maryland. It consists of clay lenses within depressions in the upper part of the Patuxent Formation that may represent Oxbow lake, oxbow swamp facies. The Arundel Formation contains a high number of terrestrial fauna, indicating that it was deposited in a freshwater fluvial environment, likely representing slow-moving river channels and oxbows. The Arundel Formation is the only major source for Early Cretaceous terrestrial vertebrates in eastern North America, and provides the best record of the dinosaurs that inhabited the region at the t ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Fossils
A fossil (from Classical Latin , ) is any preserved remains, impression, or trace of any once-living thing from a past geological age. Examples include bones, shells, exoskeletons, stone imprints of animals or microbes, objects preserved in amber, hair, petrified wood and DNA remnants. The totality of fossils is known as the ''fossil record''. Though the fossil record is incomplete, numerous studies have demonstrated that there is enough information available to give a good understanding of the pattern of diversification of life on Earth. In addition, the record can predict and fill gaps such as the discovery of '' Tiktaalik'' in the arctic of Canada. Paleontology includes the study of fossils: their age, method of formation, and evolutionary significance. Specimens are sometimes considered to be fossils if they are over 10,000 years old. The oldest fossils are around 3.48 billion years to 4.1 billion years old. Early edition, published online before print. ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Geologic Formations Of Virginia
Geology (). is a branch of natural science concerned with the Earth and other astronomical objects, the rocks of which they are composed, and the processes by which they change over time. Modern geology significantly overlaps all other Earth sciences, including hydrology. It is integrated with Earth system science and planetary science. Geology describes the structure of the Earth on and beneath its surface and the processes that have shaped that structure. Geologists study the mineralogical composition of rocks in order to get insight into their history of formation. Geology determines the relative ages of rocks found at a given location; geochemistry (a branch of geology) determines their absolute ages. By combining various petrological, crystallographic, and paleontological tools, geologists are able to chronicle the geological history of the Earth as a whole. One aspect is to demonstrate the age of the Earth. Geology provides evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Cretaceous Delaware
The Cretaceous ( ) is a geological period that lasted from about 143.1 to 66 mya (unit), million years ago (Mya). It is the third and final period of the Mesozoic Era (geology), Era, as well as the longest. At around 77.1 million years, it is the ninth and longest geological period of the entire Phanerozoic. The name is derived from the Latin , 'chalk', which is abundant in the latter half of the period. It is usually abbreviated K, for its German translation . The Cretaceous was a period with a relatively warm climate, resulting in high Sea level#Local and eustatic, eustatic sea levels that created numerous shallow Inland sea (geology), inland seas. These oceans and seas were populated with now-extinct marine reptiles, ammonites, and rudists, while dinosaurs continued to dominate on land. The world was largely ice-free, although there is some evidence of brief periods of glaciation during the cooler first half, and forests extended to the poles. Many of the dominant taxonomic gr ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Cretaceous Geology Of Virginia
The Cretaceous ( ) is a geological period that lasted from about 143.1 to 66 million years ago (Mya). It is the third and final period of the Mesozoic Era, as well as the longest. At around 77.1 million years, it is the ninth and longest geological period of the entire Phanerozoic. The name is derived from the Latin , 'chalk', which is abundant in the latter half of the period. It is usually abbreviated K, for its German translation . The Cretaceous was a period with a relatively warm climate, resulting in high eustatic sea levels that created numerous shallow inland seas. These oceans and seas were populated with now-extinct marine reptiles, ammonites, and rudists, while dinosaurs continued to dominate on land. The world was largely ice-free, although there is some evidence of brief periods of glaciation during the cooler first half, and forests extended to the poles. Many of the dominant taxonomic groups present in modern times can be ultimately traced back to origins in the C ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Paleontology In Maryland
The location of the state of Maryland Paleontology in Maryland refers to paleontological research occurring within or conducted by people from the U.S. state of Maryland. The invertebrate fossils of Maryland are similar to those of neighboring Delaware. For most of the early Paleozoic era, Maryland was covered by a shallow sea, although it was above sea level for portions of the Ordovician and Devonian. The ancient marine life of Maryland included brachiopods and bryozoans while horsetails and scale trees grew on land. By the end of the era, the sea had left the state completely. In the early Mesozoic, Pangaea was splitting up. The same geologic forces that divided the supercontinent formed massive lakes. Dinosaur footprints were preserved along their shores. During the Cretaceous, the state was home to dinosaurs. During the early part of the Cenozoic era, the state was alternatingly submerged by sea water or exposed. During the Ice Age, mastodons lived in the state. Local Del ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Paleontology In Virginia
Paleontology in Virginia refers to paleontological research occurring within or conducted by people from the U.S. state of Virginia. The geologic column in Virginia spans from the Cambrian to the Quaternary. During the early part of the Paleozoic, Virginia was covered by a warm shallow sea. This sea would come to be inhabited by creatures like brachiopods, bryozoans, corals, and nautiloids. The state was briefly out of the sea during the Ordovician, but by the Silurian it was once again submerged. During this second period of inundation the state was home to brachiopods, trilobites and entire reef systems. During the mid-to-late Carboniferous the state gradually became a swampy environment. During the Triassic, the state was covered vegetated by horsetails and trees. Dinosaurs roamed the area, leaving behind both bones and Dinosaur footprints, footprints. Many fishes from local lakes were preserved during the Jurassic. Virginia was covered by seawater again during the Cretaceous, w ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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List Of Fossiliferous Stratigraphic Units In Maryland
This article contains a list of fossil-bearing stratigraphic units in the state of Maryland, U.S. Sites See also * Paleontology in Maryland References * {{DEFAULTSORT:Fossiliferous stratigraphic units in Maryland Maryland Stratigraphic units A stratigraphic unit is a volume of Rock (geology), rock of identifiable origin and relative age range that is defined by the distinctive and dominant, easily mapped and recognizable petrography, petrographic, lithology, lithologic or paleontology, ... Stratigraphy of Maryland Maryland geography-related lists United States geology-related lists ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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List Of Fossiliferous Stratigraphic Units In Virginia
This article contains a list of fossil-bearing stratigraphic units in the state of Virginia, U.S. Sites See also * Paleontology in Virginia References * {{DEFAULTSORT:Fossiliferous stratigraphic units in Virginia Virginia Stratigraphic units A stratigraphic unit is a volume of Rock (geology), rock of identifiable origin and relative age range that is defined by the distinctive and dominant, easily mapped and recognizable petrography, petrographic, lithology, lithologic or paleontology, ... Stratigraphy of Virginia Virginia geography-related lists United States geology-related lists ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Period (geology)
The geologic time scale or geological time scale (GTS) is a representation of time based on the rock record of Earth. It is a system of chronological dating that uses chronostratigraphy (the process of relating strata to time) and geochronology (a scientific branch of geology that aims to determine the age of rocks). It is used primarily by Earth scientists (including geologists, paleontologists, geophysicists, geochemists, and paleoclimatologists) to describe the timing and relationships of events in geologic history. The time scale has been developed through the study of rock layers and the observation of their relationships and identifying features such as lithologies, paleomagnetic properties, and fossils. The definition of standardised international units of geological time is the responsibility of the International Commission on Stratigraphy (ICS), a constituent body of the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS), whose primary objective is to precisely ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |