The eyes have it

Palaeontologists Need a Good Eye!

A recent article in the Guardian reiterates an old argument that a good eye is the best means of finding fossils. Once you have the fossil, technology can be of invaluable help but there are few technological means of helping the fossil finder.

 A cast of the dinosaur Linheraptor - the original was found when part of a single claw was exposed in a hillside. Photograph: David Hone

And some people have the knack of finding fossils. I wish I had it! On a recent trip to Morocco I managed to find a few scraps, scarcely worth picking up, while others were finding whole trilobites. And the professionals were finding and preparing magnificent specimens. You can get a flavour of the trip HERE. I intend to do a full write up soon.