Ancient Microbes Preserve 145-Million-Year-Old Fossil Forest in Dorset
Originally Published 1 year ago — by Livescience.com
The Fossil Forest in Dorset, England, is a 145 million-year-old site featuring fossilized tree stumps preserved by ancient microbes. Located on the Jurassic Coast, this area showcases unique fossils formed by algae-like microbes that encrusted the trees with calcium carbonate, creating limestone structures known as thrombolites. The forest, which existed during the Jurassic-Cretaceous boundary, was eventually submerged by rising sea levels, preserving the tree roots and trunks. The site provides insights into the environment where late Jurassic dinosaurs lived.