3 Dot Studio - Amber Project
http://www.3dotstudio.com/amberhome.html
Amber is a natural product, the fossilised resin of ancient plants that existed on Earth millions of years ago. This site, from the 3 Dot Studio, includes a comprehensive picture gallery; a question and answer section in which it explain the origin and formation of amber, the natural and chemical process of preservation and notes on the cultural impact of amber; a link to an amber timeline; and other links to amber sites.
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Alaska Paleontological Database
http://www.alaskafossil.org/
This website is a detailed database that contains information on fossils and fossil localities in Alaska. It is intended to be an archive of palaeontological data and the aim is to develop a fossil database and complete palaeontological bibliography for the State of Alaska. The localities can be searched by quadrangles or via the specific link on the navigation bar; for each of them there is a list of fossil species, geological age, author, geographical information and references. The advanced search option lets the researcher sort the data according to taxonomic content, formation, author of report, collector, or by USGS, Museum, or field locality number.
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Amber : Jewels of the Past
http://www.uky.edu/AS/Geology/webdogs/amber/
This Web page, created by Tammi L Johnson, graduate of the University of Kentucky Department of Anthropology, provides information on Baltic amber and contains many links to other amber sites. The site contains information about amber, copal, arthropods in amber and flora in amber. There is also a picture gallery of various inclusions and links to personal Web pages of amber and entomology researchers.
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Amber Gallery - Baltic Amber
http://www.ambergallery.com/
This website is dedicated to the Baltic amber fossil. It includes a gallery with pictures of amber, a question and answer section, information on how amber is formed and amber myths, tips on how to recognise non-genuine amber and links to other amber sites.
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American Association of Stratigraphic Palynologists Inc
http://www.palynology.org/
The American Association of Stratigraphic Palynologists (AASP) was established in 1967 to promote the science of palynology (the study of all acid-insoluble organic material extracted from sedimentary rocks by acid solution techniques, primarily the study of pollen) in academia and industry. The association's website contains information related to its annual meeting and meeting of related societies. It gives access to the abstracts and technical programmes of former meetings of the society. It also contains information about the AASP itself, association publications and membership. The AASP publishes a variety of research materials in the field of palynology; the Web page gives the opportunity to search past issues of 'Palynology' and browse through the newsletters. It also provides links to other related sites and general news such as positions available and ongoing research details.
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American Museum of Natural History : Division of Paleontology
http://research.amnh.org/paleontology/
The collection of fossils at the American Museum of Natural History is one of the largest in the world. It can be visited via this website; specimens include jawless fishes, fossil armoured fishes, Chondrichthyes, Acanthodians, Osteichthyes, Sarcopterygii, amphibians, Anapsid reptiles, turtles, Diapsid reptiles, Squamata, Sauropterygia, Archosauromorpha, Pterosaurs, dinosaurs in general, basal birds, modern birds and mammals. There is also an extensive collection of molluscs, insects and other invertebrates. The fossil catalogue can be searched taxonomically, geographically, stratigraphically and according to the geological time scale. The site contains also a photograph gallery and access to archives with field notes, field letters, photographs and reports.
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Antarctic Research Facility
http://www.arf.fsu.edu/
The Antarctic Research Facility, an adjunct of the Florida State University Department of Geological Sciences, is the national repository in the USA for geological materials collected in polar regions. The collections include deep-sea geological core samples from the Southern Ocean and the Antarctic continent, and the satellite Ocean Drilling Program Micropaleontological Reference Center for nannofossils and diatoms. The site provides information on the history of the facility, purpose, equipment and collections, services, publications, and access arrangements. A links page is provided for other organisations engaged in research in the Arctic and Antarctic.
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Application of micropaleontology to West Coast seismic risk assessment
http://park.org/Canada/Museum/seismic/indexgf.html
The West Coast is a high seismic risk area and studies show that in the past there were episodes of important seismic relevance. This Web page explains how the stratigraphy of the area can be used to locate and discover rapid drops in sea level associated with particular sedimentary features created by tsunami events. Micropalaeontology is used in this case to isolate these events. Rapid changes in fauna dictate rapid changes in habitat environments which correspond to rapid changes in the sea level. These rapid changes are indicative of major seismic activities. The explanations are accompanied by illustrations and bibliographic references. This tour is part of a bigger project: the Virtual Palaeontology Museum which contains edited undergraduate student projects.
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Austrofossils
http://www.oeaw.ac.at/austrofossil/
The austrofossils database is supported by the Austrian Academy of Sciences and it is designed to provide information on taxonomic groups, geographical locations, geological ages, chronostratigraphical and lithostratigraphical units, and references to animal and plant fossils in Austria and the surrounding area. The fossils can be searched according to different methodologies such as localities, formations or taxa. The site contains also visual aids, maps and links to similar pages.
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Bibliography of Fossil Vertebrates
http://www.vertpaleo.org/publications/bibliography.cfm
The Bibliography of Fossil Vertebrates (BFV) allows the user to search, browse and receive lists of literature references for the years 1509-1968 and 1981-1993. It contains approximately 130,000 published references. A user guide is provided and complex queries are supported. All BFV references are copyrighted material belonging to the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology.
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British Chalk Fossils
http://www.chalk.discoveringfossils.co.uk/
This site provides a resource for the identification and understanding of the Late Cretaceous fossils of the British Chalk. Aimed at the enthusiastic amateur, the site includes an introduction to chalk zone groups and formations, and images of crustaceans and echinoderms. Illustrations are provided from the author's collection and from other specimens. References are provided for further reading. The site is provided by Robert Randell.
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Brownie's Beach Fossils
http://mysite.verizon.net/browniebeach/
This site is dedicated to the fossils found in Brownie Beach along the coasts of Maryland. All fossils are dated from the Miocene era. The site contains information on fossil sharks with a news archive link, and illustrated features. These include: partial cutting edges and striations; geological background to fossil sites; shark fossils; dolphins, porpoises, whales and seals; rays and skates; and turtles, fish, molluscs, crabs and land mammals. There are also links to descriptions of other localities and to literature and reference pages.
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Burgess Shale : a hidden treasure in the Canadian Rockies
http://park.org/Canada/Museum/burgessshale/titlen.html
The Cambrian Burgess Shale is located in the Yoho National Park, British Columbia, high in the Canadian Rockies. This virtual tour is designed to raise awareness of the scientific significance of the Burgess biota with its unique adaptation related to a host of functions and rare structures. It contains a description of the fauna and flora, rare fossils, live habitats, the formation and discovery of the Burgess Shale, taphonomy ,and quality of preservation of fossils. There is also a link to the Chengjiang deposit in China, which has similar features. This tour is part of a bigger project: the Virtual Palaeontology Museum, which contains edited undergraduate student projects.
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Burgess Shale Fossils
http://www.geo.ucalgary.ca/~macrae/Burgess_Shale/
The Burgess shale is a fossil lagerstatte situated in the Canadian Rocky Mountains, aged from the middle Cambrian. Its remarkable and unique fossil assemblage has inspired scientists from all over the world. This website is designed to give preliminary information on the locality (Walcott quarry), preservation, environment and fossil fauna, including brief descriptions and pictures of Anomalocaris sp, Marella splendens, the trilobite Olenoides serratus, bivalves, sponges and priapulids. There is also a list of references and links to other sites related to the Burgess shale. The site is provided by Andrew MacRae, University of Calgary, Department of Geology and Geophysics.
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Caesarea Ancient Harbor Paleoenvironmental Project
http://park.org/Canada/Museum/caesarea/Paleoenv.html
The goal of the Caesarea Project is to further document the environmental changes within the ancient harbour in order to understand the harbour morphology, function, and when it was destroyed, through the study of foraminifera. There is background information on foraminifera as fossils of stratigraphical relevance, on the excavation and the data collected. Illustrations, maps and references are provided. This tour is part of a bigger project: the Virtual Palaeontology Museum which contains edited undergraduate student projects.
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Canadian Fossil Discovery Centre
http://www.discoverfossils.com/
The Canadian Fossil Discovery Centre, formerly the Morden and District Museum, holds the largest collection of marine reptile fossils in Canada. The centre's website provides details of its activities; a virtual tour of the museum; access to the Web resources 'Ancient Seas of Manitoba' and 'Ancient Seas of Manitoba - Underwater Discoveries'; and brief illustrated notes (fossil collecting, geology, mosasaurs, plesiosaurs, sharks and fish, turtles and squid, birds).
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Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre
http://www.charmouth.org/
The Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre is devoted to encouraging safe and sustainable collection of Jurassic fossils from the local beaches. The centre's website contains information on the geological setting and stratigraphy of Dorset and Devon, fossils assemblage, marine diversity and wild life, activities and walks. The fossils page includes records of scientifically important specimens.
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Cobalt palaeontology
http://park.org/Canada/Museum/cobalt/COBALT-0.HTM
Cobalt is a small town in northern Ontario, Canada once famous for the extraction of cobalt, silver and gold. It became known in the scientific community for the discovery of well preserved fossils. This virtual tour is dedicated to the geology and palaeontology of Cobalt. It gives a brief introduction to the geology of the Farr Formation and Thornloe Formation, and an overview of the fossils that can be found on site. This tour is part of a bigger project: the Virtual Palaeontology Museum which contains edited undergraduate student projects.
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Complexity and organic evolution
http://park.org/Canada/Museum/complexity/mainpage.html
The complexity theory, based on Newtonian physics and Darwinian evolution, seeks to explain the inner workings of complex systems operating far from equilibrium to produce creative, innovative, continually changeable behaviour and to keep the transformational process alive. This virtual tour introduces the reader to the basics of complexity theory, its meaning and application through computer-based simulations of past and recent extinction events. This tour is part of a bigger project: the Virtual Palaeontology Museum which contains edited undergraduate student projects.
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Corallian of the Dorset Coast : fossils
http://www.soton.ac.uk/~imw/Corallian-Fossils.htm
This is the sixth in a series of geology field guides to the cliffs around Osmington Mills, written by Ian West. Ammonites and other fossils (Myophorella clavellata, trigonias, plant debris) are described and illustrated. Links are provided to other sections of the field guide and to a bibliography.
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Cretaceous Tethyan stratigraphy
http://pagesperso-orange.fr/brcgranier/cts/
This site, by Bruno Granier, is designed to "build up a detailed knowledge of the Cretaceous stratigraphy in the Tethyan realm", mainly based on ammonite palaeontology. The links on the left of the site lead to the different stages (from Berrasian to Maastrichtian), naming zones and sub zones. The site also contains Praedictyorbitolinid phyletic lineage, with related references, Albian and Aptian biostratigraphy charts, and links to related sites. Discussion forums are provided.
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Deccan Traps Volcanism - Greenhouse Dinosaur Extinction Theory
http://filebox.vt.edu/users/dmclean/fileboxmigration/artsci/geology/mclean/
The author of this Web page, Dewey McLean, is Professor Emeritus of Geology at Virginia Polytechnic Institute, with many years of experience in Cretaceous research; he is investigating various theories for the mass extinction during the K/T boundary. He combined together elements of the Cretaceous and Tertiary fossil records, biostratigraphy, physical stratigraphy, plate tectonics, the carbon cycle, stable isotopes and other to identify the causes of the mass extinction. He is concentrating mainly on the greenhouse-volcanic theory and carbon cycle perturbation. The site contains links to references, geological time scale, schematic drawings, some pictures and diagrams.
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Department of Paleobiology : National Museum of Natural History
http://paleobiology.si.edu/
The Department of Paleobiology at the Smithsonian Institution is one of the leading centres for palaeontological research in the world. The department's website is designed to share knowledge on collections, research and publications at the institution. The Burgess Shale page gives highlights on the most unusual fossil community ever found with details of palaeoenvironment, a fossil index and references. The collections page links to several databases including foraminifera, echinoderms, algae, Burgess shale fossils, shark's teeth and dinosaurs. Other links include anthropology, botany, entomology, mineral sciences, climate change, invertebrates and vertebrates.
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DinoData
http://www.dinodata.org/
This website is entirely dedicated to dinosaurs. It contains information on dinosaur's anatomy (including cranial anatomy), family lines, time periods, fossil locations, a list of eggs known from specific dinosaurs, the Earth's history, specific fossil sites, a list of dinosaur genera and species, marine reptile information and a reference database. It also contains illustrations, a glossary, news pages, a list of dinosaurs classified as Incertae sedis, and access to forums and discussions. A simple registration must be completed before accessing the site.
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Dinosaur Interplanetary Gazette
http://www.dinosaur.org/
The 'Dinosaur Interplanetary Gazette' is a magazine owned and published by Edward Summer. The main aim of the site is to inform and introduce the fascinating lost world of dinosaurs to the general public. It contains pictures, question and answer pages, links to palaeontologist home pages, a travel guide to explore dinosaurs localities, book and film reviews, recent news headlines, news of meetings and awards, and message boards. The website is not designed for professional palaeontologist, but it is more directed to the general public or amateur palaeontologists, A level or first year students.
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