Category: Bizarre

Bigass Ammonite Fossil is not a Bigass Ammonite Fossil

Ammonite

Yep, that looks like a bigass prehistoric ammonite fossil, and it’s not a snail fossil as the caption states.

Ammonites are perhaps the most widely known fossil, possessing the typically ribbed spiral-form shell as pictured above. These creatures lived in the seas between 240 – 65 million years ago, when they became extinct along with the dinosaurs. The name ‘ammonite’ (usually lower-case) originates from the Greek Ram-horned god called Ammon. Ammonites belong to a group of predators known as cephalopods, which includes their living relatives the octopus, squid, cuttlefish and nautilus [via].

I found the top image (with the erroneous caption) in here, and wondered about the story behind it. Since fossils are typically embedded in rock and I didn’t see any hole or excavation, something seemed off.

Ammonite Replica 2

Ammonite fossils are common, but are rarely larger than about 9 inches in diameter. Sure, some larger species have been found, but why wasn’t this one encased in plaster, crated up and shipped to an archeological museum? How could something so heavy and brittle stay in one piece while being tilted up? How could four guys lift it, let alone one?

A Tineye search brought me to the source –  a 2005 documentary filmed in Lyme Regis, England for the BBC series “Journey of Life.”

“This giant ammonite was actually a replica that we used to show how big ammonites could grow. Made of polystyrene it squeaked as we rolled it down the beach. The look of gob-smack on the faces of Jurassic Coast fossil collectors was priceless!”
Paul Williams, 3 September 2013.

This “fossil” was a prop, and it had a cameo role in Episode 1: Seas of Life.

[Full story with photos here.]

Perhaps you’re wondering why I suddenly found an interest in large fabricated ammonite fossils. It’s because I saw that top picture and wanted to do this with it:

Ammonite Beach Spin

Unperturbed 3×4 Hot Links

They are roughly 3 inches by four inches

The Anacreontic Song as sung by the University of Michigan American Music Institute Chorus, with Scott Van Ornum on harpsichord and soloist Jacob Wright, conducted by Jerry Blackstone.

The complete words to “Defence of Fort M’Henry.”

The National Anthem, The Great War & The 7th Inning Stretch. There’s a connection.

Giant bat farts [via].

13 Illinois Toads & Frogs living in squalor and what they sound like. The Green Frog sounds like the intro to Seinfeld, but The Wood Frog is a serious contender for my next ringtone.

Here are some sources in case you ever need one.

Just Googled “Eyelash Peacock Dumpster.” I was not impressed.

Black Napkins is my personal choice for the theme song of the 2016 Presidential Election. If it all goes awry, I’ll replace it with Watermelon In Easter Hay.

[Personal to Weez: Thanks for the phone call.]

[Top image: “They are roughly 3 inches by 4 inches.” Found here.]

The .Gif Friday Post No. 443 – Muy Alto Gato, Leapin’ ‘Lectricity & Bettin’ on the Bulls

Cactus Cat

Eel Leaping

Bullmoose Cool

[Found here, here and here.]

Grinch.

Grinch

Pokemon Grinch as found on my Waze ap. GTFO, GTFAFM and every other GTF you can think of.

[Original undoctored image found here.]

Spike

Spike

Reminds me of the song “Arkansas Dog” by Pinkard & Bowden.

Oh, Arkansas Dog,
Won’t someone pick you up?
Oh, Arkansas Dog,
Poor little pup.

Across the field I thought I saw,
A dog who walked from Arkansas.
His feet were raw, his eyes were red,
With porcupine quills stuck in his head.

Won’t someone kindly take this pup,
And feed him lots of bread;
And if the quills don’t pull out quick,
Just drive ’em in his head.

Oh, Arkansas Dog,
Won’t someone pick you up?
Oh, Arkansas Dog,
Poor little pup.

[Image found here. Lyrics from memory.]

Hot Links Del Mar

Gastropod Eggs

Electric eel leaping out of a tank to shock a fake alligator head [via].

Woman from San Diego has been banned from visiting over 21% of America.

Riding the Strandbeest bike [via].

Link Wray.

Classic P.J. O’Rourke heresy. (Don’t get any ideas, kids.)

PNBHS Haka for Mr. Tamatea’s Funeral Service is still an excellent tribute.

“100 Years” is a movie scheduled for release in 2115. The idea is to purchase metal tickets and pass them on to your descendants.

“…We can be rich in cotton and mining metals, and silk worms, and we can make things, things cars, the machine can make it for us; and we can have the community, and city, in San Francisco; and we can make things and put them in the store. On the East Coast they have slaves and believe in slavery and made in China…” She has it all figured out.

JUST RELAX.

[Top image: Giant gastropod egg capsules of the species Adelomelon brasiliana washed up near Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires and were herded into concentric circles by locals. Found here.]

The .Gif Friday Post No.442 – Flip Fail, Emu Chase & Dog Spit

Flippy

Emu Dog Chase

Spitting Dogs

[Found here, here and here. Each one would be enhanced with a Wilhelm Scream.]

Love in the penitentiary.

Love In The Penitentiary

[Found here.]

“The woemen are attired, and pownced.”

Roanoak Indians 1590

Roanoak Indians 1590 Quote

From A briefe and true report of the new found land of Virginia [Hariot, Thomas (1560-1621). Published in Frankfort Germany 1590.]

[Found here via here. Printed word image from here.  More about Dasamonquepeuc here.]

Treebeard

Treebeard

[Found here.]

Update: I suspected that it might be a very good photoshop, but I was wrong. It’s a 65 year-old beech tree in Bulgaria. Via UK Daily Mail 1 June 2016:

Deyan Kossev, 49,  spotted the unusual tree when he was hiking through the forest, saying “nobody knows” why the trunk and branches have formed this way.

“I was walking through the mountains when suddenly I spotted him. I was speechless and stopped in my tracks. It was surreal, it looks exactly like a man does. It has the legs, arms, body and head of a man and they are all in proportion too.”

[Somewhat related posts here and here.]