Can you imagine scientists in the distant future getting excited because they found fossilized barf from a college student? I'm sure it's what every frat and sorority inspires for when they throw their ragers. Well, scientists are losing their minds after finding a prehistoric patch of fossilized vomit that traces back millions of years.
66 million years in fact. Danish scientists discovered the prehistoric patch of puke that dates back before humanity. So who did the yacking? Well, that would be one very old, very stomach-sick shark. They made the discovery at Denmark's Cliffs of Stevns near Copenhagen. As you can imagine, the vomit has become very much like a rock over the millions of years since. It fossilized over that time. Then last November, Peter Bennicke finally discovered it. Bennicke is a local hunter who was on the cliffs when he made the amazing find.
Fossilized Vomit
The fossilized vomit traces back to the Cretaceous period. The New York Times reported that the barf belonged to a shark or at least a shark-like creature. The vomit was made of sea lilies that apparently didn't agree with the animal's stomach. Dr. Jesper Milàn, curator of Denmark's Geomuseum Faxe, says that sea lilies "aren't that great to eat, because they are almost only skeleton."
Jesper plans to showcase the fossilized vomit.
"It is truly an unusual find. Sea lilies are not a particularly nutritious diet, as they mainly consist of calcareous plates held together by very few soft parts," Jesper said. "So they took what they could and threw up the rest."
According to the scientist, the vomit likely came from a bottom-dwelling shark. The puke had two different species of sea lilies in the mix. While it's a remarkable discovery, the oldest puke ever found dates back to 150 million years. The more you learn. Up until today I didn't even know that vomit could turn to a fossil.
"This is the most famous piece of puke in the world," Milàn said. Who know what those college ragers may leave behind for future scientists to marvel at?
