New Oldest Known Insects Trapped In Amber Discovered
Seen here looking suspiciously like monster tears, these 230-million year old pieces of amber each have an insect inside. One fly, and two mites. *adjusting pants crotch* A man can only hope there's some dino DNA in there to clone from.
The amber droplets, which are only 2-6 millimeters long, were discovered buried in the Dolomite Alps of northeastern Italy. Paleontologists working there were able to uncover about 70,000 droplets -- all of which were screened for signs of preserved life.
230-million years ago marks the middle of the Triassic period, the period when dinosaurs first appeared on earth. So, obviously, there aren't as many dinos from the time that I have an interest in. But, between you and me, I'm starting to get desperate. "You clone it, I'll bone it," I told a scientist I met at the bar. You know what the smartass told me? "Scientists have already cloned several mammals." That's when I broke my beer bottle on the bar and stabbed him for insinuating I was a pervert.
Thanks to Waverider, who might be on a surfboard, or might be on a boogie board, they didn't say. Definitely not in an army tank though.
