Real-life Nessie: Ancient Scottish sea monster finally getting its due
Source: Washington Post
Real-life Nessie: Ancient Scottish sea monster finally getting its due
By Rachel Feltman September 6
Half a century after it was first discovered, the fossil of an ancient Scottish ichthyosaur – a creature that ruled the seas some 170 million years ago – is finally being studied. On Monday, the specimen dubbed the Storr Lochs Monster was unveiled to the public by National Museums Scotland, but only after sitting on a shelf for 50 years waiting for her day in the spotlight.
Just don't say she was gathering dust.
"Look, a lot of specimens are in museums for a long time before they're studied, so it's easy to go back to that trope," said Steve Brusatte of the University of Edinburgh. And sometimes fossils really are forgotten on some neglected shelf – tucked away in an unmarked box, stored under a mud sink or even masquerading as dinky plaster models of other species.
But that's not what happened to the Storr Lochs Monster. Researchers have been well aware of her existence since she was discovered by the lone power station worker for the Isle of Skye in 1966, and her bones have been lovingly preserved and cared for. Researchers just didn't have the means to study her – until now.
[font size=1]-snip-[/font]
Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/speaking-of-science/wp/2016/09/06/real-life-nessie-ancient-scottish-sea-monster-found-in-museum-collection/
