Wednesday 10 June 2009

Fossils in the Chalk

I was watching yet another TV program about global warming and rising sea levels. It made me wonder if Biggin Hill would ever be covered with sea again.

Biggin Hill is on the edge of the North Downs and as its name suggests it is fairly big hill at about 500ft above sea level. However at one time it must have been at the bottom of the sea as when the field behind us used to be ploughed up it often exposed fossils of shells.

My children loved to go fossil hunting after the field had been ploughed and especially after a hard frost which would make the chunks of chalk crack open to reveal its treasure.

This picture is of a shell fossil my younger son found in the field when he was eight.


When I look down the valley today with its masses of wildflowers, trees and different habitats it is hard to imagine that it was ever covered with sea or ever could be again but if it was I wonder what creatures would be fossilised and when the sea reseeded again what would the humans (if any) be like who discover the new fossils?


2 comments:

Anonymous said...

You're right, the chalk shows the area used to be under the sea. However you need to remember that as well as the sea levels changing, the land also goes up and down due to tectonic movement.

Helen said...

Hi 'Anon'...good point.