On Thursday, February 16, 2023 at 6:08:29 PM UTC-8, John Harshman wrote:
On 2/16/23 4:54 PM, erik simpson wrote:
An amusing pair of papers in Gondwana Research deal with an apparent remarkable find that subsequently fell on the floor (literally!). The first reports the discovery, the second the denouement (the "fossil" was actually a beehive.)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1342937X20303038?via%3Dihub
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1342937X23000254
The lead author of he first is Greg Retallack, known for his theory that Dickinsonia is actually a terrestrial lichen. He gracefully acknowledges the error in identification.
I doubt that it's possible to acknowledge that error gracefully. I'm
assuming that his only contact with the fossil was through photos.
Photos it is. The original paper described the "fossil" as "in plain sight" but "inacccessible".
It's hard to understand why it couldn't have been examined at closer range, but the site is
famous for its paintings and maybe there are restictions on what could be done? Embarrassing for
sure.
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