This is Throwback Thursday #167. In these, we look back into the past at ESCONI specifically and Earth Science in general. If you have any contributions, (science, pictures, stories, etc ...), please sent them to [email protected]. Thanks!
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In case you didn't notice, summer is here. It's been hot the last few days and it's getting even hotter. Here's a scene that will surely cool you off ... frozen Mazon Creek concretions. Although, the thoughts of hidden treasures might get your blood boiling!
These are Tom Testa's buckets at his house in Carbon Hill, IL - not sure of the year. The buckets are full of concretions from many localities in the area. Just imagine what Tom found in them! Tom was a prolific Mazon Creek collector, who always used the freeze/thaw method as he didn't want to lose the chance at a priceless specimen. His collection is amazing! It's important for both quality and quantity. His collection now resides at the Field Museum, where it provides essential examples of common, rare, and extremely rare fossil plants and animals from the Mazon Creek area.
For more information, Mazon Monday #8 was about Testajapyx thomasi, which was named for Tom.
Wow... what's in this one?!?
These photos are courtesy of the Carbon Hill School Museum's Tom Testa Collection. The museum is located in Carbon Hill, IL. It has many historically significant photos, artifacts, and documents of the Coal City, Braidwood, and Wilmington area. The curator, Michele Micetich, is very knowledgeable. Visit her this summer for a trip back in time to the coal mining days of yesteryear!
