Secrets of Ancient Earth: Marine Microfossils
The day in pictures

Expanding Your Horizons
June 12, 2002


Web links to learn more:

General
Earthguide
An earth and environmental science resources for teachers and students. The website created by my team of undergraduate interns at UCSD. Look under Resources - Links - Science Content for more links. Contact me here.

Common marine microfossils
Benthic Foraminifera
There are many more species of benthic than planktonic forams, although there are greater numbers of planktonic individuals. General information about benthic forams.
Jonathan Krebs, Hooper Virtual Natural History Museum

Fabulous Foraminifera examining past climates using microscopic marine organisms
Describes how foraminifera are used to interpret past climates on earth, including the use of oxygen isotopes in deciphering glacials.
National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, New Zealand

Radiolarians
Radiolarians
General information about radiolarians.
Ben Barnes, Carleton College

Radiolarian shells
Not much about radiolarians, but shows how they are photographed. Great images, including 3-D view.

Coccolithophores
What's a coccolithophore?
General information and satellite views. How do you see something so small using a satellite? Look and find out.
NASA, Earth Observatory

Diatoms
Diatoms
General information about diatoms and their role in the global carbon cycle. Includes example of satellite views.
Earthguide

Dinoflagellates
Dinoflagellates
General information and images.

Pfiesteria piscicida
Information about a species of dinoflagellate that occasionally causes fish kills on the east coast.

Deep sea drilling
Life Onboard JOIDES Resolution
Image-rich glimpses of life during two-month scientific cruises.

JOIDES Resolution Drillship
Images and layout of the ship.

The Ocean Drilling Program
Their homepage.

Glaciation
Glaciation
Set of maps showing extent of glaciers since the Last Glacial Maximum and much more.
NOAA Paleoclimatology Program

Free materials for your classroom:
From Gateways to Glaciation - CD

Plate tectonics
Plates
See how the earth's tectonic plates have moved around over time. You might start with Global Plate Motion: Jurassic to present.
L. A. Lawver, M. F. Coffin, I. W. D. Dalziel, L. M Gahagan, D. M. Campbell, and R. M. Schmitz, University of Texas Institute for Geophysics

K-T Event
The K-T Boundary
Interview with Dr. Brian Huber
Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, Department of Paleobiology

What killed the Dinosaurs: The Great Mystery
University of California Bekeley, Museum of Paleontology

Free materials for your classroom:
Blast from the Past - Poster

Geologic time
Geological Time Chart
Exactly when was the Jurassic? See the latest age estimates in handy table form.
University of California Bekeley, Museum of Paleontology

Geologic time
Explanation of geologic time and how age is determined. Older site but lots of useful explanatory content.
William L. Newman, U.S. Geological Survey


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