Marble Canyon (Canadian Rockies) facts for kids
Marble Canyon is a cool, narrow valley found in Kootenay National Park in British Columbia, Canada. It's part of the amazing Canadian Rockies mountains. This canyon surrounds a stream called Tokumm Creek. The creek flows into the Vermilion River nearby. Just south of Marble Canyon, you can find Numa Falls on the Vermilion River.
A long time ago, someone described Tokumm Creek joining the Vermilion River through a "magnificent gorge." They said it was so narrow it looked like a crack in the rocks. Big boulders were even stuck across it, forming natural bridges! It was truly a sight to see.
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Discovering Marble Canyon
Marble Canyon is a special place in the northern part of Kootenay National Park. It's a deep, narrow cut in the land. The canyon was formed by Tokumm Creek. This creek eventually meets the Vermilion River. The area is known for its beautiful mountain views.
What is a Canyon?
A canyon is a deep valley with steep sides. Rivers or streams usually carve them out over millions of years. The water slowly wears away the rock. This creates the impressive shapes we see today. Marble Canyon is a great example of this natural process.
Amazing Fossil Discoveries
In early 2014, scientists made an exciting discovery near Marble Canyon. They found many fossilized creatures from the Cambrian period. This was a time over 500 million years ago. These fossils were of soft-bodied animals. This means animals without bones or shells. Finding such fossils is very rare.
Why are these Fossils Special?
The Marble Canyon fossil site is very important. It's similar to the famous Burgess Shale fossil site nearby. The fossils found here are incredibly well-preserved. Scientists announced that 22% of the species they found were completely new to science. They also found species previously only known from China. These Chinese fossils were millions of years older.
The exact spot of this fossil discovery is a secret. This helps protect the site from damage. It allows scientists to study these ancient creatures safely.
New Species Found
Some of the amazing creatures discovered at this site include:
- Tokummia katalepsis
- Metaspriggina
These discoveries help us learn more about early life on Earth. They show us what ancient oceans might have looked like.
