Waldron shale facts for kids
The Waldron shale is a special type of rock found in Indiana. It's famous because it holds many amazing fossils! These fossils are like clues from a very, very long time ago, showing us what life was like on Earth around 423 million years ago.
What is the Waldron Shale?
The Waldron shale is a rock layer that formed from mud and clay. It's called "fossiliferous" because it's full of fossils. Think of it as a giant, ancient photo album made of rock! This rock layer is found in the state of Indiana.
Ancient Creatures Found Here
Scientists have found many different kinds of fossils in the Waldron shale. These include:
- Gastropods: These are ancient snails! They had shells and moved slowly across the seafloor.
- Trilobites: These were amazing sea creatures with hard, segmented bodies. They are now extinct, meaning they no longer live on Earth.
- Trace fossils: These aren't parts of animals, but signs they left behind. Things like ancient worm trails or burrows are trace fossils. They tell us about how creatures moved or lived.
How Old is This Rock?
The Waldron shale formed at the very end of a time period called the Silurian. This was about 423 million years ago! To give you an idea, that's long before dinosaurs walked the Earth. During the Silurian period, Indiana was covered by a warm, shallow sea. This sea was home to all the creatures whose fossils we find today in the Waldron shale.
