7-year-old boy digs up new garden and accidentally discovers 140-million-year-old Jurassic fossils

Paleontology is one of the most fascinating fields of science, where one studies fossils, thereby unraveling a lot about history as well. From learning about how dinosaurs came into being and survived on the planet, to discovering the types of species that existed millions of years ago, Paleontology helps us learn by studying what remains of these historical creatures. BBC News talks about a little boy residing in Derbyshire with his parents, whose curiosity led him to dig in his yard and discover Jurassic-age fossils!

Elliot, a 7-year-old aspiring paleontologist, lives in Matlock, Derbyshire, with his parents, having moved there three months ago. His inquisitiveness led him to dig in their front garden, where he discovered a few limestone rocks. With his parents’ help, he cracked them open and discovered something remarkable — 14-million-year-old fossils! As per a report by My Modern Met, they later found out by observing the coiled shells that they were holding some marine fossils. “I love fossils. It made me really happy that we just found it,” Elliott told the outlet. “Finding fossils is really inspiring, and I want to do it more. They look so cool.” Elliott’s mother, Gemma, who helped him discover the remains of Jurassic creatures, was excited about their discovery too. The 42-year-old said, “He's very excited — I'm not sure we like digging up the garden so much. But it's very exciting what he's finding, I'm very proud of him.”

To know more about the fossils and their origin, the outlet spoke to Dr. Susannah Lydon, a paleontologist at the University of Nottingham. She revealed that fossils are more common and more abundantly spread out than we think. She stated, “In the UK, most of our fossils are hidden under vegetation, which means the rocks they're in aren't at the surface or getting revealed by erosion. The good places tend to be where rocks are eroded, which tends to be the coast.”  

She mentioned that Matlock is established on stones, implying that it is home to many fossils. However, the ones dug by Elliot were probably brought from elsewhere by humans. She doubts it could either be the builders or collectors who brought them from Dorset, a county in the southwest of England. She also highlighted that the rocks were 140 to 180 million years old and “contained ammonites —  spiral-shelled molluscs” that resided in the oceans during the era when dinosaurs walked on Earth.

Interesting Engineering shared that nearly 330 million years ago, Matlock Bath and Matlock were underwater, according to the Heights of Abraham. The region that is established on rocks now was earlier housing coral reefs full of fish, clam-like species, and sea lilies. With time and shifts in the water levels, Matlock rose above the waters and became a hilly region. Derbyshire is home to many small fossils, including brachiopods and crinoids, since they were found in the region earlier, which has now transformed into the famous limestone cliffs.

Dorset, also known as the Jurassic Coast, is a World Heritage site. It is one of the most famous places in the United Kingdom to collect fossils. Ammonites are the most commonly found fossils in the area; therefore, Dr. Lydon stated that these fossils belonged to Dorset and not Matlock. “The joy of fossil hunting is finding something that no one else has seen for millions of years," she continued, “It gives you a view through all those years.” To those seeking advice on how to dig up fossils, she shared that they do not need any special equipment. One must simply know where to dig. She also suggested that amateurs must go on tours with experienced guides to learn about what and where to look for, adding that cliffs after a storm are worth checking.