Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Ergot in Amber

This piece of amber was mined in Burma a few years ago and has now been described in the scientific press. It encases a grass spikelet with a growth of ergot on the top, and has been dated to 100 million years ago. If so, this means that grasses have been around for a lot longer than many paleontologists have been willing to accept. Also, that giant dinosaurs might have eaten ergot and gone on drug-fueled rampages. Which would have been something to see.

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