Page 129 - Gary Greaser

Sperm whale, also known as cachalot, is the world’s largest toothed whale and is easily recognized by its enormous head and narrow jaw. These active predators, who prey on squids and bony fishes, are dark blue, brown, and grayish with white patches on their belly.

Despite big, square head, sperm whales are good at catching their preferred prey with their large conical teeth. Not only do they have large brains, but they also have the most powerful sonar that they use to find prey in the deep ocean. They have an incredible ability to dive to incredible depths in the sea. They can even stay down for several hours, which increases the likelihood of catching prey in the deep. Due to this predatory behavior, sperm whales generally live in deep water and are rarely seen along the coast.

Specialized sonar organ, known as a melon, and very large brain contribute to sperm whale’s characteristic block-shaped head, which is easy to identify. Their lifecycle is similar to that of humans, but female

When Steven Spielberg made his 1993 blockbuster, Jurassic Park, not much was known about the Tyrannosaurus rex, or T. rex, as it is more popularly known. Back then, there were only around eight skeletal remains in the fossil record. But since then, more skeletons have been unearthed, which have changed paleontologists’ and even the general public’s understanding of the “king of dinosaurs”. In the recent years, there are numerous findings that have upended the preconceived ideas of how this creature looked, behaved and ate. Here aresome of these ideas that have been proved to be wrong.

When we think of sinister creatures lurking in the vast oceans, the shark is probably the first name to come to mind. Sharks are the ultimate predators, but they are also one of the most ancient creatures to ever live on Earth. They first evolved around 450 to 455 million years ago, and are far more ancient than even the first dinosaurs. They were there when all five mass extinction events took place and wiped almost all life off the planet, starting from the Ordovician - Silurian extinction to the Cretaceous - Paleogene extinction, but sharks survived it all. Here are some of the top prehistoric ancestors of the modern-day sharks (in no particular order):

1. Scissor-toothed shark

Scissor-toothed sharks lived around 300 million years ago, and the largest, named E. giganteus, would grow into the size of the modern great white. The shark was characterized by a uniquely curved jaw that it used to not just bite but also create slashing wounds on its prey.

2. Buzzsaw shark

The Buzzsaw shark

Loved the Jurassic Park franchise as a child? Watched the terrifying Red Claw dinosaur in awe in ‘The Land Before Time’ and was fascinated by his size? Then chances are that you are still interested in these prehistoric creatures that ruled the land and the seas millions of years ago.

Given that popular culture is so interested in these reptiles, we need not really go into the details regarding why dinosaur fossils are so much in demand! However, buying dinosaur fossils can be a formidable challenge as so many fakes are doing the rounds. Where to buy one from? How do I know that a fossil is original? Will I end up paying too much? These are just some of the questions that run through the average buyer’s minds, which is justifiable since fossils are rare collector’s items.

But not to worry. In this blog, we will share a few tips with the help of which you can start the perfect collection:

1. Decide what type of fossil you want

Focus on one specific geologic time period to narrow down your

When you think about creatures residing in the deep that spark your primal fear, sharks definitely come to mind. From dangerous extinct species like Megalodon to prehistoric Mako sharks, the list is long. Let’s not forget about the modern sharks or those oceanic predators that began to appear close to 100 million years ago. Modern Mako sharks are closely related to the Great White shark and are one of the most powerful predators to prowl the vast ocean waters today. But did you know they have been featured in The Old Man and the Sea, one of Ernest Hemingway’s works? Want to know more about Mako sharks? Read on! 

Do you know the fourth-largest shark to prowl our oceans? It is the Tiger shark. Weighing approximately 1300 pounds, the Tiger shark grows up to 15 feet. Only Great Whites, Whale sharks, and Basking sharks are bigger. Good news for fossils collectors, we have Tiger shark teeth for sale!

Apart from being huge, Tiger sharks are bizarre! Want to know why we said that? Read the following facts about these creatures, and you will feel the same way.

You can call them swimming garbage disposals.

Remember the scene from Jaws in which a Louisiana plate is pulled out by Hooper from a dead Tiger shark’s stomach? That is scientifically accurate. Tiger sharks have an insatiable appetite. They eat everything, from other sharks, venomous sea snakes, and albatrosses to manmade objects like rubber tires, leather jackets, paint cans, and even license plates!

Their teeth are notched.

When you take a close look at a Tiger shark’s jaws, you will notice their teeth have dramatic notch tips pointing sideways.

What if you had to be a scientist to get hands-on amazing things like dinosaur fossils or pieces of an old spacecraft? That would have been a shame; thankfully there is no law forbidding you from collecting such scientific memorabilia. But there are some considerations that should be paid heed to while purchasing or collecting scientific keepsakes. Upon browsing the internet, you will find so many sites claiming to have real dinosaur fossils for sale, but they aren’t always the real deal. These relics don’t exactly come cheap and buying them may be tricky. Sometimes even if the fossil up for sale is authentic, it may be stolen or even illegal to own. Yes, you heard it right. Although owning dinosaur fossils is not outright against the law, but there are certain items that law prohibits you to collect. This blog post is for all the fossil aficionados; let’s look at how you may collect dinosaur fossils the right way.

Cave bears died out around 25,000 to 30,000 years ago. Today, they are one of the most widely studied pre-historic species. Scientists have even succeeded in reconstituting their DNA (although it is not enough to clone a cave bear, in case you wanted to know). The animal lived and evolved during the Pleistocene epoch and was intimately familiar to homo sapiens for thousands of years. Here are some more such interesting facts about cave bears that you should know:

There is a growing need for all of us to seriously care for our environment. The health of our environment is going down due to rapid industrialization, urbanization, and increasing levels of pollution. Trees play a key role in keeping our environment in a good condition. This is why a lot of effort is placed upon planting trees as they provide us with oxygen, store carbon dioxide, support the soil, and sustain wildlife.

The composition of the Green River rock formation consists of a group of sedimentary rock layers formed in a huge system of lakes. The source of the Green River Formation happened mostly during the Eocene Period between 59-33 million years ago. It's also located along the Green River of today, covering parts of Utah, Wyoming, and Colorado. In this post, we'll concentrate on the various layers that contain fossil fish.