#Grey Chalk fossil

[uk-fossils]

Fossil Chalk Gastropod | Grey Chalk Cretaceous Clyde Sussex UK | Genuine Specimen with COA

Own an authentic and beautifully preserved chalk gastropod fossil from the Grey Chalk Formation of the Cretaceous period, discovered in Clyde, Sussex, UK. This fossilized sea snail is a fascinating example of ancient molluscan life that once inhabited the warm, shallow seas covering Europe over 90 million years ago.

Fossil Type: Marine Gastropod (Sea Snail)

Geological Period: Late Cretaceous (~100.5 to 89.8 million years ago)

Formation: Grey Chalk Formation

Location: Clyde, Sussex, United Kingdom

Scale Rule: Squares/Cube = 1cm (Refer to photo for full sizing)

Specimen: The specimen pictured is the exact item you will receive

Authenticity: All of our fossils are 100% genuine specimens and come with a Certificate of Authenticity

Geological and Paleontological Context

This fossil represents a gastropod mollusc—a marine snail that lived on or near the seafloor during the Late Cretaceous. These creatures thrived in nutrient-rich chalk sea environments, where fine sediments preserved their coiled shells in remarkable detail.

Phylum: Mollusca

Class: Gastropoda

Order: Sorbeoconcha (tentative)

Superfamily: Uncertain; common families in the chalk include Turritellidae and Cerithiidae

Geological Stage: Likely Cenomanian to Turonian (~100–90 million years ago), based on Grey Chalk stratigraphy

Depositional Environment: Shallow marine shelf with fine calcareous sediment; excellent preservation conditions for invertebrate fauna in chalk beds

Morphological Features: High-spired or turreted coiled shell, multiple whorls, often with surface ornamentation such as ribs or fine growth lines

Notable: Gastropods are less commonly preserved than echinoids or bivalves in the Grey Chalk, making this a desirable and interesting fossil for collectors

Biozone: Could be associated with ammonite or inoceramid bivalve zones within the Lower to Middle Grey Chalk, such as the Mantelliceras or Inoceramus zones

Identifier: Identification to genus/species level may require specialist morphological analysis; fossils like these have been documented since the 19th century in British chalk paleontology

Why This Fossil Is Special

This gastropod fossil is a well-preserved example of ancient marine life from one of the UK’s most scientifically significant fossil beds. It offers insight into the biodiversity of the Cretaceous seas and is ideal for collectors or educational display.

Why Buy From Us?

100% genuine fossil with Certificate of Authenticity

Exact specimen shown in photo is the one you will receive

Carefully selected from reputable fossil sites

Perfect for collectors, educators, or as a unique natural history gift

Add this beautifully preserved Cretaceous chalk gastropod fossil from Clyde, Sussex, UK to your collection—a tangible piece of marine history from over 90 million years ago.

[inky-duchess]

World-Building Guide to Deserts

A desert is a vast biome that is known for its extreme temperature. Deserts can either run hot or cold and are usually difficult to inhabit. But deserts are harsh places but they are visually stunning and make for an impressive backdrop to any story.

What is it like in the Desert?

Like I said, deserts are hot or cold. The temperatures are extreme which limits the amount of vegetation which in turn limits the coverage one can get in a desert, leaving the area very exposed to the elements. Rainfall is limited, well below average which means only very durable vegetation and wildlife can survive. It is a harsh landscape but it has its own beauty. The desert can often be very quiet with the limited wildlife and people around.

Hot Deserts

Features of Hot Deserts

Sand Dunes: These are hills made of sand, shaped by the extreme winds.

Plateaus: These are flat areas, usually of rock that have very little vegetation or cover.

Salt Flats: Large areas of salt deposits

Playa Lakes: Temporary lakes that appear during heavy rainfall

Oases: Small areas within the desert that have fertile soil and flourish with vegetation due to a water source.

Canyons: Are deep valleys of rock formed from rivers long dried up or greatly reduced.

Sedimentary Layering: Striped rock that shows off the different layers of rock giving the desert a striped appearance.

Mesas: A mesa is flat elevation of steep sides.

Inselbergs: Isolated rock formations that jut up from the desert floor, formed out of soft rock.

Yardangs: Ridges of rock formed by wind erosion

Mushroom Rocks: Pillars of rock formed over time with bigger heads than their bases

Rocks Commonly Found in Hot Deserts

Quartz: Clear/white/pink and usually smoky or clouded. Quartz feels very smooth like glass and may look like crystal.

Sandstone: Tan/red/yellow/brown-ish in colour. Made of compacted sand, it feels very coarse.

Limestone: Grey/white. Rough to touch and often featuring fossils.

Gypsum: White/Clear/Pink/Grey. Soft with chalk-like texture.

Salt Crystals: White/Clear. Crystal-like.

Meteorites: Often found in deserts. Usually black/grey. Can be both rough or smooth to touch.

Common Plants in Deserts

Prickly Pear Cactus: Greed, waxy pad-like cacti with spins. They grow red/yellow fruit that are edible.

Mesquite Trees: Small twisting trees. The pods are edible.

Agave: A thick-leafed succulent, shaped like a rose full of nectar and water.

Oleander: A shrub with pink or white flowers. Not edible, poisonous.

Chia Seeds: Tiny seeds that are edible.

Date Palms: Tall with long sweeping fronds. The dates are edible.

Jojoba: A shrub that's seeds are edible.

Desert Mallow: Flowering plant of pink blossoms. The leaves and flowers are edible.

Peyote: Small round cactus. Do not eat.

Creosote Bush: A shrub with waxy leaves that can be eaten.

Common Wildlife in a Hot Desert

Snakes

Small rodents

Foxes

Raptors (the birds of prey not the fun kind)

Beetles

Scorpions

Locusts

Coyotes

Camels

Lizards

Tortoises

Surviving a Hot Desert

Shelter: It is imperative to stay out of the direct sun if possible to conserve energy.

Keep an eye out: In the shade, there are other creatures who want to get out of the sun. Venomous snakes, scorpions and other critters could be lying in wait so it is best to make sure your shelter isn't already occupied.

Travel: Moving when it is sunrise or sunset or night is best as it isn't as hot and you waste less energy.

Water: Limit water intake in case your character doesn't reach a water source soon. If there are cactus around, your character may find water within it.

Know your plants: Your character might feel the urge to eat any vegetation they come across if they are hungry and weary. There are edible plants in the desert but there are also poison ones. Your character shouldn't eat any strange plant without knowing what it is.

Getting help: Signalling using something reflective or creating a large symbol might signal for help from above.

Clothes: A character should remember that the desert is hot and dress accordingly. Light, loose clothing is best but the nights in a desert are extremely cold. If your character is modifying their clothes, make sure they remember this.

Cold Deserts

Features of Cold Deserts

Ice Sheets: Unbroken sheets of permanent ice.

Glaciers: Immense sheets of moving ice.

Permafrost: The ground that remains frozen all year round. It is barren and nothing can grow here.

Icebergs: Vast lumps of ice that break off from larger sheets of ice to float in the ocean (and kill Leonardo DiCaprio)

Rocky Outcrops: Exposed rock formations.

Crevasses: Deep cracks in ice sheets and glaciers, very dangerous.

Seracs: Ice formations created where multiple crevasses meet.

Erratics: Large rocks deposited by glaciers seemingly in the middle of nowhere.

Rocks Commonly found in Ice Deserts

Basalt: Grey/Black. Smooth.

Granite: Grey/Pink/White. Coarse to the touch.

Shale: Grey/Black. Smooth and brittle.

Gneiss: Striped with greys/pinks/white. Rough texture.

Schist: Silvery-green. Flaky and layered.

Till: Of many colours. Rough.

Common Vegetation found in Ice Deserts

Lichens: Crusty spots that grow on ice and rocks. Can be edible.

Mosses: Soft green plants that grow in the damp. Some kinds are ok to eat.

Arctic Willow: A shrub. Edible.

Saxifrages: Flowering plants growing in rocky areas. Some are edible.

Bearberry: A shrub. The berries are edible.

Grasses: Grow in tundra areas. Edible.

Wildlife Commonly Found in the Ice Desert

Bears

Foxes

Wolves

Deer

Elk

Walrus

Moose

Reindeer

Seals

Whales

Ice worms (the spice must flow....)

Rodents

Surviving in an Ice Desert

Clothing: Wearing layers is crucial. Base layer, insulation and a waterproof layer. Boots and gloves are a must. But you should dress to be sweating, it is a waste of energy. Stay dry always.

Shelter: You can find or build shelter, especially if the winds are high. If sleeping on the ground, use insulation.

Food/Water: Melting snow and ice is fine, eating snow is bad because it will lower your core temp. The best food to eat in this weather is high in fat to keep your body working to keep warm.

Keeping an eye out: Ice fields can break apart easily, crevasses are lethal.

Flag for help if lost: Flares or fires can attract help so always carry something to spark up a flame or two.

[possiblyunhinged]

The more polls that come out about voting intentions and views on politics (like thinking the UK would be better under a dictatorship), the more my anxious, miserable millennial ass feels like we’re genuinely sandwiched between generations of nutters. Normally, you could chalk that up to misleading headlines and obscurely worded questions, but then you go online—where everyone’s lives have moved—and realise extremism is just what it is now.

Human beings who don’t sound like they’re on the cusp of a mental breakdown at all times can’t even touch the sides of our disillusionment. The only break in the doom comes from meekly-toned millennials popping up on my TikTok feed to reassure me that yes, the world has in fact gone fucking insane. And it’s no place for a generation that lives in fear of confrontation.

I can’t help but wonder if the golden era of conflict was the subtweet.

And as a self-hating millennial, I wonder how this happened. We grew up with shit like Happy Tree Friends and Formspring—watching animations of bunnies getting glassed while simultaneously existing on a platform that basically only existed for cyberbullying. I didn’t know a single person whose mum didn’t have an eating disorder she graciously passed down.

Dads? Never heard of them.

Or maybe I’m just fucking old and completely out of touch, the most likely option. Every time I go for a dog walk, it’s a sea of arsehole children in grey tracksuits riding e-scooters and vaping. I grew up on a steady diet of Wonga loans and Brighthouse laptops—if my mum also had to put me on a death trap, I reckon that would’ve been a wee bit much.

That, combined with the realisation that instead of dealing with reality and wealth inequality, we’re probably going to elect a bunch of bulbous, impotent old men whose only rhetoric is ‘fuck immigrants’ and ‘fuck the EU’—securing our decline in concrete.

Nothing quite like being on a burning planet, accelerated by fossil fuels, while the very people who hate immigration refuse to acknowledge that the less habitable countries become, the more inevitable immigration will be.

Anyway, I’m back to listening exclusively to music from 2009 and bunkering up in my room to pretend all is swell. I might even start wearing a hairband halfway down my forehead, just to remind myself of the time when my panic attacks could be whittled down to nonsense—rather than being constantly doused in news confirming that we are, in fact, in the end times.

[mybookof-you]

"Flint is something special. Even here, battered and rolled along the coast a few miles from its source, it often retains its white calcium-carbonate coat, a striking contrast to the charcoal-black interior. Where it has been chipped or otherwise broken there is a characteristic pattern of fracture known as ‘conchoidal’, the word derived from the Greek word for mussel shell, konchē, with which the radiating lines fanning out from the striking point share a similarity. Sometimes there are other colours inside, patches of grey, almost fossil-like impressions. While the formation of flint within the sediments that become chalk remains a mystery, the occasional impressions of sea- urchins or corals suggest a silica-rich ooze, formed around the remains of dead sea creatures. Millions of years later, as the flint nodules fall out of the cliffs, the white outer will eventually be lost to the constant rolling by the waves and the flint will appear as a pale grey pebble, its only tell the dull clang underfoot or any chips or breaks. Or holes."

[architectnews]

The Dezeen guide to stone in architecture, interiors and design

Thinking of using stone in your project? Our latest Dezeen guide includes 15 popular types of natural rock used in architecture, interiors and design with links to hundreds of examples to inspire your own work.

Alabaster

Alabaster is a soft, fine-grained stone that has been used for centuries to carve elaborate forms and ornaments. However, its solubility in water means that it is best suited for indoor use.

In its pure form, alabaster is white and translucent, which makes it ideally suited to lighting design.

Studio Tack used tubular light shades made from alabaster to softly illuminate a cosy Japanese restaurant in New York (above), while lighting studio Allied Maker used the stone to create ornate totemic floor lamps.

Amarist Studio showcased the sculptural possibilities of the stone in its Aqua Fossil collection, which includes a coffee table with swooping, curved legs.

See projects featuring alabaster ›

Basalt

Basalt is a dark-coloured igneous rock that is formed when lava cools rapidly. It is most frequently used as an aggregate for concrete as it is low-cost and high-strength, but it is also a popular cladding and flooring material, especially when polished.

Examples of this include the facade of a small gallery in Amsterdam by Barend Koolhaas and a Hawaiian holiday home by Walker Warner Architects in which slender basalt cladding tiles are contrasted with cedar detailing (above).

Icelandic studio Innriinnri used two sculpted slabs of basalt stone to create a sculptural table that doubles as a stool or a piece of art, while South Korean artist Byung Hoon Choi polished the stone to create oversized outdoor furniture.

See projects featuring basalt ›

Flint

Flint is a highly durable stone found in abundance as irregular-shaped nodules in sedimentary rocks such as chalk. It has been used as a construction material since the Roman era, though it is not often seen in contemporary architecture.

Flint varies in colour, but it is commonly glassy black with a white crust. In architecture, it is usually knapped – split to expose its glossy inner face – before being laid in mortar.

Skene Catling de la Peña used a combination of knapped and unknapped flint to cover a wedge-shaped house in Buckinghamshire (above), which creates a subtle colour gradient across its facade.

See projects featuring flint ›

Gneiss

Gneiss, a robust metamorphic stone composed of alternating layers of different coloured minerals, is popular to use for flooring and worktops. Hues can range from pinks and golds to greens and dark greys.

Peter Pichler sourced grey gneiss with black-and-white bands from Passeier Valley in South Tyrol to create a large counter in the bar of an Italian Alpine hotel (above).

It can also be used as a cladding material, such as in Bernardo Bader Architekten's ski resort office in Austria and a radio broadcasting station in Nepal by Archium.

Granite

Granite is one of the most widely used stones in architecture and design. It forms from the slow crystallisation of magma beneath the Earth's crust. It is used for everything from load-bearing structures to cladding, worktops and furniture.

Its popularity is down to its high compressive strength, durability and low porosity. Granite is also found in an array of colours, making it suitable for a range of spaces and styles.

Heatherwick Studio recently used green granite to make a trio of its sculptural Spun chairs (above), while Snøhetta has used a grey variety to cover almost every surface of an Aesop store to emulate a rocky coastline.

Architecture studio NOARQ tested the material's strength by elevating a cabin on thick blocks of granite over the entrance to a stone villa in Portugal.

See projects featuring granite ›

Laterite

Rusty-red laterite stone is formed from the leaching of rocks and soil during alternating periods of high temperature and heavy rainfall in tropical areas. This process leaves behind a high concentration of insoluble iron oxides, which gives the rock its colour.

Laterite is typically used in construction in Africa and Asia in the form of bricks, which have excellent thermal mass and a low embodied energy. These bricks are made by cutting the rock out from below the water table when it is moist and leaving it to harden in the air.

Architect Francis Kéré used locally sourced laterite to build the walls of a school in Burkina Faso and Studio Lotus has used it to create the pedestal of a government building in India (above).

Limestone

There are many different types of limestone, a sedimentary rock composed mainly of calcium carbonate. It is considered a good all-round building material as it is easy to cut and carve and usually has a uniform texture and colour.

Popular limestone varieties include travertine (see below) and Portland stone, which is used on notable buildings in London such as St Paul's Cathedral and Buckingham Palace.

David Chipperfield Architects recently used limestone to clad the Kunsthaus Zurich museum extension in Switzerland and John Pawson used it to line the surfaces of a minimalist flagship store in Japan for fashion label Jil Sander.

Design projects that utilise limestone include a blocky furniture collection called Dig Where You Stand by students from the Estonian Academy of Arts (above).

See projects featuring limestone ›

Marble

Marble is a metamorphic rock with veins of calcite crystal. It forms from limestone that has been exposed to heat and pressure and is found in many colours. Marble is strong but easily carved and polishes well, making it suitable for numerous applications.

It is most popularly used in kitchen and bathroom designs, but it is often used as cladding too, such as in Alexander Owen Architecture's garden room in London (above).

See projects featuring marble ›

Onyx

Onyx is a translucent gemstone composed of parallel bands of quartz, found in almost every colour. It has a long history of use in sculpture and jewellery but is less commonly found in architecture and design. However, onyx is sometimes used as a facing or lighting.

Projects that use onyx include a mausoleum in Minneapolis by HGA and an office by Anne Claus Interiors where it has been used to clad a multi-coloured bar (above).

See projects featuring onyx ›

Porphyry

Porphyry is a strong and hard-wearing igneous stone that comes in reddish-brown to purple hues. It is composed of large-grained crystals embedded in a fine-grained groundmass.

It has been used in architecture and design since antiquity, though it is rarely seen in contemporary architecture and design. Today it is mostly used as aggregate in the construction of roads in places where cars require studded winter tires.

Pedevilla Architects used a block of porphyry as a kitchen island for a cookery school in South Tyrol, while architect Claudio Silvestrin used it to line the walls of a Milanese fashion boutique.

Quartzite

Formed from sandstone exposed to high heat and pressure, quartzite is a very hard and durable metamorphic rock. It is usually found in white and grey shades.

Quartzite is a popular material for kitchen countertops as it is resistant to staining, but is most commonly used as a decorative cladding or flooring.

Examples of this include a dwelling in Utah by Klima Architecture, Peter Zumthor's Therme Vals spa (above) and a monolithic Parisian library by Agence Pascale Guédot.

See projects featuring quartzite ›

Sandstone

Sandstone is composed of fine silicate grains that have eroded from other rocks, giving it either a warm red, yellow or orange colouration.

Used for construction since prehistoric times, sandstone continues to be a popular choice in architecture and design as it is abundant, durable and easy to handle.

Recent architectural projects that use the material include a cathedral extension by Feilden Fowles, a museum by Álvaro Siza, and an oval-shaped all-girls school in India (above) that is designed to blend into its desert surroundings.

See projects featuring sandstone ›

Shale

This grey fine-grained stone is one of the most common sedimentary rocks on earth. It is formed from the compaction of silt and mud into thin, fissile layers. In architecture and design, shale is usually crushed and processed into bricks, tiles and pottery, or heated with limestone to make cement.

Aketuri Architektai used shale tiles to clad a pointy woodland house in Lithuania (above), while Spaceworkers wrapped the stone around the basement of a Portuguese house to provide it with a raw, rugged aesthetic.

See projects featuring shale ›

Slate

Slate is a dark fine-grained stone that is formed when a sedimentary rock, such as shale, is subjected to high pressure. It is a foliated rock, meaning it is made up of thin sedimentary layers, which allows it to be split – or riven – into thin slabs.

Slate is durable and weather- and frost-resistant, making it a popular material choice for cladding, roofing and paving.

In interior projects, the material is often also used as floor tiles, hearths and kitchen worktops. Natalie Weinmann sanded and polished the stone to create a blocky furniture collection.

TRIAS used it to clad a small writer's retreat in a Welsh valley while Austin Maynard Architects diamond, scalloped and brick-shaped slate shingles to cover a Melbourne house (above).

See projects featuring slate ›

Travertine

One of the most commonly used forms of limestone is travertine, which has been sourced from mineral springs for use as a building material for centuries. The largest building in the world made from this stone is the Colosseum in Rome.

Today, travertine is mostly processed into tiles for internal and external surface coverings, but it is also a popular material for bathroom fit-outs. As it is found with troughs on its surface, processing travertine usually involves polishing its surface.

Projects that use travertine include an extension to a German museum by Bez + Kock Architekten (above), an apartment renovation in Lithuania by 2XJ, and a furniture collection by David/Nicolas.

See projects featuring travertine ›

Recent popular stone projects on Dezeen include an inconspicuous house on the island of Serifos, a monolithic spa by Smartvoll, a collection of luxury lodges on England's Jurassic Coast and a coffee table by Studio Twenty Seven.

The main image is of Rajkumari Ratnavati Girls' School by Diana Kellogg Architects taken by Vinay Panjwani.

The post The Dezeen guide to stone in architecture, interiors and design appeared first on Dezeen.

[paranormal-playgr0und]

The Roswell UFO Playground

Introduction:

Hello Ghoul Friends! This week’s topic is on the infamous Roswell UFO Incident. This week, I thought I’d do a report on something that happened in July, and something other than ghosts and demons. This report might be a little different due to the topic, there will be more text in the history portion than the hauntings portion, much like the second ParaPlay report.

I would like to mention that I have started a new job, and due to some new time constraints, I might not be able to spit out a report every other week- although I will try my very best!

I would also like to mention that I’ve been thinking about making this blog available as a podcast, so you can listen to the reports on the go. This is something I’ve been considering greatly, and it will probably happen in the near future- so heads up!

Now that’s all out of the way, grab your tinfoil hats! It’s time for the Roswell UFO Playground!

History:

It’s the beginning of July 1947. Local Newspapers in Roswell, New Mexico have been running the same story since the end of June- people have been spotting flying saucers in the night sky. Could it be linked to the army base and air field nearby?

Many people still didn’t believe in the sightings, and mainly chalked them up to be fake news. However, tensions were still high- though people didn’t believe in the sightings, they still looked out for them, out of sheer curiosity. It wasn’t until July 7th, did people start believing in the news stories.

The date of the crash and discovery aren’t fully agreed upon. It is said that sometime in late June or early July did rancher W.W “Mac” Brazel found the wreckage of what he believed to be was a flying saucer. The wreckage was thought to be rubber, tinfoil, and heavy paper.

(Pictured: Major Jesse A. Marcel with the debris found on Brazel’s ranch.)

In today’s terms, if I told you that I found tinfoil, paper, and rubber on my lawn- you would automatically think the debris was of a weather balloon. However, because of the recent UFO sightings in Roswell, and the coincidence of the whole situation, people didn’t buy the idea that what had landed in the Brazel Ranch was a weather balloon.

Upon finding the wreckage, Brazel reported the crash to the Roswell sheriff, George Wilcox. In turn, Sheriff Wilcox called a local Major at the local airbase. Major Jesse A. Marcel and a man in “plainclothes” appeared at the door of the Brazel family home and took the debris.

Following the confiscation of the wreckage, Major Marcel reportedly tried to re-construct the wreckage, and even tried to make a kite out of the pieces.

Yeah, I’m shocked too. The first thing this guy does is try to make a kite out of the wreckage. If I’m not mistaken, that’s damaging evidence, Major Marcel.

After the United States Government apprehended the evidence, the next day, an interesting statement was released to the public by the RAAF (Roswell Army Air Field). 

  “The many rumors regarding the flying disc became a reality yesterday when the intelligence office of the 509th Bomb Group of the Eighth Air Force, Roswell Army Air Field, was fortunate enough to gain possession of a disc through the cooperation of one of the local ranchers and the sheriff's office of Chaves County.”

(Pic cred: https://whataretheanswers.ecorrect.net/the-roswell-ufo-crash-1947/)

People went absolutely ballistic when they saw the statement. Almost everyone in the state of New Mexico believed that aliens existed, and they were in New Mexico.

The day after the initial statement, RAAF releases another statement, this time claiming that the debris was from a weather balloon. They also released pictures of Major Marcel with the wreckage as proof of the weather balloon statement.

People became suspicious after the second statement. The excitement of the government detailing the wreckage of a UFO had sunken in, making it almost impossible for people to believe that it wasn’t a UFO. Releasing another statement, a day after the original one only increased the suspicion.

Recently, the United States admitted that the weather balloon story was indeed a cover. The wreckage was actually from spy technology. At the time of the crash, the United States was on the brink of the Cold War, and stating that the Roswell UFO Incident was spy technology makes quite a bit of sense.

However, many people still believe that the Roswell UFO Incident was extra-terrestrial.

The depiction of Roswell aliens is called Grey Aliens, or Roswell Aliens. Grey Aliens are what are depicted as aliens today. They have the green-grey skin, large bug eyes, small bodies, and big, elongated heads. This depiction didn’t seem to appear until 20ish years after the Roswell Incident when it was leaked that the government supposedly recovered an alien body from the crash.

In 2001, a man created a fake video that looked like the corpse of an alien from the Roswell crash. This video sparked national outrage and got worldwide attention. The creator of the video also used the Roswell Alien as the alien character.

Before the Roswell UFO Incident, aliens were widely depicted as humans in odd or funny costumes. They were also depicted as crab-like, skeleton-like, humans.

(Pic cred: https://www.outerplaces.com/science-fiction/item/4729-aliens-before-roswell Picture depicts the moon aliens in the 1900 film, “A Trip to the Moon”)

Sightings:

Today, people do report sightings in Roswell New Mexico. A website called UFOstalker.com gives viewers an interactive map to see what UFO sightings are near you. There is also a similar map on History.com’s website that details “UFO sightings taken seriously by the U.S. government.” This map also includes a few sightings in the United Kingdom, another active hotspot for UFO sightings.

Unfortunately, the sightings in Roswell today could be similar to a Bates Motel situation.

Bates Motel has racked up a large reputation over the years. The actual Bates Motel in Coeur D’Alene, Idaho is rumored to be haunted, but no one knows if this is true or not. People do report activity in certain rooms, but due to the media coverage and reputation of the hotel in the entertainment industry, the activity can be easily ruled as nothing.

This could also be the case for Roswell New Mexico. People do report seeing lights at night, but nothing like abductions, landings, and usually only a small group of people see the lights. Circumstantially, the other sightings seen after 1947 can be de-bunked. It seems that the Roswell UFO incident was more of a one-time situation, and rakes in tourism even though a large incident like that will probably never happen again.

And it’s no wonder anything like that would happen again, the world could have possibly learned of the existence of aliens, which is something the government probably doesn’t want us to know. The fame surrounding the Roswell UFO Incident could have easily scared off anything extra-terrestrial- if you believe in that.

The Re-Cap:

The Roswell UFO Playground has been deserted of kids for years.

In 1947, a family that lived next to the playground claimed that they witnessed the murder of a kid on the playground, and the remains were buried in the sandbox. Alarmed by this, government officials went out to the playground to investigate.

The official report as to what happened, or if the claims by the family were even true, was never released to the public. Many people believe the family’s claims, even though they were never truly confirmed.

The swings squeak when used.

The chief investigator did once comment that they found dog bones in the sandbox, not human bones, but no one believes them.

Years later, the chief investigator commented that the dog bone story was fake, and they had found a fossilized dinosaur egg under the sandbox instead. No one believed that either.

Media heard of the Roswell UFO Playground and spread the news of the story. The coverage made the Roswell UFO Playground a tourist destination.

Part of the playground is rotten, and kids are advised not to play on that side of the playground.

In the present day, many grown-ups and big kids go to the Roswell UFO Playground to see if anything truly did happen in the sandbox. Occasionally, people report finding small finger bones in the sandbox and buried around the field. These claims catch attention but are quickly debunked and forgotten.

In 2001, a big kid who visited the Roswell UFO Playground took a picture of a tiny, human skull, thought to be of the child’s. After national media coverage, the big kid finally admitted that the picture was fake.

The net on the basketball hoop is missing. The paint on the metal slide has been faded from the sun.

No kids have been spotted at the playground since 1947.

[vcepsis]

Okay that last fic was SO good, so if you’re still taking these: 3A with Shiro and whoever you’d like to write? (Maybe allura? Or Matt?) ❤️❤️❤️

Sorry this took a thousand years oops but I know Shallura is your jam so I tried my hand at that, hope you enjoy it!!

Taken from this ask meme (Flu + at someone’s house) please forgive my loose interpretation of “someone’s house” lol many thanks as always to @feverflushed for reading it over and putting up with my whining

—–

Shiro exhaled with a shaking breath as the students filed past him, bracing himself as subtly as he could against the desk at the front of the room. He should have cancelled this class. He’d been feeling off for the past few days, but had chalked it up to his usual, messed up sleep schedule. Now, though, the chill he’d been feeling all morning had settled in his bones, and his head felt like it was about it split open in front of all these poor, innocent third years.

Gathering his things as quickly as possible, Shiro waited for the rest of the students to leave. A few of them shot him worried looks; he’d mentioned how he was cancelling his office hours today, and it was a small enough class for everyone to know how he never cancelled office hours. But God, his whole body ached.

The journey to his office was longer than Shiro remembered; it felt like miles instead of just a few minutes away. Everything hurt. It hasn’t been this bad this morning…

Finally, he reached his office, his vision was starting to go a little spotty. All he had to do was open the door, and he could just sit down for a bit…

Grasping the doorknob with his metal hand, he found it needed to be turned with more force than usual. Or maybe he just was feeling weaker than normal.

Muffling a cough into his fist, he dropped his bag in a heap as soon as he stepped through the door, all but collapsing on the couch. Shivering a bit, he sunk into the cushions, stretching out as far as he could. He just needed to close his eyes for a few minutes….

——

“I’m telling you, Coran, everyone in this administration is a thick-skulled fossil.”

Coran could only chuckle, and it made Allura grip her cell phone even harder. “Give them time, Allura. They haven’t had a female Dean of Engineering in, well….ever! I’m afraid they’re rather set in their ways.”

Allura sighed loudly, readjusting her grip on her briefcase as she briskly walked down the empty hall to her office. Her short heels clicked sharply on the tile. She was already taller than most of the other teachers in the engineering department, and hated how she had to make these small concessions to make them feel better about themselves. The meeting she had just gotten out of was unproductive at best and misogynistic at worst. Truth be told, Allura was absolutely sick of pandering to these old fashioned assholes.

She rounded a corner, relief swelling in her chest at the sight of her office, promising some relief from the tiring world of male dominated academia. “Even so, that’s no excuse for their behaviour–”

Her complaint was abruptly cut off when she reached the door to her office. Looking down, she froze as she saw how the doorknob was twisted, mangled in such a way that left the door slightly ajar.

On the other end of the line, Coran was calling her name. Swallowing back an irrational wave of fear, she took a deep breath. “Coran, I think someone’s broken into my office.”

“What?!” Coran’s voice practically screeched through the receiver. “Are you sure?”

Allura honestly shouldn’t have been scared–she was adequately trained in at least three different fighting styles, courtesy of her father. However, that didn’t stop the wave of apprehension that flooded through her as she slowly pushed the door open.

It was pitch dark, as to be expected; it was late in the afternoon, and the winter sun was already beginning to set. With her phone still clutched in one hand–trying to ignore Coran’s helpful tips of Make sure to get him in the balls!–she fumbled for the light switch on the nearby wall, turning it on with a hard smack.

Light exploded in her face, and she instinctively took a step back. Looking around wildly, she searched for the intruder.

Instead, she found the most beautiful professor in the university passed out on her couch.

Allura couldn’t stop her “Oh!” of surprise into the phone, which prompted another wave of rapid-fire questions from Coran.

“Well? Was it an intruder? Did you make sure to get him in the b–”

“I’m fine, Coran.” Allura crept closer to the sleeping figure, “I believe this was all a misunderstanding.”

“What, someone accidentally broke into your office?” Coran sounded incredulous, and rightly so, if she was being honest. It sounded insane.

“I’ll call you back in a moment.” With that, Allura hung up, feeling only a little bit guilty about leaving Coran hanging. Oh well. He would understand–as her uncle and mentor, he always did.

Of course, Allura did find this whole situation quite curious. What was Takashi Shirogane doing in her office?

He was sprawled out on the couch, his bag left carelessly by the door. He had his flesh arm draped across his stomach, the metal one dangling off the couch haphazardly. Even in sleep, he was gorgeous.

Allura has had this silly crush on him since they first met, when he was hired a mere 6 months ago. They met at an all hands faculty meeting; being in different departments, this was one of the few opportunities they’d had to interact. He was funny, quick witted, smart, kind…and Allura fell for him almost immediately. Since then, they rarely crossed paths, but he was on her mind much more often than she’d care to admit.

Upon closer inspection, however, Allura noticed his face was awfully pale, with the beginnings of a flush across his cheeks and nose, almost causing the scar there to disappear. His breathing was deep, but uneven and congested sounding.

Allura couldn’t resist the urge to press the back of her hand to his forehead. Burning. Just as she suspected.

Though she did her best to keep her touch gentle, Professor Shirogane stirred under her touch. Slowly, he opened his eyes–the colour was a stunning grey, despite being a bit glazed. “Mm…’llura?”

Allura blinked, taking an instinctive step back. “Oh, I’m sorry, Professor. But are you feeling alright?”

He blinked up at her–how could one person swing between heart-stoppingly gorgeous and so cute I’m going to die so easily? Allura felt a blush of her own paint her cheeks.

Sitting up slowly, he rubbed a hand over his face. “Not that I…” his voice gave out, and he cleared his throat a few times. “Not that I mind, but what are you doing in my office?”

“Um,” Allura said eloquently. “You’re actually in my office, Professor.”

This seemed to clear the haze from his face. Looking around, his bloodshot eyes grew wide. “Oh,” he gasped, and then doubled over when it caused a rough sounding coughing fit.

Allura stepped toward him again, her concern from earlier returning. “Are you alright, Professor Shirogane? Do you need anything?”

“Shiro,” he said, voice raspy after the fit. He looked up at her through his white bangs, eyes watery. “My friends call me Shiro.”

Shiro. Allura filed that piece of information somewhere in her heart, to pour over and caress when needed.

“Shiro,” she said slowly, testing out the name on her lips, “are you quite alright?”

Straightening up slowly, like it hurt, Shiro just nodded. “I’ll be fine.” Not that Allura exactly believed him; the flush across his cheeks had only deepened since waking, and Allura remembered vividly the heat radiating off of him.

“But,” he continued, “do you usually leave your office door unlocked?”

Allura couldn’t help the grimace that made its way onto her face. “Well…no. Not usually. But that didn’t seem to stop you.”

At his confused look, she pulled the door further open, clearly showing the mangled doorknob.

Now the fevery flush on his cheeks blended into a deep, embarrassed blush across his whole face. “Oh my god,” he muttered into his hand. “I….broke your door…?”

Allura gave the door a little push, closing it as much as it would go. “Please don’t feel too guilty, Shiro,” she said slowly, relishing every opportunity she could get to use his newly discovered name. “I think you have quite the fever. You must have mistaken this office for your own.”

“I’m so sorry!” Shiro exclaimed, as if she hadn’t said anything. He put his head in his hands. “Of all the offices to break into, I had to pick yours? The most beautiful woman on campus?” He looked up at her, distraught. “You must think I’m a complete freak.”

Allura’s brain ground to halt at his exclamation. Beautiful?

She opened her mouth to respond–though she hadn’t quite figured out what, exactly, to respond with–when Shiro’s expression crumpled. For a horrifying second, she thought he was going to start crying–how high was his fever?–but instead, he pitched forward to sneeze a small fit into his cupped hands.

Whatever thought she had was thrown out the window at the sound. Gosh, he sounded awful. Whatever he was coming down with sounded particularly nasty. She snagged the tissue box off of her desk and silently handed it to him.

Sniffling pathetically, Shiro took a handful, blowing his nose wetly. “I’m so sorry,” he apologized again, sounding defeated. He stood abruptly, not looking all that steady on his feet. “I really should just go.”

Blinking rapidly, he started to make his way toward the door, but Allura stopped him. “I really think you should lie back down, Shiro. You’re clearly unwell.”

She eased him as gently as she could back onto the couch, and, feeling bold, took the seat next to him. Brushing his bangs aside, she put a hand on his forehead again. “You sound like you might have the flu. I really think you should stay here until I can drive you home.”

Shiro turned a bit into her hand, nuzzling into the touch. Allura felt her blush from earlier return. Shiro’s eyes fluttered closed, and he sighed a bit.

“This isn’t…how I wanted our next meeting to go,” he mumbled.

Allura couldn’t help but smile. “And how, exactly, did you want it to go?”

Shiro shrugged, eyes still closed. “Dinner, maybe?”

Allura felt her eyes go wide. Then she smiled, her heart beating hard and fast in her chest. “Well then,” she said, gently pushing him so he was lying down on the couch again, “how about you get better as fast as possible, and I’ll take you up on that?”

“Mmm…” Shiro muttered, congested breathing evening out as much as it could.

Running a hand through his hair, Allura couldn’t resist planting a soft kiss on his too-warm forehead.

“Feel better soon, Shiro.”

[earthstory]

Count the brittle stars!! (…and sea lilies, sea urchins, worm tubes, brachiopods,..). Here we tour around a large rock slab from the recently discovered brittle star fossil bed. Many of the specimens have yet to be fully prepared so we'll share an updated version when all the preparation work is complete (perhaps next year sometime!). Eventually this piece will be on long-term public display, somewhere in the South of England. Having the specimens retained together like this in their natural association allows us to study the ecology of this ancient seafloor. In particular we want to understand why these otherwise rare fossils are so abundant in this particular package of rock and how they came to be so exquisitely preserved. Late Cretaceous Grey Chalk of Southern England, around 96 million years old.

jurassic.past

[c6h14nightmares]

Eye of a fossilised trilobite, a Reepdops species from Hamar Lagdad in Morocco. Some trilobites constructed their eyes of calcite (calcium carbonate, like chalk), the only known organism to have crystalline eyes. This allows extraordinarily well preserved eyes in fossils. Species like this one with large compound eyes were most likely predators. 

Black and dark grey areas are the fossil, with the head facing to the left. Pale, tan or orange regions are the rock matrix, including around each eye lens and a lot on top of the head. I plan to remove some more from the eyes and head if I can, to show the details more clearly. 

[readingat3amisnormal]

There is something strangely cathartic about watching these creatures as they dream. 

They bundle up together, cold-blooded as they are, in seemingly random piles; some resting their heads on the ground while others drape themselves over their fellow creatures. The occasional somnambulist will rise, tripping over roots and stumbling over moss-encrusted rocks before falling into a pile and joining it without hesitation. 

I suppose the most ergonomic word to describe them would be “bulbous”, or perhaps “grotesque”. Both have been suggested to me by friends and colleagues, and neither captures the strange, ethereal grace that clings to these creatures’ features like dew to leaves. 

It takes a surprising amount of effort to study these beings, despite- or perhaps because of- their gentle and unassuming nature. Each observation has to be made from a distance of more than fifty feet, with little to no noise, and absolutely no contact is to be initiated under any circumstances.

These measures seem extreme. But once you understand the reasons behind them… well, they’re still pretty extreme. It’s entirely possible that the higher-ups who laid them down for us believe that we are under the influence of some exotic hallucinogen, and that the creatures we’re reporting over the field radio are some very strangely shaped kumquats.

Au contraire, co-workers. 

What follows are a few miscellaneous observations I’ve made over the course of the past fortnight or so.

Their habitats aren’t unusual for creatures of their sort. Well, creatures of ‘their’ sort is a gigantic misnomer. These tiny little poofters (I’m not entirely sure what that word means, but I feel as though the shape of it fits) are phylogeny’s worst nightmare. Where on the phylogenetic tree do these beings fit? It feels like they should be a step up from single celled organisms, but… are they, really? 

I don’t believe the scientific community was truly prepared for a discovery like this right under our noses. I’m certain that if we woke up tomorrow and found no trace of these creatures, we would just accept it and move on with our lives. It sounds deranged, but I so desperately want them to be real, and I can’t be certain that they are.

I can’t say much about their bodily composition, or their inner workings. I’m a behavioural expert, not a physiological one. Still, I will say this- they don’t appear to share all that much in common with humans and apes. For one, their bodies are composed almost entirely of water vapour. 

I stopped there in my notebook. The pen had ran dry, and I’d tried to keep writing for a few seconds longer- so the last few words were simply indentations in the paper. There’s a joke in there somewhere, but I’ll let you, dear reader, figure that one out yourself.

Continuing where I left off.

There’s no research so into how they hold their bodies together, or if they have a circulatory system, or a digestive or a nervous system, or any information about how large their brains are, or where they get their energy from-

There’s quite a lot we don’t know, if we’re honest. There are a few reasons for this. One, in order to figure all these things out we’d have to dissect one of them. And even if we were given the go ahead from big brother over at HQ… I don’t think anybody’s got the heart, honestly. Especially given how they look. 

I’ve only just noticed that I’ve come all this way without describing their appearance. Suppose it’s as good a place as any. 

They look like us, to start with.

Chalk white with bits of grey rolling about inside their torsos like miniature thunderstorms playing pong; legs and arms that don’t appear to have any joints in them; gigantic eyes, hardly any noses, mouths that seem unable to form any shape except an ‘o’ of fascination- the works. It’s uncanny. 

Granted, their features are only vaguely humanoid. However, please consider that these appear to be cloud people. Excuse my unprofessionalism.

Regardless, it should be noted that this resemblance isn’t simply a superfluous detail- it is actively influencing how we’re interacting with them.

One of my colleagues believes he’s found a way to identify these creatures through the changing grey smudges on their bodies. While this is fascinating, he’s taken the opportunity to give each one a nice, human name. And he’s grouped them into families. Despite the fact that we’re pretty sure these creatures don’t reproduce sexually. His justification? They’re cute!

Now, I can’t pretend to not be affected by this- though it is in a decidedly different way. While most of my colleagues here on site believe that these creatures are not intelligent -why would they? They’re displaying no signs of it- I choose to disagree. I believe these creatures show no signs of intelligence because they’re still leaning. 

What’s that? It sounds like I’ve finally lost it? Well, hear me out before you put me in the padded cell.

From the moment they wake to the moment they fall asleep at the end of the day, they appear to do nothing except wander around, taking in the sights. And this isn’t just ordinary pack animal behaviour, this is properly deliberate. They’re absorbing, as opposed to simply seeing.

Now, to the average layperson (and to most experts), these seem like the ramblings of somebody who’s been sleeping in the foliage for the past six months and hasn’t seen a roll of toilet paper in twice that time. But frankly, they haven’t seen what I’ve seen. 

Mainly because I lost a bet and had to take up residence in the watchtower last month. But I wear that scar with pride!

I find myself recalling one incident in particular I had the strange pleasure of observing; a creature’s first encounter with another living being. 

It was maybe late afternoon. The sun had begun its gradual descent towards the treetops but wasn’t so far gone as to coat the world with the warm orange glow characteristic of dusk. A few of the creatures had broken off from the main pack and were loosely congregated around a tiny pool with a trickle of water falling into it from above.

As two of them reclined near the top of a rock formation and another stared directly into the sun, one of the creatures leant over to stare into the pool, mouth- as always- shaped into an ‘o’ of fascination. It could see something I couldn’t from where I was sitting.

As I watched, a school of fish so small and vibrant they looked like rose petals on the water darted across the surface of the pond. The creature closest to the pond took a step back, and for a second I worried it would wobble and fall in. Instead, it bowed down onto one knee so as to see the fish better.

It dipped a hand into the water, ripples cascading out and driving the fish into the depths. It paused, and I could almost see the gears turning…

It removed its hand and waited patiently. In just under a minute, the fish had resurfaced. It looked up at the other creatures, mouth imitating an oddly deformed grin. They came over, and as another one of the creatures reached its hand out to disturb the surface, the first stopped him with a gentle touch. 

Currently, it is a point of contention among myself and my colleagues whether they are simply stuck with the one expression, or if they are so endlessly fascinated with the world around them that they just look like that all the time. 

These creatures aren’t perfect. But we can give them a chance.

Interestingly, we don’t really have a name for them yet. Firstly because, as I mentioned before, they are a phylogenetic nightmare, but also because… what would we name them?

Generally, the names we award (that feels like the wrong word) species are supposed to encapsulate what the species is etymologically. Homo antecessor- pioneer man. Homo habilis- handy man. Homo sapien- wise man. Each of these names reflects what we know about our ancestors. However, that doesn’t really work for these creatures. We haven’t been observing them for all that long, and it’s not like we can dig up fossils. They dissolve into nothing when they die.

Oh, did I mention that? They have a lifespan of about a month, and at the end of it they just evaporate. Really freaked out a new hire who’d just arrived last week.

But I digress. I’ve already had three colleagues simply suggest “cloud people” as an appropriate name. Really? And another colleague suggested “residuique consumpti nubes” after a visit to a town that had Wi-Fi. Utterly abysmal.

Personally, I feel like they should have a name that truly captures their essence, their odd grace, their desire to learn… and, of course, their resemblance to us. 

‘Homo animus’ is my suggestion. I’m certain that there’s a better way to word it, especially since I can’t exactly whip out my phone and google some synonyms for ‘smart’ in Latin. Still, if my memory serves me right, this loosely translates to ‘human mind’. Isn’t that perfect?

Well, not really. I still feel as though I haven’t captured their true essence. It’s incredibly difficult to quantify. Could you give a person a name so perfect, so true that it would make you understand everything about them? Ah, well. Names won’t ever be perfect. I’m certain there’s more to humans than just being wise, after all.

Besides, perhaps we aren’t supposed to understand these creatures. Perhaps we are simply to observe as they live and they learn, completely and utterly free until they slip back into the infinite expanse on the other side of the clouds. 

[archaeologysucks]

Besides visits from the sandbox pirates, there were a number of other mile markers along my path to becoming an archaeologist/history nerd:

Rock Collecting: As my parents would say, they couldn’t take me anywhere. From a very early age, no matter where we went, I would always be crouched down on the ground, looking at shiny pebbles. The beach was my favourite place for this, but it happened at Disneyland, too. I had an enormous rock collection. Sometimes, I enjoyed smashing them with a hammer, to see what they looked like inside. I still have my first rock hammer around here somewhere....

Greek Mythology: While other kids were going through an Egyptian phase, I was going through a Greek phase. I had d’Aulaires’ Book of Greek Myths out from the library constantly (and it still affects how I visualise certain mythical figures). I have my own copy now. There was also a series of Greek myth stories on vinyl records at my library that I had out a lot.

Mammoths: Then there was this guy at the Royal British Columbia Museum in Victoria, who was always my first stop on every visit.

Dinosaurs: I definitely had a dinosaur phase. My mom helped me make an ankylosaurus out of homemade play dough, and we drew a life-size outline of it on the living room carpet with chalk.

The Goonies came out when I was 6, and you can just bet that had a big impact on pirate-loving me.

Pirate Dreams: I had recurring dreams about pirates, pirate treasure, and skeletons as a child, but instead of finding them scary, I found them exciting. Sometimes the pirate treasure in my dreams was a big treasure chest full of candy....

The Voyage of the Mimi: We watched this educational TV series at school in 4th and 5th grade. It had an archaeological component, and featured a very young Ben Affleck, before he was famous. When I substitute taught in my old school district in 2004, they were still showing it. You can watch it on YouTube.

Time Machine Series: You know those choose-your-own-adventure books with the grey covers and red lettering? Yeah, I fucking loved those things.

Robin Hood: When I was about 10, I had a Robin Hood phase. I read every book about him at my elementary school library. My favourites were Edith Heal’s 1928 novel, and Bernard Miles and Victor Ambrus’s illustrated story. When I finished elementary school, I begged the school librarian to let me have the Edith Heal book, since I was the only person who had checked it out for years. She gave it to me. It is still one of the treasures of my collection.

Documentaries: Also when I was about 10, my dad started teaching science at the high school, so we had access to the science department’s video library, which was just a room full of random VHS tapes recorded from TV, because public schools have no money. I borrowed every single one they had on dinosaurs, hominids, and evolution. Also, the one with the very first Star Trek episode, with Captain Pike, because science teachers are nerds, and so am I.

Indiana Jones: Obviously. Last Crusade came out when I was 10.

Fossil Hunting: My dad used to take me fossil hunting along the banks of the Missouri River, and in the hills of Montana. I had several very nice fossilized sea creatures in my rock collection.

Genealogy: My grandmother was a hobby genealogist. She passed away when I was 5, and left me, the oldest grandchild, all her documentation. I became interested in it when I was 14, and continued looking up my family history through the end of grad school. Ancestry.com was the first website I spent significant time on.

Roman History/Latin: I studied Latin for about three years in middle school/high school, and there was a Roman history component involved in the course. We watched (and read) “I, Claudius” (still one of my faves), and read Tacitus and Suetonius. I was fascinated by how gossipy the history was, and not dry and boring, like history had been taught to me before that.

Old Fort Benton: Two summers when I was in high school, I got to volunteer at the excavation of the old frontier fort/trading post at Fort Benton, MT, since it was right across the street from my grandmother’s house, and my dad knew the guy who was running the dig. It was a lot of fun. I got to learn excavation techniques and water screening.

Two weeks before I started at the University of St Andrews, where I was planning to major in Scottish Studies, I was watching a show about underwater archaeology, and my palms started to sweat. That was when I knew I was going to change my major.

[uk-fossils]

Fossil Chalk Fish Scales (Osteichthyes) | Grey Chalk Cretaceous Clyde Sussex UK | Genuine Specimen with COA

Own a rare and scientifically valuable specimen of fossil fish scales (Osteichthyes) from the Grey Chalk Formation of the Cretaceous period, collected in Clyde, Sussex, UK. These scales represent part of the bony fish group (Osteichthyes), a major vertebrate lineage that dominated Mesozoic marine environments.

Fossil Type: Fish Scales (Osteichthyes – Bony Fish)

Geological Period: Late Cretaceous (~100.5 to 89.8 million years ago)

Formation: Grey Chalk Formation

Location: Clyde, Sussex, United Kingdom

Scale Rule: Squares/Cube = 1cm (Please refer to the photo for full sizing)

Specimen: The actual specimen in the listing photo is the one you will receive

Authenticity: All of our fossils are 100% genuine specimens and come with a Certificate of Authenticity

Geological and Paleontological Context

These fossil fish scales belonged to Osteichthyes, or bony fish, a major group of marine vertebrates that thrived in the Cretaceous seas. The Grey Chalk is known for preserving delicate microfossils, vertebrate remains, and marine invertebrates from shallow, warm seas rich in calcium carbonate sediments.

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii (ray-finned bony fishes)

Geological Stage: Most likely Cenomanian stage (~100.5–93.9 Ma), based on regional stratigraphy of the Grey Chalk

Depositional Environment: Calm, shallow marine shelf with low-energy sedimentation; fossilisation occurred within fine calcareous sediments of the chalk sea

Morphological Features: Small, shiny or mineralised scales often showing fine ridges, growth rings, or peg-and-socket articulation patterns typical of actinopterygian fishes

Notable: Fossil fish remains in the Grey Chalk are rare compared to invertebrate fossils, making vertebrate microfossils like these valuable for collectors and paleontologists

Biozone: May be associated with the Lower to Middle Cenomanian ammonite or inoceramid zones (e.g., Mantelliceras or Inoceramus zones)

Identifier: Osteichthyan microremains have been recorded in UK chalk studies since the 19th century; formal identification to genus level often requires microscopic examination

Why This Fossil is Special

Fossil fish scales like these are a window into the vertebrate life of the Cretaceous chalk seas—often overlooked yet scientifically important. These remains can be used to reconstruct fish diversity and ecology in ancient marine ecosystems.

Why Buy From Us?

100% genuine fossil with Certificate of Authenticity

The exact item shown is the one you’ll receive

Carefully sourced from reputable UK fossil sites

Excellent for microfossil collectors, educators, and vertebrate paleontology enthusiasts

Own a piece of ancient marine vertebrate history with this Osteichthyes fossil fish scale specimen from the Grey Chalk of Clyde, Sussex—a rare glimpse into bony fish evolution from over 90 million years ago.

[tabletoptrinketsbyjj]

Trinkets, 5: Interesting baubles, semi magical objects and items touched by mystery.

A battle pennant of black cloth with a single golden eye in its center.

A battle pennant of grey cloth with a black short sword partially wrapped in a white death shroud in its center.

A black stone that beats like a heart and seeps red fluid when pricked.

A blank mask that allows the wearer to look exactly like himself when worn.

A bone insignia of military rank originating from the legendary Horde of the Endless Dead

A bone key of a design akin to the nomadic desert tribes

A brass bas-relief, depicting the finder’s father, mother, sibling, or childhood imaginary friend, in a gilded cage.  

A brass bicep bracer with an Efreet motif.

A brass nose flute.

A brass plated orc skull.

---Keep reading for 90 more trinkets.

---Note: The previous 10 items are repeated for easier rolling on a d100.

A battle pennant of black cloth with a single golden eye in its center.

A battle pennant of grey cloth with a black short sword partially wrapped in a white death shroud in its center.

A black stone that beats like a heart and seeps red fluid when pricked.

A blank mask that allows the wearer to look exactly like himself when worn.

A bone insignia of military rank originating from the legendary Horde of the Endless Dead

A bone key of a design akin to the nomadic desert tribes

A brass bas-relief, depicting the finder’s father, mother, sibling, or childhood imaginary friend, in a gilded cage.  

A brass bicep bracer with an Efreet motif.

A brass nose flute.

A brass plated orc skull.

A broken spear head made of bone. There is an unknown script engraved upon the surface.

A bronze plated half-elf skull.

A bronze tablet bound in human skin. The tablet is inscribed in an ancient tongue on both sides. If translated, a rambling account is revealed, seeming to expound the means of communicating with (or perhaps binding?) the demon Uln-Rgaoon, Child of Whispers.

A bundle of legal papers wrapped in colorful braided cord that entitle the bearer to a one-half share in Delecarte’s Cirque Des Wonderment.

A ceremonial stag headdress thought to bring fertility and health.

A charm made from animal bones and feathers believed to ward off the undead.

A child’s doll with hair made of rare moss.

A clay dove mounted inside a wooden cage.

A clay pot containing a mixture of rendered animal fat and herbs that is believed to ward off yeti.

A clean linen cloth wrapped around three ordinary looking acorns. Sewn into the corner of the cloth are the words “High Aldwin”.  

A coin made from a carved insect carapace

A cold iron cage lantern, with no oil reservoir or candle spike. The oversized handle ring has a broken chain link attached to it. The lantern is inscribed with runes of holy abjuration.  

A comb made of bone engraved with an ancient proverb about the dangers of vanity.

A completely sealed, six inch oak barrel with sloshing liquid inside.

A copper plated gnome skull.

A counterfeit coin of the local currency, weighted to favour one side (70% chance of coming up heads). The replica is a perfect copy, apart from the weight, which can be detected by knowledgeable PC’s who spend time handling the coin

A cracked, old map case, containing a nautical map with coordinates to a mysterious isle recorded as VarnKaragoss (Which translates to “Place of Ending”). The island is many leagues to the distant north, and is surely encased in snow and ice. The island does not appear on contemporary maps, but is referenced in some rare texts as a burial ground for ancient giant kin.

A crimson envelope bearing a white star sigil. Inside is a fine piece of folded parchment in a rare language. If translated it’s found to be a riddle: Alive as thee but absent breath/Cold in life as we art in death./Always a thirst we ever drink./Clad in mail but never clink (The answer is “Fish”)

A crude mortal and pestle made out of a pair of rough stones

A crystal ball. When looked at, it usually shows an unending battle between 2 trolls. Every once in a great while a place of great importance to the viewer.

A crystal ball. When you look at it, you are shown a battle between 2 trolls typically, yet every once in a great while a place of great importance to you.

A crystal bracelet fashioned in a fog motif, with three animal charms attached: a bird, a wolf and an octopus. There are links for two other charms, but they are missing.  

A decrepit and slightly malodorous preserved rabbit’s foot on a metal chain.

A disturbingly life-like, white, yeti mask.

A dog whistle fashioned of bone.

A drawstring pouch containing three sticks of green incense, stamped with a two headed monkey.

A dried scalp taken from a still living disobedient slave. Those who hold it feel the urge to rebel.

A false glass eye. Perceptive PC’s will notice that the iris snaps open to reveal a small secret compartment.  

A fashionable, domino mask.

A fine ring case festooned with silver filigree, but with no ring inside. A false bottom reveals a coin sized, obsidian disk, depicting a black raven with three eyes.  

A finely crafted beard snood.

A finger length shard of ice that never melts.

A fishing line that never tangles or snags.

A fist sized ball of an unknown material. When dropped, it doesn’t bounce.

A fist sized ball of copper wire.

A fist sized metallic pyramid, deeply etched in incomprehensible runes.

A fist-sized glass sphere filled with a black, gelatin like substance.

A flat stone with white chalk marks that change each time it is observed.

A folded parchment containing the notes to a whimsical tune.

A folded piece of parchment reveals a charcoal sketch of a stunning young woman. A wide lake and a large tree split by lightning are depicted behind her

A fossilized heart of an unknown creature. Those who hold it hear a slow but steady beat within their head.

A fragile black paper fan. When unfolded, the fan depicts two mesmerizing cat’s eyes.

A full deck of playing cards each of which has two backs and no faces.

A glass elf ear.

A glass jar containing a number of preserved tentacles of an unidentifiable creature. There are six, connected around what appears to be a mouth.

A glass jar filled with humanoid baby teeth, marked “For emergency use only!”.

A gold colored pill box depicting a single cat on the lid.

A hand mirror that reflects an unknown eye at all times.

A hand sized ball of parchment tied up with string. If the string is removed, and the many parchment layers unwrapped, at the center is a pinch of bright yellow sulfur.  

A hardened sand painting depicting a gladiator match

A heavy eight inch gate key, fashioned of cold iron, inscribed with hieroglyphs from an earlier age. If translated, the hieroglyphs translate to “Star Door”.

A holy symbol of an elemental priest of water

A horned and fanged skull that looks human.

A jawbone of a donkey. All its teeth are black and anyone holding the jawbone experiences the slight flavor of rotten meat in their mouth.

A jawbone of a predatory creature. All its teeth are serrated and anyone holding the jawbone feels as if they are starving.

A jeweler’s hammer with a head on both ends.

A knapped flint arrow head with unknown script upon it.

A knife with a handle made from the fossilized bone of an extinct predator.

A kraken like statuette, carved from blue and white coral.  

A lace garter in black and red.

A large amber stone, encasing a six inch dragonfly with elongated tentacles instead of mandibles.

A large eagle feather that smells of brimstone.

A lead plated goblin skull

A leather pouch full of rainbow colored sand.

A lightweight wooden case containing a luxurious feather quill. Two small bottles of ink are also set into the case. The first ink is a faint brownish yellow, and smells like bile. The second is congealed blood.  

A locket containing a picture of an ogre and a manticore.

A lovingly crafted bowl made of rosewood.

A magically preserved oak leaf on a cord that can be worn as an eye patch.

A miniature set of blacksmith’s bellows, small enough for a doll

A multi-colored gemstone of curious origin. No stone dealer alive is able to identify it.  

A mummified hand that twitches when the owner becomes aggravated or upset.

A mummified hand which knowledgeable PC’s will recognize as a mul, a cross species of human and dwarf.

A music box that appears to be in working order but makes no noise.

A old boot stuffed with straw. If the boot is emptied, a dark green, scaled egg is found. The egg is about the size of a child’s fist, and is warm to the touch.  

A one foot long, deep red and grey feather. If inspected closely, tiny black writing can see be seen along the vein. The writing is in a lost language. If translated, it reads “The Seeking of the Sky God is ended.”  

A one foot tall humanoid skeleton bound with copper wire

A painted toy boat, in excellent condition. A single child figurine steers the ship. There is space for a second figurine, but it appears to be missing.

A pair of severed hands formerly belonging to a witch. They have been dried out, preserved and bound together with twine.

A pair of steel spurs

A pair of tin coins from an unknown land.

A pair of tongs crafted from the jawbones of a long extinct animal.

A palm sized, dried mushroom that glows in the dark.

A parchment flip book showing a knight galloping on a horse.

A perfectly smooth stone which, when squeezed, turns blue for five minutes.

A petrified cockatrice egg

A piece of animal hide covered in strange white rune, when stored occasionally quiet laughter is heard from the hide.

A piece of cobblestone rumoured to have once made up the road that lead to a famed lost city from the dawn of civilization.

A piece of parchment covered with untranslatable demonic script.

A piece of supple leather with the image of a forest on it

A piece of white cloth. When it is laid over the face of a dead person it holds their likeness for twenty four hours before returning to its blank state.

[smokefilledcasket]

Discography 2006-2023

Smoke Filled Casket

SFC102 ·  SFC101 · Seagull · Loud Places · D/L SFC0?? · Seagull · Dumb Luck · C10 SFC0?? · Seagull · I Hate Children · Lathe-Cut 7″ SFC067 · Seagull · Cloaven · C2 SFC066 · WWHITE CLOUDSS · Pyramid Haze · CDr SFC065 · I Just Died · Bells After (Dub Version) · 2xC10 SFC064 · I Just Died · Bells After · 2xC10 SFC063 ·  SFC062 ·  SFC061 · Chico Midnite · American Minnimimilasts · C10 SFC060 ·  SFC059 · Seagull · Lice Eyes · C10 SFC058 · Chico Midnite · Martin Sasseville Is A Fucking Asshole! · CD-R SFC057 · Chico Midnite · UUUNIVERSSE777 · C46 SFC056 · Awesome Eagle · Awesome Eagle · C10 SFC055 · Seagull · Choke Final · 3XC10 SFC055R · Seagull · Choke Final · C30 SFC054 · Seagull · Makka Fat · CD-R SFC053 · WWHITE CLOUDSS · Before And After Everything · C30 SFC052 · Michael Piercey · Oxindyne · CD-R SFC051 · Seagull · Audio Supporing Materials · CD-R SFC050 · Seagull · Cold Dreamin' · C10 SFC049 ·  SFC048 · Seagull · The Buffalo Dying On The Vine · C10 SFC047 · Seagull · Stop Your Schemes · 2XCD-R + 3" CD-R SFC046 · Seagull · Mic Stand · Bizcard CD-R SFC045 · Seagull · Sad Wings Of Reverse Destiny · Bizcard CD-R SFC044 · Seagull · Rejected · 3" CD-R SFC043 · Seagull · Gorgeous Calf · C10 SFC042 · Michael Piercey · Burning Eye · Booklet SFC041 ·  SFC040 · Crotch · Who Am I To Argue? · C46 SFC039 · I Just Died · Nothing Left Worth Leaving For · C30 SFC038 · Crotch · Trapped Within a Fever's Splayed Shell · 3" CD-R SFC037 ·  SFC036 · Crotch · Omaha · CD-R SFC035 · Seagull · Tedium Waves · Bizcard CD-R SFC034 · D/A A/D/Crotch · Grey Light/Creosote Harbour · C30 SFC034CD · D/A A/D/Crotch · Grey Light/Creosote Harbour (Tour Edition) · CD-R SFC033 · Seagull · All That Stands Before You Must Surely Be Destroyed · 3" CD-R SFC032 · Seagull · The Numbing Minutiae Of Daily Life · Fan CD-R SFC031.5 · Seagull · Hexaura Bonus · Bizcard CD-R SFC031 · Seagull · Hexaura · 2XC15 SFC029 · Seagull · Step On Me I'm A Worm · C10 SFC028 · I Just Died · Chalk Heart · 8" Square Lathe SFC027 · Seagull · The Sun Speaks His Hand · C56 SFC026 · Seagull · Eternalness Of The Mind's Unending Concept of Space As A Whole Being · C40 SFC025 ·  SFC024 · Seagull · Live In Newfoundland · CD-R SFC023 · Wapstan/Crotch · My Own Private Yukon / Dove Grey And Honey · C30 SFC022 · Sleeping Police/I Just Died · Mail Collaboration · 3" CD-R SFC021 · I Just Died · Telegraphs Trapped In The Negative Mouth · 3" CD-R SFC020R · Crotch · Bear Prophet (Reissue) · CD-R SFC020 · Crotch · Bear Prophet · C30 SFC019R · Seagull · From Grass And Earth (Reissue) · C20 SFC019 · Seagull · From Grass And Earth · C20 SFC018 · Seagull · Things Don't Ever Work Out The Way You Planned Them · C10 SFC017 · Seagull · Last Times · C28 SFC015 · Seagull · Ashim Souls of Fire · Bizcard CD-R SFC014 · Seagull · Smallpox Bleachers · CD-R SFC013 · Seagull · Headache Grapplers · CD-R SFC012 · Seagull · Beware Caveman Gravity · C20 SFC011 · Seagull · Live Within Flames · C10 SFC010 · Seagull · From Forgotten Lands · C10 SFC009 · Seagull · If You Can't Find 'Em, Grind 'Em · 3" CD-R SFC008 · Crotch · Repetitive Death Culture · C10 SFC007 · Seagull · The Seething Cannibalism · C5 SFC006 · Seagull · Glass Neck · C20 SFC005 · Seagull · Ghost Sutra · C10 SFC004 · Seagull · You Like Our Smell · C10 SFC003 · Crotch · Walk Backwards · CD-R SFC002 · Crotch · Jungle Horse · 3" CD-R SFC001 · Seagull · Master Of Hornets · C10

Tags: #Seagull #Crotch #I Just Died #Chico Midnite #Michael Piercey #WWHITE CLOUDSS #Gabriel Piller

Editions Smoke Filled Casket • #ESFC

ESFC007 · Seagull · Live April 5 2008 · D/L ESFC006 · Fossils · Untitled 2011 Recordings · D/L ESFC005 · A Thousand Keys · Reissue · C30 ESFC004 · Michael Piercey · Fridge Tracks · C30 ESFC003 · I Just Died · Chalk Hearts · C30 ESFC002 · Chico Midnite · American Uuuniversse One · C30 ESFC001 · Bad Handwriting · Blood Insanity · C30

Not On Label • #Not On Label

Not On Label #3 · Michael Piercey · Parking Lots · CDr Not On Label #2 · Gabriel Piller · Battery · CDr

Ketchup Cavern • #Ketchup Cavern

KC01 · Seagull · The Conqueror Worm · 1-Sided 7″ (Bandcamp) KC02 · Lasse Marhaug · If The Revolution Could Start Right Now · 1-Sided 7" KC03 · V/A · Vancouver · 2x7" KC04 · Machinefabriek · Huiswerk · 7" KC05 · Aidan Baker & Jacob Thiesen · À Bout De Souffle · LP cancelled KC06 · Aidan Baker · Candescence · LP cancelled KC07 · Fossils · Young Guns · ‎1-Sided LP 12" KC08 · Robedoor · Pagan Drugs B/W Dragon Fang Burnout · 7" KC09 · Sissy Spacek · Gutter Splint · 1-Sided 7"

Misc.

Seagull · A Spider Lives In The Apple’s Core (Brise-Cul) V/A · The Last Rock Face Before The Ocean (Lake Shark Harsh Noise) V/A · Drone Season III - Music For Mountains (Brise-Cul) V/A · A Room Without Doors (Knife In The Toaster)

Notes

Ketchup Cavern releases will not have download options because they may be available for sale from the artists.

Most releases will have Youtube links for anyone who doesn’t want to download anything but you do want to hear it. 

[homo-sex-shoe-whale]

I thought you'd never ask!

Sharks have been around for longer than trees.

If you had no saliva, you wouldn't be able to taste anything. Even with perfectly functioning taste buds.

Chalk is made up of millions upon millions of tiny little plankton fossils!

Uranus is the only planet in the solar system to rotate vertically on its side (up-down) rather than horizontally (such as the earth). Meanwhile, Venus is the only planet to rotate clockwise (the opposite way the earth rotates).

Mercury and bromine are the only elements in the periodic table that are liquid at room temperature.

Somewhat similarly, gold and copper are the only metals that aren't silver/grey.

A photon of light takes thousands of years to travel from the core of the sun to its surface, but only about 8 minutes to reach the earth!

teach the bottoms!! science!!

No ever one wants to hear my long ass science rambles :( whenever I say a science word people just go “NERD!” when usually I have facts that are actually interesting!!

[architectnews]

The Dezeen guide to stone in architecture, interiors and design

Thinking of using stone in your project? Our latest Dezeen guide includes 15 popular types of natural rock used in architecture, interiors and design with links to hundreds of examples to inspire your own work.

Alabaster

Alabaster is a soft, fine-grained stone that has been used for centuries to carve elaborate forms and ornaments. However, its solubility in water means that it is best suited for indoor use.

In its pure form, alabaster is white and translucent, which makes it ideally suited to lighting design.

Studio Tack used tubular light shades made from alabaster to softly illuminate a cosy Japanese restaurant in New York (above), while lighting studio Allied Maker used the stone to create ornate totemic floor lamps.

Amarist Studio showcased the sculptural possibilities of the stone in its Aqua Fossil collection, which includes a coffee table with swooping, curved legs.

See projects featuring alabaster ›

Basalt

Basalt is a dark-coloured igneous rock that is formed when lava cools rapidly. It is most frequently used as an aggregate for concrete as it is low-cost and high-strength, but it is also a popular cladding and flooring material, especially when polished.

Examples of this include the facade of a small gallery in Amsterdam by Barend Koolhaas and a Hawaiian holiday home by Walker Warner Architects in which slender basalt cladding tiles are contrasted with cedar detailing (above).

Icelandic studio Innriinnri used two sculpted slabs of basalt stone to create a sculptural table that doubles as a stool or a piece of art, while South Korean artist Byung Hoon Choi polished the stone to create oversized outdoor furniture.

See projects featuring basalt ›

Flint

Flint is a highly durable stone found in abundance as irregular-shaped nodules in sedimentary rocks such as chalk. It has been used as a construction material since the Roman era, though it is not often seen in contemporary architecture.

Flint varies in colour, but it is commonly glassy black with a white crust. In architecture, it is usually knapped – split to expose its glossy inner face – before being laid in mortar.

Skene Catling de la Peña used a combination of knapped and unknapped flint to cover a wedge-shaped house in Buckinghamshire (above), which creates a subtle colour gradient across its facade.

See projects featuring flint ›

Gneiss

Gneiss, a robust metamorphic stone composed of alternating layers of different coloured minerals, is popular to use for flooring and worktops. Hues can range from pinks and golds to greens and dark greys.

Peter Pichler sourced grey gneiss with black-and-white bands from Passeier Valley in South Tyrol to create a large counter in the bar of an Italian Alpine hotel (above).

It can also be used as a cladding material, such as in Bernardo Bader Architekten's ski resort office in Austria and a radio broadcasting station in Nepal by Archium.

Granite

Granite is one of the most widely used stones in architecture and design. It forms from the slow crystallisation of magma beneath the Earth's crust. It is used for everything from load-bearing structures to cladding, worktops and furniture.

Its popularity is down to its high compressive strength, durability and low porosity. Granite is also found in an array of colours, making it suitable for a range of spaces and styles.

Heatherwick Studio recently used green granite to make a trio of its sculptural Spun chairs (above), while Snøhetta has used a grey variety to cover almost every surface of an Aesop store to emulate a rocky coastline.

Architecture studio NOARQ tested the material's strength by elevating a cabin on thick blocks of granite over the entrance to a stone villa in Portugal.

See projects featuring granite ›

Laterite

Rusty-red laterite stone is formed from the leaching of rocks and soil during alternating periods of high temperature and heavy rainfall in tropical areas. This process leaves behind a high concentration of insoluble iron oxides, which gives the rock its colour.

Laterite is typically used in construction in Africa and Asia in the form of bricks, which have excellent thermal mass and a low embodied energy. These bricks are made by cutting the rock out from below the water table when it is moist and leaving it to harden in the air.

Architect Francis Kéré used locally sourced laterite to build the walls of a school in Burkina Faso and Studio Lotus has used it to create the pedestal of a government building in India (above).

Limestone

There are many different types of limestone, a sedimentary rock composed mainly of calcium carbonate. It is considered a good all-round building material as it is easy to cut and carve and usually has a uniform texture and colour.

Popular limestone varieties include travertine (see below) and Portland stone, which is used on notable buildings in London such as St Paul's Cathedral and Buckingham Palace.

David Chipperfield Architects recently used limestone to clad the Kunsthaus Zurich museum extension in Switzerland and John Pawson used it to line the surfaces of a minimalist flagship store in Japan for fashion label Jil Sander.

Design projects that utilise limestone include a blocky furniture collection called Dig Where You Stand by students from the Estonian Academy of Arts (above).

See projects featuring limestone ›

Marble

Marble is a metamorphic rock with veins of calcite crystal. It forms from limestone that has been exposed to heat and pressure and is found in many colours. Marble is strong but easily carved and polishes well, making it suitable for numerous applications.

It is most popularly used in kitchen and bathroom designs, but it is often used as cladding too, such as in Alexander Owen Architecture's garden room in London (above).

See projects featuring marble ›

Onyx

Onyx is a translucent gemstone composed of parallel bands of quartz, found in almost every colour. It has a long history of use in sculpture and jewellery but is less commonly found in architecture and design. However, onyx is sometimes used as a facing or lighting.

Projects that use onyx include a mausoleum in Minneapolis by HGA and an office by Anne Claus Interiors where it has been used to clad a multi-coloured bar (above).

See projects featuring onyx ›

Porphyry

Porphyry is a strong and hard-wearing igneous stone that comes in reddish-brown to purple hues. It is composed of large-grained crystals embedded in a fine-grained groundmass.

It has been used in architecture and design since antiquity, though it is rarely seen in contemporary architecture and design. Today it is mostly used as aggregate in the construction of roads in places where cars require studded winter tires.

Pedevilla Architects used a block of porphyry as a kitchen island for a cookery school in South Tyrol, while architect Claudio Silvestrin used it to line the walls of a Milanese fashion boutique.

Quartzite

Formed from sandstone exposed to high heat and pressure, quartzite is a very hard and durable metamorphic rock. It is usually found in white and grey shades.

Quartzite is a popular material for kitchen countertops as it is resistant to staining, but is most commonly used as a decorative cladding or flooring.

Examples of this include a dwelling in Utah by Klima Architecture, Peter Zumthor's Therme Vals spa (above) and a monolithic Parisian library by Agence Pascale Guédot.

See projects featuring quartzite ›

Sandstone

Sandstone is composed of fine silicate grains that have eroded from other rocks, giving it either a warm red, yellow or orange colouration.

Used for construction since prehistoric times, sandstone continues to be a popular choice in architecture and design as it is abundant, durable and easy to handle.

Recent architectural projects that use the material include a cathedral extension by Feilden Fowles, a museum by Álvaro Siza, and an oval-shaped all-girls school in India (above) that is designed to blend into its desert surroundings.

See projects featuring sandstone ›

Shale

This grey fine-grained stone is one of the most common sedimentary rocks on earth. It is formed from the compaction of silt and mud into thin, fissile layers. In architecture and design, shale is usually crushed and processed into bricks, tiles and pottery, or heated with limestone to make cement.

Aketuri Architektai used shale tiles to clad a pointy woodland house in Lithuania (above), while Spaceworkers wrapped the stone around the basement of a Portuguese house to provide it with a raw, rugged aesthetic.

See projects featuring shale ›

Slate

Slate is a dark fine-grained stone that is formed when a sedimentary rock, such as shale, is subjected to high pressure. It is a foliated rock, meaning it is made up of thin sedimentary layers, which allows it to be split – or riven – into thin slabs.

Slate is durable and weather- and frost-resistant, making it a popular material choice for cladding, roofing and paving.

In interior projects, the material is often also used as floor tiles, hearths and kitchen worktops. Natalie Weinmann sanded and polished the stone to create a blocky furniture collection.

TRIAS used it to clad a small writer's retreat in a Welsh valley while Austin Maynard Architects diamond, scalloped and brick-shaped slate shingles to cover a Melbourne house (above).

See projects featuring slate ›

Travertine

One of the most commonly used forms of limestone is travertine, which has been sourced from mineral springs for use as a building material for centuries. The largest building in the world made from this stone is the Colosseum in Rome.

Today, travertine is mostly processed into tiles for internal and external surface coverings, but it is also a popular material for bathroom fit-outs. As it is found with troughs on its surface, processing travertine usually involves polishing its surface.

Projects that use travertine include an extension to a German museum by Bez + Kock Architekten (above), an apartment renovation in Lithuania by 2XJ, and a furniture collection by David/Nicolas.

See projects featuring travertine ›

Recent popular stone projects on Dezeen include an inconspicuous house on the island of Serifos, a monolithic spa by Smartvoll, a collection of luxury lodges on England's Jurassic Coast and a coffee table by Studio Twenty Seven.

The main image is of Rajkumari Ratnavati Girls' School by Diana Kellogg Architects taken by Vinay Panjwani.

The post The Dezeen guide to stone in architecture, interiors and design appeared first on Dezeen.