h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: Ammonites - A699500
Author: Frogbit - U175610

This'll be about ammonites, then.

Not to be confused with Mennonites.

ROTFL

Frogbit, you simpy couldn't resist, could you!

A good read. You might want to re-structure the following segment:

'Fossilised ammonites turn up in their droves. Although often found singly, they also frequently turn up in large numbers, suggesting that the individuals died at the same time.'

'Droves' normally refers to beasts such as oxen or sheep, being driven in a body, or flock. You might consider removing the first sentence altogether:

'Although often found singly, ammonites also frequently turn up massed together in astonishing quantity, suggestive of sudden, shared doom.'

No doubt you could express the meaning more eloquently.

This is a well-written, interesting piece. Taliesin's already mentioned the only bit I might have suggested changing. I had to investigate, of course, after I spotted the comment in the Peer Review conversation about my article on Mennonites. We Mennonites are, of course, quite obviously different from Jurassic nautiloids, although I do know one or two who might be considered fossilised.

Just a couple of things...
"His is called the 'siphincle'."

"This is called the 'siphincle'."?

I had no idea that some ammonites measured 9' across!
I found an excellent picture on the net which you may like to link to, for the Nautilus.
http://www.shelterpub.com/_symmetry/nautilus.html

I envy your possession of the collection of ammonites!
I have one, which is about a half-inch across.
I also own a piece of flint which once belonged to a caveman, and a dinosaur tooth.

An excellent entry, thank you Frogbit.

In my excitement to chat, I forgot to mention the other mistake I found:
"where-as" I think you'll find is just "whereas"

{sorry!}

... and I have a large sea shell collection, which I keep scattered around the beaches of the world!

... in that case, Ausnahmsweise, you should see my collection!

I recall seeing ammonites incorporated (!) in jewellry. Not sure if this is contemporary or historical fashion, though...

Both Tal. There is a place in France called the Grotte Trilobite - a painted cave system, in which was found a pair of trilobites put there by who ever painted the cave 30,000 years ago. One had a hole drilled through it so it could be worn on a cord. On a more contemporary note, there's a semi-precious stone which is actually an aggregate of crushed irridescent ammonite shell. Both rather nice, but the later is quite intesively mined, which is a shame for the geological data, unless it is already established. Even so, though, surprises still turn up...

PS - Thanks for the corrections guys - I'll update it over the weekend. I know it won't take long, but there's a whole section I neglected to write, so will be putting both right together,
Frgbit.

When you're fixing that typo, could you please add a footnote to explain the "K-T boundary"?
And the sentence "the creature that living..." needs a fix too.


Great one!

Doesn't *everybody* know the K-T Boundary refers to the sediment layer some believe associated with a very large impact event about 65,000,000 years ago, which separates the Cretaceous from the Tertiary era?

Of course I already *knew* that! I was only asking on behalf of the imaginary reader of the Guide....

Yes, there's *always* one who asks....

Well, thanks once again. All typos have been corrected (so far), Bossel got his K-T footnote (including why the Cretaceous - Tertiary is K-T and not C-T) and there's a new section about forms of mineralisation and fossilisation at the end. Hope you enjoy it.
Frogbit.

Well, thanks once again. All typos have been corrected (so far), Bossel got his K-T footnote (including why the Cretaceous - Tertiary is K-T and not C-T) and there's a new section about forms of mineralisation and fossilisation at the end. Hope you enjoy it.
Frogbit.

Well the footnote's still in there, but it took on a life of its own and grew into an entry - http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/classic/A701722
Also now in PR.

(psst: 'definative' should be 'definitive')

As it now is. Thanks Bossel.