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Modern vs fossil? How do you know?


Moozillion

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Back in the 1970's I was given these 4 teeth and was told they were fossil shark teeth. How can you tell if they're fossil or modern?????

 

 

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We might be able to tell if they are fossils if they are teeth of sharks that went extinct more than 10K years ago. (I need help here shark teeth experts.) Also, old fossilized teeth are often darker and mottled in color. New teeth are often light or white in color. 

 

Do do you have any idea where they came from and what formation they came from?

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6 minutes ago, DPS Ammonite said:

We might be able to tell if they are fossils if they are teeth of sharks that went extinct more than 10K years ago. (I need help here shark teeth experts.) Also, old fossilized teeth are often darker and mottled in color. New teeth are often light or white in color. 

 

Do do you have any idea where they came from and what formation they came from?

I have no clue at all where they are supposed to be from. I was a teenager when they were given to me by an older relative around 1971. I don't think he knew where they were from, or he'd have told me. 

Even as a teen I wondered what made anyone think they were fossils rather than modern. 

 

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When trying to determine fossil from recent a few things that should be considered.

Where was it found?

Is it from an extant species?

Is it mineralized and not just stained?

 

All of the ones You posted here look well mineralized rather than stained, so fossil.

Knowing the location they came from could substantiate that they are fossil.

 

Darwin said: " Man sprang from monkeys."

Will Rogers said: " Some of them didn't spring far enough."

 

My Fossil collection - My Mineral collection

My favorite thread on TFF.

 

 

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3 minutes ago, ynot said:

When trying to determine fossil from recent a few things that should be considered.

Where was it found?

Is it from an extant species?

Is it mineralized and not just stained?

 

All of the ones You posted here look well mineralized rather than stained, so fossil.

Knowing the location they came from could substantiate that they are fossil.

 

Thank you SO MUCH!!!!! Kind of fun to know these probably really are fossils!

Sadly, there's just no way at all to know where they came from. The relative who gave them to me is no longer with us, and he probably didn't know enough to ask where they were from, he just knew I was keenly interested in biology and all things related! :)

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3 minutes ago, Moozillion said:

Thank you SO MUCH!!!!! Kind of fun to know these probably really are fossils!

Sadly, there's just no way at all to know where they came from. The relative who gave them to me is no longer with us, and he probably didn't know enough to ask where they were from, he just knew I was keenly interested in biology and all things related! :)

:thumbsu:

Darwin said: " Man sprang from monkeys."

Will Rogers said: " Some of them didn't spring far enough."

 

My Fossil collection - My Mineral collection

My favorite thread on TFF.

 

 

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Agree with the above. 

Nice fossil shark's teeth! :)

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2 hours ago, Tidgy's Dad said:

Agree with the above. 

Nice fossil shark's teeth! :)

Thanks, Adam! :)

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