Emergency Fossil Broadcast System(EFBS) - Activated - 5/13/04

The Emergency Fossil Broadcast System(EFBS) has been activated:

Please tune to NASA rover channel [Opportunity 106] for further instructions.

This is not a test.

My gosh. Its a rock with a pointy bit and a notch. It must be a fossil!

Stop the presses! Call the New York Times!

HMMMM
Dentists on Mars!
Richard

I already know it's not a "rock."

I've sent this item to paleontologists worldwide. I'm interested in the probable taxonomy of the item. In other words, what might this be related to in the fossil record on earth, as well as what part of the body it may have been connected to? Perhaps we can extrapolate its possible use, if we can find a similar example of something that lived on earth.

It would appear to be some sort of tiny claw or hook. The apparent enameling is what isso exciting, as well as the curious notch at the top.

It's the combination of unique features that makes this item, so curious.

Piedras

See - this is the reason this board is so great! Exciting discoveries being made all the time. Its too bad those NASA eggheads couldn't identify it as a tooth based off the grey scale image. They must have been confused by all those other pebbles in that image that look vaguely like the actual fossil tooth - hiding it from them!

The fact that its got enamel on it just jumps off the screen - its a good thing we have an astute observer to point it out to us!

Yeah Daniel, I missed it completely!

(in fact I still can't see it, I must be part of the conspiracy)

I think there are other examples of this curious item, in other photos. I haven't had time to organize all the probable anatomy yet, but I'm fast categorizing and collecting bits and pieces of the evidence.

This item represents evidence of biomechanics. I just want to know, what it was used for.

Well, on earth, pebbles are used for aggreagte under concrete as well as decorative landscaping.

]image

They are also useful in aquariums.

oops, that was the wrong image.

I intended to link to this site concerning the use of pebbles as shown in the title post of this thread.

http://www.solistone.com/pe-selec.htm

I think this is a possible answer to your question... "I just want to know, what it was used for." in reply #7

I'm sure there are many more uses for pebbles.

It's funny how these little microfossils of hooks, claws, and teeth, keep turning up on both sides of Mars.

For example, compare to this item, as seen by rover Spirit:

Well, Post Fruity Pebbles and Cocoa Pebbles are wholesome, sweetened rice cereals. Both varieties are low in fat, are cholesterol-free foods, and provide 10 essential vitamins and minerals.

More information at the link below.

[link]

TR - where did you get that fantastic link? Did you see the photo on the upper right - why its full of colorfully fossilized Martian teeth!

Though that is an odd white rock formation erupting from that "berry bowl". I wonder what it could be?

I believe that's Martian semen, Daniel.

I have sent this specimen off to be evaluated by a paleo expert who lives outside the US, and the following conclusion was reached.

"fish fossil."

Obviously for professional reasons I will not reveal this person's name, however, it gives the serious minded here a place to start in their evaluation of similar biomechanics on earth.

In other words, get your fossil fish books out boys, we've got us a possible runner with this one.

I sent this specimen off to a highly respected paleo expert and he said "it's a rock". CHECKMATE.

Perhaps your "rock" guy is unfamiliar enough with fossil fish material.

I would imagine that this requires massive background knowledge in anatomy of many species. All I ask is for the road to be narrowed a bit.

If an object resembles something on earth, perhaps there is a reason.

And of course the whole answer could be skewed. When given the question in the form of:

"I found this in a picture and thought it looked interesting - what do you think it is?"

vs

"I found a fossil - what kind of animal do you think it came from?"

You could end up with very different answers from the same person. Poll takers (and lawyers) find this all the time - by phrasing question's differently you can skew resulting answers.

Keep looking in the fish fossil books, it's bound to be in here someplace.

Is this another manifestation of the Amalgamation?

How could anyone else think that it is a tooth? There is simply no reason to think that.

Apparently Greg, the answer to who could think this is a tooth is: "paleontologists worldwide".

My guess is this because "international paleontologists" haven't been swept up yet by the NASA conspiracy with the Fishing Industry to artificially reduce the fish stock estimates in the solar system to include only the Earth - thus keeping prices for Chilean Sea Bass at their current high levels.