What’s over 140 million years old and can be found right outside of Foot Locker? Evidence of one of the oldest forms of animal life on Earth, that’s what. No need to go digging in the dirt, Ross Park Mall shoppers. Just look down.
As it turns out, Ross Park Mall houses more than just the latest fashion staples. The mall is also home to an ancient stone with fossils entombed from the Jurassic age.
The floors of Ross Park Mall are made from Jura, or Solnhofen, limestone. Solnhofen limestone gets its name from a town in southern Germany where it first originated. During a visit to the mall, Albert Kollar, a geologist from the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, explained that this particular limestone is made of fine mud and fossil shells and was formed by an ancient sea that once covered southern Germany.
Encyclopedia Britannica cites that over 750 plant and animal species from as much as 150 million years ago are preserved in Solnhofen limestone.
Ammonites, which are quite common in Solnhofen limestone, are easy to see in the floors of the mall, especially around the brand-new Starbucks. All customers have to do is look down while they’re in line for a cup of coffee and they’ll probably spot one. Ammonites are recognizable by their spiraled, seashell-like shape.
Solnhofen limestone is known for its exceptional preservation of soft-bodied organisms, such as jellyfish. Jellyfish fossils, which slightly resemble sunny-side up eggs, are also easy to spot while strolling through the mall. Don’t look for any tentacles, though. Those disappear early during decomposition, leaving just the body behind.
Ammonites and jellyfish are just two of the hundreds of fossils dotted throughout the floors of the mall.
“People think of Ross Park Mall as a place to shop, eat, walk around and enjoy the company of family and friends. The presence of these fossils in the mall creates a whole new experience for shoppers once they’re aware of them,” said Kollar. Mall-goers can walk out of Ross Park Mall with a new outfit and a greater understanding of our planet’s history. No geology degree required.
Click on image to enlarge
Find all six of the pictures and follow the instructions, and receive half off the admission for one child at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History until November 1!!!!
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About Simon Property Group
Simon Property Group, Inc. (NYSE: SPG) is an S&P 100 company and a leader in the global retail real estate industry. The Company currently owns or has an interest in 326 retail real estate properties in North America and Asia comprising 241 million square feet. We are headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana and employ approximately 5,500 people in the U.S. For more information, visit the Simon Property Group website at www.simon.com.
