Friday, November 25, 2011

"Brinicles"



Interesting formation of submarine (sub-ice sheet) ice "stalactites" that reach downward and freeze anything in their path on the shallow sea bottom. It might explain mortality-clustering (death assemblages) of certain fossils in the fossil record.

Always something new to observe and learn. Cool.

Not being a marine biologist, I wonder if all of the frozen organisms are dead or are some of them held in "suspended animation" until thawed?

One could also wonder about - in the past - how deep did these things go during protracted periods of cold, i.e., during Ice Ages?

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