Sharks Found In East End

Left: this is one of the oyster fossils. © Natural History Museum.

When you think about London do you imagine palm trees, sharks and warm blue seas? No? Didn't think so.

Well, scientists have found fossils of shark teeth, oysters and palm trees in the East End of London! This means the weather used to be very hot. There would have been sharks swimming around in warm seas with palm trees blowing in the breeze.

Right: could London have looked like this? © NHM.

More than 55 million years before Kat Slater and the Queen Vic moved in the area had sub-tropical weather.

A new train line is being built in London, which is how the fossils were found. Experts from The Natural History Museum have been keeping an eye on anything the diggers have found.

Dr Jackie Skipper, a palaeontologist, was very surprised to see the exotic fossils. They were found between five and ten metres under the surface. She said 'This exciting find gives us valuable evidence of what London's landscape used to look like.'

Left: kids watching a show at MSIM. © MSIM.

Dr Skipper and the fossils will be at the Manchester Museum of Science and Industry this Sunday, 7 September 2003, so why not go along to see them?

She will be there with other fossil experts from the Natural History Museum holding a 'Fossil Roadshow'. They have lots of exciting finds to show you.

If you've found any fossils they'd love to see them too. You never know - you could have an amazingly rare find that will knock their socks off!

Right: Chris Packham will be there on Sunday! © BA.

The Roadshow is part of a special day of events at the museum, called 'Science on Sunday'. There will be robots playing football, an archaeological dig and loads of experiments, explosions and shows to see.

It's all free, but make sure you get there early as the workshops will fill up fast. Click on this link to find out more about Science on Sunday.