OU on the BBC: Fossil Detectives - North of England

Production team

The rugged beauty of Northern England conceals hidden riches of fossil remains. The Fossil Detectives’ mission in the North starts with Hermione perched precariously on a cliff. She’s searching for signs of dinosaurs and finds the tracks of giant Sauropod dinosaurs literally hanging out of the cliffs. The largest animals ever to walk the planet, it’s incredible to think that they once strode majestically over what is now North Yorkshire.

In a desperate race against an incoming tide Hermione catches a glimpse of a prehistoric sea monster. This recently discovered Ichthyosaur is still imbedded in the rock only accessible at low tide. The spine is clearly evident but sadly the skull of the fossil has been stolen, ripped from the rocks. Regular Fossil Detective Phil Manning reveals the importance of the find and explains what vital clues are missing along with the most precious part of the fossil.

Jet was made popular as a semi-precious stone by Queen Victoria. Amazingly this hard black stone is actually a fossil, remnants of vast forests of monkey puzzle trees. Botanist James Wong explains.

The North of England is world famous for its once rich deposits of coal. On a trip down a disused mine, Hermione explains that coal is another fossil, compressed plant matter - traces of vast and magnificent forests. Fossil fuels like coal are just one of the many ways that fossils touch our everyday lives. You can also see fossils in the most surprising places. An airport isn’t the first place you would think of looking for fossils but at Liverpool John Lennon Airport; that is just what you can find. The stone quarried for the flooring and the walls throughout the airport is jam packed with beautiful fossils. It’s a great reminder that you are never far away from signs of ancient life.

Take it further

Explore the Geology Toolkit

Watch the My Favourite Fossil videos

Study Fossils and the history of life with the Open University

Sample Reading the rocks and ecology - free learning from OpenLearn

First broadcast: Thursday 21 Aug 2008 on BBC FOUR

Fossil Detectives in more depth: