Remains of the Day Trivia Quiz

Answer: North America

The first (documented) T-rex fossils were discovered in Colorado in 1874. About 30 specimens are known to exist. The best preserved one, nicknamed "Sue," was found in South Dakota in 1990, and was sold to the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago for $7.6 million dollars. Tyrannosaurus rex was a carnivore who lived during the late Cretaceous Period, just before dinosaurs became extinct.

Answer: True

Neanderthals and modern humans were regarded as distinct species up until the beginning of the 21st century and most scientists dismissed the idea that Neanderthals and Homo sapiens ever mated with each other. But a DNA study in 2010 proved that modern humans do carry Neanderthal genes.

The contribution of Neanderthals to our gene pool is estimated at between 1% to 4%, with Europeans and Asians showing the highest percentage of Neanderthal genes.

Answer: 250 million years ago

The Permian-Triassic mass extinction wiped out an incredible 96% of all marine species, along with some 70% of all terrestrial species. Despite the fact that we can't seem to eradicate most insects today, many entire families disappeared completely. No one knows what triggered this event, although there are many theories. So many species became extinct during this period that this event is sometimes called the "Great Dying".

Answer: Video surveillance cameras

The Burgess Shale Formation is located in Yoho National Park in British Columbia, Canada. Canada does not have a National Guard. Electrified fencing is generally reserved for cattle and, in some cases, elk. The quarry site has both motion detectors and video surveillance equipment set up in several locations.

In 2011, a man was fined $7,000 for unlawfully exporting fossils and gems from this location. The case is believed to be the first conviction under the National Parks Act regarding fossils. Not much of a fine, but at least it's a step in the right direction.

Answer: Petrified wood

Petrified wood is the only true three-dimensional (meaning preserved mostly in its original or recognisable structure/size) amongst the choices. The others fall into the realm of "trace fossils" where there is no actual organism, bones or structure present, but rather evidence that some type of animal/plant left a "marker" behind.

Petrified wood has been found all over the world, sometimes in abundance. Although it can certainly be very very old, the petrification process can actually take place (naturally) within 100 years, given the right circumstances. While not considered to be economically feasible, small pieces have even been produced synthetically using acid, silica, heat and argon.

Answer: Lucy

While the debate continues as to whether the above choices are hominins or hominids, it is clear that Lucy is NOT the oldest human-like fossil found. Radiometric dating suggests that "Lucy" is about three million years old, whereas "Ardi" is four million years old and "Millennium Man" is somewhere between five and six million years old. As of 2013, "Toumai" (along with 20 other remains found in the same area) is the oldest, estimated to have lived over six million years ago.

Despite all that, "Lucy" remains the most famous. Her name was supposedly chosen because someone was playing the song "Lucy In the Sky with Diamonds" by The Beatles during the digging process.

Answer: Coprolite

Pyrite (also known as "fool's gold") is a mineral containing iron. A nephrolith is a kidney stone and a dactylith is a finger-like projection of crystals upon other crystals/minerals.

Coprolite comes from two Greek words "kopros" (dung) and "lithos" (stone). Analysis of coprolites can help scientists determine such things as diet and parasitism.

Answer: Troodon

The three incorrect choices were larger than ostriches. Troodons were a genus of rather small (comparatively) bird-like dinosaurs who lived in the Cretaceous period. Their fossils show that they quite likely had larger brains than most other dinosaurs.

Some scientists have estimated they may have been as intelligent as a modern opossum. This may not sound like much, but based on cranial capacity, it's six times smarter than your average dinosaur.

Answer: Amber

Amber, also called "fossil resin" has been used for jewelry since Minoan times or prior. Today, amber is mined in several places in the world. Most notably: Russia, where Baltic amber is taken from the sea floor or picked up after washing onto a beach and Dominican Republic (which is a source of the quite rare "blue amber"). In the Dominican, it is usually mined via "bell-pits", which puts the workers in very dangerous conditions.

While there are certainly specimens of amber containing insects, plant spores and other small life forms, it is unlikely that anyone will be extracting DNA from them in the very near future. The idea makes for a great plot though!

Answer: No

The majority of the world-wide supply of mammoth tusks is found in Russia (Siberia, specifically). Considered a substitute for elephant ivory (and marketed as "saving a living species") it is legal for Russian residents to collect and export it. The trade has actually been going on for at least 2,000 years. Most of the ivory goes to China for carving for art and jewelry businesses and then sold world-wide.

In 2009, export sales in Russia were estimated (low end) to be 21 million USD. But tell me, do border guards have the technology to determine whether the ivory came from a mammoth or an elephant?