New York on EARTH Magazine

First trilobite eggs found in fool's gold

Wed, 19 Apr 2017 14:08:33 -0400

Trilobites are sometimes found preserved in pyrite, such as this specimen from British Columbia. Credit: Mary Caperton Morton.

Trilobites were one of the most successful groups of animals to ever scurry across the seafloor, thriving for more than 270 million years. But how they reproduced has long been a mystery, since no fossil had ever been found with preserved eggs or genitalia. With the discovery of a cluster of trilobite eggs preserved in pyrite in upstate New York, however, scientists are getting the first glimpse of how these early arthropods reproduced.

NYC pigeons are canaries of lead poisoning

Mon, 17 Oct 2016 09:13:26 -0400

New research suggests that pigeons might prove useful for tracking high lead levels in cities. “Pigeons breathe the same air, walk the same sidewalks, and often eat the same food as we do. What if we could use them to monitor possible dangers to our health in the environment, like lead pollution?” said Rebecca Calisi of the University of California, Davis, in a statement.

Getting there and getting around the Catskill Mountain Front

Mon, 08 Jun 2015 10:30:00 -0400

We began our journey near fabled Woodstock, N.Y., which is best known for the 1969 outdoor concert that did not actually occur there. Woodstock, the music festival, was held some 100 kilometers away in the village of Bethel. Nonetheless, Woodstock is an interesting town to visit, with a vibrant arts community, and is a good spot to begin your trek. Driving is the easiest way to get to Woodstock from New York City or Albany. The Overlook Mountain trailhead is just a few kilometers from the center of Woodstock.

Travels in Geology: Hiking the Catskill Mountain Front

Mon, 08 Jun 2015 09:57:00 -0400

Credit: both: K. Cantner, AGI.

The dramatic easternmost edge of upstate New York’s Catskill Mountains goes by several names. The Algonquin called it the Wall of Manitou — Manitou being the “Great Spirit.” Geologists frequently call it the Catskill Front. Perhaps the most descriptive term for it is the Catskill Escarpment, as the range rises abruptly, and steeply, from the floor of the Hudson River Valley below.