Scientists in New Brunswick have discovered an important key to the past. They've found hundreds of perfectly preserved reptile footprints along the province's coastline.
The discovery shows fossils of what scientists believe are the oldest known reptiles. It's an important find because the fossils indicate that the earth's sea life may have moved to dry land about one to three million years earlier than they had previously thought.
The discovery was initially made by British paleontologist Howard Falcon-Lang. He told the BBC that he made the find by accident.
"The discovery was pure luck," he said.
"As I walked along remote sea-cliffs at the end of a long day in the field, I passed a recent rock fall. One large slab of rock was covered with hundreds of fossil footprints. The sun was low in the sky and I probably wouldn't have seen them if it hadn't been for the shadows."
So far, scientists have found one hundred sets of reptile footprints and tail-drag markings. Researchers now analyzing the fossils say they give a glimpse into the early developments of life as it moved from water to land.
"Fossils like this help us understand where we came from and where other species came from," said Randall Miller of the New Brunswick Museum.
Miller also points out that these types of fossils tell scientists about environmental disasters that occurred millions of years ago and give us more information about long-term changes on earth. They can even inform us about current issues, such as climate change.
"We wouldn't know that climate might change in the future if we didn't know that climate had changed in the past," said Miller.
While scientists are excited about the find for research purposes, one New Brunswick politician says the new discovery is an invaluable teaching tool.
"It's an important feature of any community to find out how old the place actually is," said Wendy Alcorn, the mayor of Norton, N.B.
She added parents and teachers are better able to explain to a child "that the world is actually that old and here's proof."
Although scientists are excited about sharing knowledge about their discovery with the public, they're not as keen on giving details of the exact location where the fossils were found. They don't want the public rushing out to the spot and disturbing any future finds.
"Some of these projects last hundreds of years-- and that's not unusual. So, to keep these places secret -- and to go back to them and continue working -- is important to us," said Miller.
With a report from CTV Atlantic's Dina Bartolacci
