A quick shout-out (props? notes?) to this site, where Dad and I visited today. This is a big-time big deal and practically in our backyard--major archeological dig going on. They've dated the bones and fossils back to the Myocene,between 4 million and 7.5 million years ago, and there's enough here to dig for at least this century. Likely it was once the site of a lake or pond, and quite possibly a comfortable place for most species to have their babies. If I heard correctly, at least one new species has been discovered here, and several other quite rare species too.
This is one of those mind-blowers. To think that short-faced bears, tapirs (pig-like species), rhinos once traversed here--well, in the abstract, of course they did, but to have such evidence this close hammers it home.
So if you're in the east TN area, check it out. The dig site and permanent exhibit about the fossils and digging methods are the most interesting. There's also an exhibit on poop (I, um, shit you not) until September.
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