This is a curious question I have. I'm aware that the continental plates move about 3cm a year, and all the surface is eventually recycled when subducting. So if everything gets melted down and churned back up.. how do we have a 47 million year old fossil in almost perfect condition, wouldn't it have gotten churned up and recycled too? 47 million years has to be a miscalculation...

Usually only the edges of the plates get destroyed, and they are usually found deep under the sea these days. Then there's the flip side of subduction where the plate gets jacked up into mountain ranges. The whole surface has not yet been completely recycled.

Aside from the science there, I would bet everything I'm worth that this turns out eventually to be more disinfo to forward someone's agenda. I'm thinking religion, but there are a few other strong contenders.


Ever see the Simpsons episode where they unearth an "angel" skeleton?