Searching for Seaweed in the Fossil Record

Most of the fossil record is dominanted by hard parts including bones, teeth, and shells. However, seaweed or macroscopic algae do not have any hard parts and do not leave behind fossils in most enviornments. Rare seaweed fossils can be found in special places around the world where they provide an important window into understanding ancient ecosystems. Come see and learn about one of the first seaweed fossils that lived in oceans almost 1 billion years old. We will explore the role of seaweed in early animal communities almost 500 million years ago and their influence on modern ocean ecosystems today.