Amber is a substance that has been used for over ten thousand years. Many years ago, amber was valued for its aesthetic properties. Today, we are learning about the history of the world by examining tiny animals that have been trapped in amber. The Jewel of The Earth is a documentary that examines amber and its properties.
Along with insects, amber contains small particles of leaf and other environmental debris that can provide information about the region that it comes from. For example, one particle of leaf found in a piece of Baltic amber shows that tropical bean trees once grew in the region. The Jewel of the Earth also points out that even the tiniest particles and hairs that were trapped in the amber resin are clues to what happening in the world when the amber was still sap.
Interestingly, amber also shows us the relationships between animals, plants and the environment. Small pieces of the ecosystem are preserved in these stones, ranging from tadpoles riding on their mothers back to small nematodes that are preparing to move with a wasp that has landed for a temporary feeding. Amber can show us that many things have remained the same, or changed dramatically, over the course of millions of years.
Researchers use x-ray technology to examine the remains of animals that have been trapped in amber. For example, there is a perfectly preserved lizard that has been preserved. The lizard was caught because of a broken back, an injury that is assumed to have occurred when the lizard was picked up by a large bird. These interesting details give us an image of what life was like over the course of history, acting like miniature time capsules that provide detailed views of life as it was happening.
Even cells can be examined through the use of microscopic technology. DNA has been successfully extracted from amber containing bee DNA that was millions of years old. This amazing discovery doesnt mean that cloning extinct animals is possible, however, since most of the DNA that has been extracted is incomplete. There is some controversy surrounding the DNA that was discovered, however, since it was later proven that the DNA sequences were probably the result of contaminants from the environment that the scientists were working in. Amber is still an amazing piece of history that reflects the environment that once existed on Earth
Along with insects, amber contains small particles of leaf and other environmental debris that can provide information about the region that it comes from. For example, one particle of leaf found in a piece of Baltic amber shows that tropical bean trees once grew in the region. The Jewel of the Earth also points out that even the tiniest particles and hairs that were trapped in the amber resin are clues to what happening in the world when the amber was still sap.
Interestingly, amber also shows us the relationships between animals, plants and the environment. Small pieces of the ecosystem are preserved in these stones, ranging from tadpoles riding on their mothers back to small nematodes that are preparing to move with a wasp that has landed for a temporary feeding. Amber can show us that many things have remained the same, or changed dramatically, over the course of millions of years.
Researchers use x-ray technology to examine the remains of animals that have been trapped in amber. For example, there is a perfectly preserved lizard that has been preserved. The lizard was caught because of a broken back, an injury that is assumed to have occurred when the lizard was picked up by a large bird. These interesting details give us an image of what life was like over the course of history, acting like miniature time capsules that provide detailed views of life as it was happening.
Even cells can be examined through the use of microscopic technology. DNA has been successfully extracted from amber containing bee DNA that was millions of years old. This amazing discovery doesnt mean that cloning extinct animals is possible, however, since most of the DNA that has been extracted is incomplete. There is some controversy surrounding the DNA that was discovered, however, since it was later proven that the DNA sequences were probably the result of contaminants from the environment that the scientists were working in. Amber is still an amazing piece of history that reflects the environment that once existed on Earth
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