Blue Beach Fossil Museum Project, Nova Scotia Canada

~ A BIG DEAD FISH STORY ~ Dec 4, 2012 C. F. Mansky, Curator, Blue Beach Fossil Museum Every fisherman seems to have a good story about ‘the one that got away’. This all-too familiar scene has been repeated in books and art; in theatres and on film. The so-called ‘big fish story’ has, in short, become something of a North-American tradition. So by this point you’re probably already thinking “…just about heard them all”, and you could be forgiven for reacting sceptically to the above title. Trust me, this is a fish story you probably never heard before. For several years now my work at Blue Beach, Nova Scotia (Canada) has involved, among other things, uncovering a truly big fish that’s been extinct for hundreds of millions of years. Fossils of this giant fish, belonging to the family Rhizodontida, have grown into a ‘massive’ collection that has spilled out of the Blue Beach Fossil Museum near Hantsport; and now also happens to occupy the greater part of ...

~ A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A BIG DEAD FISH ~ Part One Dec 20, 2012 C. F. Mansky, Curator, Blue Beach Fossil Museum The last time we discussed the ‘big dead fish’ it was, I’m pleased to say, only a surficial introduction to this Beast of the Minas Basin . There are many avenues left for discussion about how the ancient rhizodonts were interacting with their environment and each other, or about the anatomy and evolution of a huge fish that could crawl onto the mudflats and sandbars like a walrus, gulping air in great swallowing motions - snapping up anything too surprised to flee in time… But where should one begin? In order to properly understand the ferocious fish scenario just described we need to break it down to the facts as we know them. The facts can only be obtained from a single source, the fossils. Fossils are the only actual evidence there ever is for us to talk about life on earth in the distant past. Only rocks are old eno...

" MEDIA TALKS " " Many of the fossils are embedded in hard rock and must be carefully removed using specialized engraving tools. " " The startling discoveries are receiving rave reviews amoung the world scientific community and are causing much of current paleontology theory to be re-written. " " The species, named Letognathus hardingi or " Jaws of Annihilation," was five metres long with large fangs rooted into the jawbone. " " Nova Scotia is blessed with thousands of tracks and is one of the best footprint areas in the world," Lucus said. " Blue Beach is all about the Gap. This has been a long time coming... " " It's one of the nicest gems the county has, and it has alot. " Councillor, Mike Ennis " ...everyone else in the world would love to have it ." " It's almost too good to be true, " Kings County Coun. ...