Daimonelix

ruzuzu commented on the word Daimonelix

While exploring the western part of Nebraska, Barbour collected dozens of examples of the giant spiral structures, reporting on them in 1892 and naming them Daimonelix (Greek for “devil’s screw,” often spelled Daemonelix). Their origin was a mystery and there was nothing else like them in the fossil record. After first considering them as possible remains of giant freshwater sponges, Barbour surmised that the fossils of Daimonelix were the remains of plants, possibly root systems, because he had discovered plant tissues inside the helices.

A year later, the legendary American vertebrate paleontologist Edward Drinker Cope rejected Barbour’s interpretation of the fossils, noting that “the most probable explanation of these objects seems to be that they are the casts of the burrows of some large rodent.”

-- From https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/how-scientists-resolved-mystery-devils-corkscrews-180973487

See, also, ichnology.

December 3, 2019

bilby commented on the word Daimonelix

Where can one get casts made of burrows? Asking for a friend.

December 5, 2019

ruzuzu commented on the word Daimonelix

You might have to travel to nebraksa to find them.

December 5, 2019

bilby commented on the word Daimonelix

Do they do a good laksa in nebraksa?

December 7, 2019

ruzuzu commented on the word Daimonelix

I've never had any, but that doesn't mean it isn't out there somewhere.

December 10, 2019

plethora commented on the word Daimonelix

I'm convinced there's no good laksa outside of the global south

December 12, 2019