Which fossil flora represents your feelings?

Quiz Questions

• 1.
  If you could be anywhere right now, where would you be?

  • A.
    A lake
  • B.
    A quiet library
  • C.
    A warm greenhouse
  • D.
    An art or natural history museum
• 2.
  If someone asks, “How are you?” how do you respond?

  • A.
    I’m a little overwhelmed
  • B.
    I’m not sure
  • C.
    I’m hanging in there
  • D.
    I’m looking forward to the future
• 3.
  Out of these activities, which one do you like doing the most?

  • A.
    Sunbathing on a beach
  • B.
    Reading a book
  • C.
    Walking in the woods
  • D.
    Tending to your garden
• 4.
  Which wild animal would you love to come across?

  • A.
    Owl
  • B.
    Turtle
  • C.
    Salamander
  • D.
    Loon

Quiz Outcomes

• 1.
  Fern

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  You’re taking your time and feeling okay. Ferns take many years to reach their full size, but you’re getting there! These fossil ferns thrived in a much warmer Earth around 308 million years ago, and modern ferns (like the specimen from our herbarium above) also enjoy a toasty greenhouse. Ferns are one of Earth’s most ancient plants—scientists have found ferns more than 360 million years old, way back in the Mesozoic era. Today, ferns typically grow on the ground in cozy, dark places, but back then, many ferns were tall as trees or wound their way up other plants. What we’re saying is: You’re resilient!If you’re anything like a fern, you just need a little warm weather to start flourishing!Collection ID (right): Pecopteris fossils from the Mazon Creek Fossil Beds of Illinois.
• 2.
  Pinecone

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  You’re ready to grow. This ancient, tiny, and super adorable pinecone would’ve fallen from a tree onto the forest floor more than 66 million years ago during the Cretaceous period. Pinecones are extremely durable and come in so many shapes and sizes. They carry seeds that will (hopefully) grow into a big, strong tree. The large pinecone from our herbarium collection comes from a sequoia tree. As you might know, sequoia trees are some of the largest trees in the world! We’ll take that to mean you’re destined for greatness.Interestingly, it can take several years for trees to create mature pinecones. So don’t sweat it if it’s taking a while to get going! In the meantime, you’re feeling prepared and ready to grow.Collection ID (left): SMM P72.10.2 (Metasequoia), North Dakota
• 3.
  Split leaves

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  You’re looking for answers. Fossilized leaves often come in compression fossils, which are sedimentary rocks that are put under pressure by the Earth and, once found, are often split in half to reveal their contents. In this case, 100-million-year-old leaves were found in these local fossils from Brown County, Minnesota. These leaves have smooth edges, which indicates they lived in a much warmer and wetter Earth than we live in today. Right now, scientists don’t know the temperatures of Minnesota during the Cretaceous period, but leaves like these will help them find out.Fossilized leaves hold the answers to big questions, and so do you! Keep on looking for answers, we know you’ll find them.Collection ID: Not yet cataloged
• 4.
  Petrified wood

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  You’re feeling stable. Most of the time when plants die, they break down and become a part of the soil. But under certain conditions, their structures can be filled in and replaced by minerals. Sometimes this happens a second time with another mineral, like silica. When polished, it looks like it does above: brilliant, sometimes colorful, and very heavy. Petrified wood can be found all over the world; basically anywhere that trees grew about 210 million years ago is fair game. Petrified wood is also one of the only fossils to go mainstream! It’s used as decoration in objects like bookends, in jewelry, and is often carved into symbolic objects.You’re vibing with petrified wood because, despite the turmoil, you’re stable inside.Collection ID: SMM 2-2895, Araucarioxylon arizonicum, Arizona, USA