Amber nectar

[NEIL CLARK <NCLARK@museum.gla.ac.uk>]

Vicki wrote:

> I just saw a story in one of the local dailies--their science coverage
> is limited but seems decent. The story I saw said the microbes were
> 25 million years old. 

Ours says up to 130 million year old amber (Independent).  The bee 
was in amber of between 25 - 40 million years.

It also says that they carried out extensive tests to eliminate 
contamination from modern microbes to ensure the results were 
valid.  What they don't seem to realise is that the contamination may 
be on the inside.  The microbes could have entered the amber at any 
stage along microfractures, bubble trails, or even penetrated by 
etching and redepositing through the amber.  I wonder if they tested 
the amber itself whether they would get similar results.  It is a pity 
that I can't get Science magazine until at least two weeks after it 
comes out.  Maybe someone on the list has seen the 'scientific' 
paper.

We could almost imagine the mummified dinosaurs coming to life. 
Give them something to drink and some food and .... hey presto .... 
your own pet hadrosaur.

Neil