"From chance find to rarity - the mysteries of a 310-million-year-old mosaic stone from the evolution of ferns"
Exhibition opening on 21.12.15, 5 pm at the Museum für Naturkunde Chemnitz
In 1815, Freiberg geographer Heinrich A.L. Schippan (1794-1837) found the trunk of a fossilised tree fern in his father's quarry in Flöha. While he gave most of the sensational find to Abraham Gottlob Werner (1749-1817), his academic teacher at the Freiberg Mining Academy, he kept other pieces that later turned up on the slag heap for himself. Initially described by Werner as a palm tree, the "exotic fern herb" quickly attracted the interest of scientists and was given its scientific name in 1832, which it still bears today: Tubicaulis solenites. The original plant, which was preserved in a volcanic cloud of embers, shows its cell structure down to the smallest microscopic detail.
To mark the 200th anniversary of the find, the Museum für Naturkunde Chemnitz has retraced the discovery and shed light on the eventful history of the collection. The sections still available worldwide were brought to Chemnitz for a special exhibition. Among the renowned lenders are institutions from London, Stockholm, Berlin, Dresden and Freiberg. The museum's researchers have also come up with a few surprises. For example, they were able to prove that the fossilised fern is over 20 million years older than has been assumed for over 200 years.
Media representatives are cordially invited to the opening on 21 December at 5 pm at the Museum für Naturkunde Chemnitz
Questions will be answered: Visiting Professor Dr Ronny Rößler
Tel: 0371 488 45 50, Email: roessler(at)naturkunde-chemnitz.de