Hey, Jeffrey here, and welcome back to Nightfall. I hope you've had a super day and are ready for a restful and restorative night's sleep I've got a quick favour to ask if you're enjoying the show please do leave us a review I love to read them and it helps the show a huge amount I love to stare out at the sea the huge expanse with nothing but fishing boats rolling waves and sky it's humbling, centering, refreshing especially when windswept and it really seems to put things into perspective enabling us to drop past the horizon of ourselves I hope we can allow space for that tonight as we meet up with Professor James Sterling again and join him on an adventure that takes place on the Jurassic Coast in southern England. James joins forces with his friend and colleague, Dr. Anne Harrington, as they assist a group of schoolchildren on a quest to find fossils. It's not long before an unexpected discovery is made, A discovery that changes the course of history. Before we begin, here's the quick ad break that keeps this free content possible. To go ad free, subscribe via the link in the show notes. Alright, now back to Nightfalls. Professor James Sterling took a seat at the Beachside Cafe and looked out at the sparkling blue sea of the English Channel in front of him. It had been a while since he'd been to this part of the UK. He smiled fondly as he recalled his first visit as a young boy. He had been with his grandparents and could still remember the twinkle in his grandfather's eyes as he spoke about the fossils they would find on the beach. Fossils resting like historical jewels on the beach, just waiting to be collected by any eager-eyed visitor. Young James and his grandparents had found an abundance of fossils, most of them curved ammonite shells, some of which James still had. James became lost in his thoughts and gazed softly at the white chalk cliff faces that rose from the sea and the layers of exposed rock each one from a different time in history he was so lost in his musings that he didn't notice someone taking a seat at his table until she placed a hand gently on his arm and said lightly James, are you with us or lost somewhere in your imagination again? James looked away from the sea and broke into a broad smile as he saw his good friend, Dr. Anne Harrington, sitting there. He reached over, gave her a hug and said, Anne, it's so good to see you again. I'm glad you could meet me today. I know how busy you are. Anne shrugged, and with an amused look in her eyes that was so familiar to James, she said, The past has been hidden for millions of years. It can weigh a bit longer. James had met Anne at university, and they had hit it off immediately with their shared interest in history. Anne had taken some of the same classes as James to begin with and thought she might become an archaeologist like him, but she developed a love for geology, which soon deepened and she had taken a different route instead, one that led to her becoming a world-renowned paleontologist and best-selling author. James and Anne had kept in touch over the years and met up often. She lived near the Jurassic Coast, and when James knew he was going to be there for a couple of days, he immediately got in touch with Anne and asked if they could meet. Anne said she had to move a few things around in her schedule, but yes, she would be delighted to meet with him and she gave him the name and address of her favourite café for their rendezvous. James ordered hot drinks for them both and asked Anne what she was working on. With a dismissive wave of her hand, she said, Oh, the usual dinosaurs, rock formations, trace fossils and the such like. I'll give you all the intricate details later if you want them. But James, I want to know what you're doing here. Your message was very intriguing and somewhat elusive. What did you mean about working here? Have you changed your occupation? Have you secretly become a paleontologist? She grinned at him. I knew you'd come to your senses one day. James laughed. I haven't changed professions, although being here has brought back memories of finding my first fossil, and how ridiculously happy that made me. The reason I'm here relates to a recent talk I gave at a museum to a group of schoolchildren. I think I told you about it. It led to the uncovering of artifacts from the Viking era. Anne nodded and said she remembered that well. Their drinks arrived. James took a sip of his coffee and then explained that since his talk to the children, he'd been contacted by other schools who had asked him to visit their pupils and give talks about his work. He had done a few visits so far and thoroughly enjoyed them. Seeing the enthusiasm in the children's eyes as he explained how he'd unearthed secrets from the past had been a sight to behold, and he'd even toyed with the idea of writing children's books on his archaeological adventures. James concluded, After my last visit to a school, I mentioned my visits to this area as a child and how I'd found my first fossil. As luck would have it, the school was scheduled to visit this area today to look for fossils, and asked if I would come along and help them. I told them I wasn't an expert in fossils, but they didn't seem to mind. He casually looked away from his friend. Now that you're here, it would be great if you could have a quick chat with the children about your work. They'll be arriving soon, but only if you have time. Anne laughed loudly and gave him a good-natured shoulder bump. Professor James Sterling, is this an ambush? He looked back at Anne and grinned sheepishly. Oh, I confess, yes, it is, but it's also an excuse to see you again. I haven't mentioned anything to the children about you, and if you're too busy, I completely understand. She tutted and shook her head. How can I resist your charms? I would love to talk to the children, it's something I do often anyway, and I have plenty of time today. and you know how much I like talking about prehistoric times. She tipped her head to one side and gave him a studious look. Why do I get the feeling you're keeping something from me? James, what's going on in your mind? He shrugged. Oh, you know, just a dream that I had as a boy. a dream that's resurfaced. I always hoped that one day I'd find a dinosaur fossil in this beach. I know that's impossible and I know the reasons why, but it's a childhood dream that never went away. Anne smiled at her friend. One of your many endearing qualities is how you have kept your childlike sense of wonder and keep expecting wonderful things to happen. I admire that about you, and it probably explains why you keep making those amazing discoveries of yours. James replied modestly, I'm nearly in the right place at the right time. His phone beeped with a message notification. He read it and told Anne it was from the head teacher of the school, to let him know they had arrived. James and Anne finished their drinks. James asked again if Anne was okay taking time out of her day to talk to the children. She smiled and said she was already looking forward to meeting them. The archaeologist and the paleontologist left the cafe and walked over to the car park, where a party of schoolchildren were disembarking from a coach. Excited chatter came from the children, followed by the soothing tones of their teacher, asking them to form a line. James and Anne walked over to the school party, and introductions were made. When the children heard what Anne's job was, they fell silent and regarded her with looks of fascination. The headteacher was overjoyed to have Anne present and confessed she had read all of her books Anne asked the headteacher if she could lead them to the best places to find fossils on the beach The headteacher became somewhat starstruck, and said that would be wonderful. Once they had formed a neat line, the children were escorted onto the beach. The teachers and their assistants were right beside them. A scattering of fossil hunters were already engrossed in their quest of locating treasures from the Jurassic Age. Some were enthusiastic amateurs who walked slowly along the pebbly beach and scanned the jumble of rocks beneath their feet. others were more experienced and confidently picked up certain rocks whilst discarding others with a knowing look in their eyes the experts would place the collected rock on a smooth surface and then with great precision strike the rock in a certain place causing it to split neatly in half to reveal a hidden prehistoric gem inside if they were fortunate. Anne stopped at the side of an experienced fossil hunter just as he was about to strike the rock. The man was known to her and they exchanged greetings. Anne asked him if the school party could watch his activities and if he could explain what he was looking for. The man cheerfully said yes and told the children how the beach they were standing on was once covered in a shallow, tropical sea In the sea were numerous creatures Some of them became embedded in the ocean floor and over the years turned into fossils The man held up the rock and continued some of the fossils became wrapped in outer material like this soft rock I'm going to open it and see if there is something inside hopefully there will be I'm not always so lucky he grinned at them and proceeded to strike the rock playing to his audience a little the man dramatically paused before opening the rock The captivated children looked on silently as he slowly pulled the two sections of rock apart. We are in luck, he announced. We have a fully formed ammonite here. It will take a bit of work to extract this fully from the rock, but let me show you the one I found earlier. He reached into a canvas bag at his feet and pulled out an exquisitely preserved ammonite. He gave it to the nearest child and asked them to pass it around. Gasps of amazement came from the children as they held the fossil carefully in their hands. The man said the ammonite was around 180 million years old, give or take a year. Anne smiled at his quip and thanked him for his time. The man said it was a pleasure and told the head teacher she could keep the ammonite for the school. The man wished the children lots of luck finding fossils, and returned to his engaging activities. Anne led the children farther along the beach. James walked at the back of the line with some of the teachers. One of the teachers told James she hadn't been to the beach in years, but had been there as a child and remembered how amazing it had felt when she'd found her first fossil. With a wry smile she added, I always hope to find a dinosaur fossil one day but I know that it's impossible around here. In the way that children do one of the pupils heard what she said and turned around. He asked the teacher what she had meant by that and why wouldn't she find a dinosaur fossil here? Anne overheard the conversation. She stopped, turned around to face the children and explained that because the area had been covered in salt water for millions of years, the only animals left behind were those who had lived in the sea. Any remains of dinosaurs who had walked on the earth would only be found further inland. noticing the looks of disappointment on some of the children's faces she gave them an encouraging smile and said that's not to say it can't happen though i've made many discoveries that i wasn't expecting and in many unusual places there are always exceptions to the rules and there was a remarkable discovery that was made near here around 1858, some fossils were discovered that belonged to a dinosaur called Skeledosaurus. How the fossils ended up on the ocean floor is one of those delightful puzzles that occur in history sometimes. The fossils are incredibly well preserved, and you can see the prehistoric animal on display at the National History Museum. Her words caused all the children to break into excited smiles, and James heard a few mutters passing between them about how they were going to find dinosaur fossils on the beach that day. Anne took the school party a little further along the beach and came to another stop. She told them the area was rich with ammonites and other fossils, and they would be sure to find something. She said, If anyone needs any help, just let me and the other adults know. Perhaps we can group together in an hour or so, and share our findings? Her last comments were directed at the head teacher, who said that that was an excellent idea. and she couldn't wait to discover what the children would find. The children were put into groups and adults were allocated to each group. James and Anne walked amongst the children and answered any questions that came up. Anne answered her questions with a huge amount of detail and James impressed himself by correctly recalling information he had learned years ago. The children had a wonderful time finding fossils, and each discovery filled them with jubilation. Their treasures were secured safely inside small canvas bags that were tied around their waists. One of the children asked James for his opinion on something. He pointed to some large rocks a few meters away and said, I keep getting the feeling that I should search behind those rocks over there. Do you think it would be okay if I had a look there, Professor Sterling, just to see if there are any ammonites there? James said, you should always trust your instincts. I do, and that has led me to making many surprising discoveries. I'll come with you whilst you have a look for fossils. James and the boy, who said his name was Robin, walked over to the rocks. The boy got to his knees and had a shuffle about in the pebbles. He found some items and put them in his bag. Once Robin was satisfied that he'd collected anything that looked interesting, he returned with James to the main area and continued hunting for more fossils. The time flew by, and it was soon time for a break from the treasure-hunting activities. The children came together as a group and sat down in front of their head teacher. Fruit and water were given out, and the children listened intently as Dr. Anne Harrington painted a vivid picture of the area and how it had changed over millions of years. She spoke of how the beach was once a desert during the Triassic era, and slowly, over millions of years, the deserts became covered by the tropical waters of the Jurassic era. Towards the end of Jurassic times, a thick frost grew and the landscape was changed again. She pointed to the visible layers of strata in the cliffs behind them and told them how the layers represented the changing of geological eras over the years. I always think those layers look like a geological cake, she said with a smile. History is right there for us all to see before we look at the amazing fossils you've found. Does anyone have any questions for me? Hands shot up into the air. The children had a myriad of questions, most of them concerning the dinosaurs Dr. Harrington had found. James was aware of Anne's discoveries, but hearing her tell the children in great detail about them gave the discoveries a new dimension, and he could easily imagine himself walking at her side through frozen lands as she came upon the fossilized remains of a woolly mammoth, or walking through a tropical forest and finding a fully formed micro-raptor. Not only was Anne an accomplished paleontologist, but she was also a gifted storyteller and had the children hanging on to her every word. James was sure some of the children were already considering paleontology as a future career choice Anne finished answering the questions and then asked the children to show her the fossils they had found The children took it in turns to stand next to Anne and they proudly displayed the items they had discovered. There was an impressive collection of ammonites, many of them in excellent condition. James smiled at the boy he had helped earlier, Robin, as he walked over to Anne to show her what he'd found. Like his classmates, Robin had found some ammonites. But there was something else, something that made the smile on Dr. Anne Harrington's face freeze. She stared at the item in Robin's hands and asked if she could take a closer look. Robin gave the fossil to her. As if sensing an exciting change in the atmosphere, a hush fell over the children and teachers as everyone gave Anne their rapt attention. Anne asked Robin where he had found the fossil. The boy told her and explained how James had told him to follow his instincts and look in the place he was drawn to. Anne smiled over at James and said, I might have known you'd be part of this. Once again, Professor Sterling, you're in the right place at the right time. She looked at the children, carefully held up the precious fossil and said, Do you remember what I said about discovering unexpected items in surprising places? Robin here has found what I believe to be a dinosaur fossil. And it's not the dinosaur that I told you about earlier. It's something different. Until I do more tests, I can't say for sure what species it is, but it's definitely a land dinosaur. Nothing like this has been found here before. What this dinosaur is and where it came from is a complete mystery at the moment, but I know this will change what we know about the history of this area. She smiled at Robin. You were right to follow your instincts, and this will be recorded in history books. Thank you for making me a part of this special day. Robin blushed and shared a small smile with his classmates. They smiled back at him, and some of them gave him a thumbs up. James had never seen children so quiet and so full of happiness before. It filled his heart with appreciation at sharing such a precious time with them. Anne reluctantly broke the spell by telling the school party they would need to leave the area, because it had to be secured and protected so that further investigations could proceed, and hopefully more dinosaur fossils might be found. Anne told the children she would keep them involved with every possible discovery made, and with their headteacher's permission, she would invite them back for another day of fossil hunting in the future. The children nodded in understanding, and very slowly and with a considerable amount of reverence, they collected their belongings and walked away with their teachers at their sides. Anne told James she would make the necessary arrangements and would collect a team to start work on the area immediately. Her eyes shone with joy as she said, this is a huge discovery, James. Even if we don't find any more fossils like this first one, it's still such an amazing find. And this is down to you and trusting your instincts. Are you sure you're not some magical being disguised as a modest archaeologist? James smiled and said it was just another instance of him being in the right place at the right time. He congratulated her on the discovery and the part she would play in its future. They hugged and promised to meet up later because James wanted to know how everything panned out. He couldn't wait to see whether the Jurassic puzzle would be solved. or if it would remain an intriguing mystery for a while longer. We'll leave our story there for tonight. I hope you enjoyed being on the Jurassic Coast. Sleep well, and sweet dreams. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you yeah yeah yeah yeah Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
