Ancient sea monster discovered in Manitoba
Last Updated Tue, 17 Aug 2004 14:41:38 EDT

MORDEN, MAN. - Scientists working near Morden, Man. have unearthed a prehistoric marine creature – one of the largest fossilized creatures ever uncovered in the province.

Last summer, amateur paleontologist Joe Brown stumbled upon bone fragments in a field near Morden, about 100 kilometres southwest of Winnipeg.
The plesiosaur discovered near Morden is expected to be twice the size of this one in the Morden Museum.

" It was unexpected out in the middle of a field," said Brown. " I thought that the whole area had been totally dug up and recovered with soil, but those cows are amazing!"

Brown uncovered the breastplate of a plesiosaur, a sea creature that swam about 65 million years ago in a sea that covered most of Manitoba.

Paleontologists from the Morden Musuem are now excavating the site. So far, they have dug about one metre deep, unearthing other large bones including vertebrae, ribs, teeth and jaw fragments making up about half of the creature' s skeleton.

John the Baptist' s cave ' found'

Shimon Gibson (left) and archaeologist Rafi Lewis in cave
The cave contained carvings said to depict John the Baptist
A British archaeologist says he has found a cave used by the New Testament figure John the Baptist.

Shimon Gibson spent five years excavating the site near Jerusalem, unearthing objects apparently used in ancient purification rituals.

Images carved on the walls include that of a man with wild hair and carrying a staff, said to be reminiscent of John, whom the Bible says baptised Jesus.

Biblical scholars have questioned the find, which they say is inconclusive.