The Mystery of the Eocene’s Lethal Lake

Season 2, Episode 26 · July 17, 2018 · 10m

In 1800s, miners began working in exposed deposits of mud near the town of Messel, Germany. They were extracting oil from the rock and along with the oil, they found beautifully preserved fossils of animals from the Eocene. What happened to these Eocene animals? And why were their remains so exquisitely preserved?