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A Problematic Fossil Brings Paleontology to the Classroom and the World

A problematic fossil discovered in 1998 by an amateur collector in central New York proved to be a valuable tool for teaching paleontology to people of diverse age and background. Highlighting its problematic status and including the public in the search for additional specimens as well as an investigation of affinities, allowed us to engage students and non-students alike in the most basic process of paleontology- reconstructing an organism from fossil remains. Use of a web site, http://www.geo.cornell.edu/glasssponge.html, which displayed the mystery fossil and invited comparison and comment, gained and held public attention. The story was widely covered by the media. The fossil appears to be a previously undescribed Devonian siliceous sponge. What attracted public and media attention, however, was interest in solving a scientific puzzle. The episode suggests that the discovery of problematic fossils can open opportunities for educational outreach.