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FACTOID!!
Owls have 'nightshine' vision. A layer of cells in an owl's eyes cause them to be glossy or mirror-like and this allows them to capture all of the available light. Owls are able to see in detail where humans see only darkness.


Measure for measure in the march of time


Measure for measure in the march of time
Just as the time on a watch and a wall clock can differ, techniques for marking time in the earth's layers can give different results. Geologists and palaeontologists gathered last month for the annual meeting of the Geological Society of America to discuss the different techniques used for measuring the Earth’s timeline. These scientists are anxious to know which method they can trust to gauge the pace of evolution's Cambrian explosion, for instance, or the timing of the huge volcanic eruptions that led to mass extinctions in the past. Currently, scientists use methods such as counting sedimentary layers in ancient rock, much like counting tree rings, or by following the orbital changes of the Earth over millennia.
12 NOVEMBER 1999, P. 1279
Science
12 NOVEMBER 1999, P. 1279

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