Elevate your local knowledge
Sign up for the iNFOnews newsletter today!
10-year-old boy trips over 1.2M-year-old fossil in desert
LAS CRUCES, N.M. – A boy’s misstep on a family hike in New Mexico has given the world a prehistoric wonder.
Ten-year-old Jude Sparks was on a desert hike in Las Cruces in November when he tripped over what turned out to be the fossilized tusk of a 1.2 million-year-old elephant-like creature, called a stegomastodon.
The family contacted New Mexico State University professor Peter Houde, and he and a team from the university spent a week digging up the skull in May after getting permission from the landowner.
Houde estimates the entire skull weighs about a ton.
He expects the university to put the skull on exhibit after it’s studied and reconstructed, which could take years.
News from © iNFOnews.ca, . All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Join the Conversation!
Want to share your thoughts, add context, or connect with others in your community?
You must be logged in to post a comment.
