The Most Amazing Discoveries Found in Amber

Looking at things trapped in Amber is like a window into the past—amber can preserve organisms whole, and essentially freeze them in time! The specimens scientists have found in amber range from amazing to downright bizarre. Join Hank Green for a new episode of SciShow where we'll show you the 6 coolest things so far found in amber!

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Sources:

Carnivorous plant:

Dino feathers:

Flea:

Salamander:

Bat flies:

IMAGE SOURCES:

[Mini_Squatch]

I mean, amber's physical properties in and of itself are cool as hell. Im also fond of the fact that bubbles found in amber can give us information about the atmospheric makeup of millions of years ago :D

[thecrazycapn]

"Roridulid" sounds like Scooby-Doo is trying to say something.

[jhonnybfmv]

can we get an episode on how they study amber specimens? like how do you analyse every little spec of the amber learning even about the micro biome inside of them without destroying the sample

[NexVoidGaming]

The thing that always surprised me about amber is how light it is! It weighs next to nothing compared to a similar sized gemstone.

[denisfilming]

"You hold them down Robin while I release my Bat-Malaria at them"

[MatthewStinar]

Hank: Speaking of bloodsuckers… 🧛‍♂️
Me: That's an interesting sponsor segue. I wonder where he's going with this. 🤔

[Im-Not-a-Dog]

One time I found an Aerodactyl in some Old Amber.

[jacobthompson]

Never thought about it but that last bird makes sense we think of birds evolving a beak into new tools but that's from learning about Galapagos finches. Other birds may have other avenues more available. Thanks for the new outlook on how evolution takes place.

[tahroo]

In order to trap things in Amber, we need trees to make sap... so go donate to Team Trees and plant some more trees!

[icarusbinns]

Can we hear about copal?
Because there’s this lady that sells ‘amber’ jewelry at art shows. But it’s positively PACKED with bugs, feels sticky and when tapped, sounds like plastic. The geologist in my brain keeps screaming that it’s copal and needs another million years to be true amber.
I’d love to see an episode about amber vs copal. Please?

[JalenZero]

Bat malaria; the kind of malaria you usually find in a utility belt!

[gnomebanta]

Makes sense that a tree’s immune system would want to have a sticky bandaid that completely stops organic processes and eliminates the possibility of infection. Pretty cool adaptation

[Snapplemonkey]

The reason we can't find good DNA in amber is because DNA half-life is about 10000 years if it's perfectly preserved/frozen. So getting dinosaur DNA is literally impossible, however we could find some cool pre-historic animals and resurrect them.

[mr.personhumanson]

That bird died like how I want to die, giving someone the finger

[anarchyantz]

We need a follow up one of this for more cool items in amber as the squashed remains of a small bird that lived 99 million years ago have been found encased in a cloudy slab of amber from Myanmar’s Hukawng Valley.

[synonymous]

"Speaking of blood suckers..."


Lawyers? Oh, bat flies...

[Master_Therion]

11:00 Would that bird give you the middle finger... or would that middle finger give you the bird?

[RetroMediaInc]

Me, watching the SciShow intro: please be hank please be hank please be ha-

Hank: AMBER

Me: oh God YES

[GapWim]

9:53 “ _There are no salamanders in the Caribbean today. And that made researches wonder […] where they went_ “
Extinct, that’s where they went.

[yazunakarmi]

"Amber, really catches a moment in time." that right there is such a great statement