Maritime teens credited with discovering new species of dragonfly from 300 million years ago
For 17-year-old best friends Luke Allen and Rowan Norrad of Halifax, summer means going to Grand Lake, N.B., and searching the rocky shorelines for signs of life from long ago – and the two have been making a name for themselves with their significant fossil finds.
"My dad was the one who introduced me to the fossils here," says Norrad.
"He showed me a few plant fossils they'd found before and I was hooked. I brought Luke down – he's my best friend so I brought him down to stay with us at the cottage and I showed him – he's been coming here to do it again ever since."
The two head out on fossil-finding missions in Grand Lake most days they're in the area, spending hours at a time scouring the rocks and recording their research – a passion for palaeontology that's only further fuelled by their finds.
"Basically we just walk up and down the beach flipping over all the rocks that we think might have fossils," says Allen.
"We've become pretty familiar with this area over the 10 years we've been looking here – so we kind of know generally what areas to look in. But a lot of it comes down to luck, so I guess we've been pretty lucky in these past few years."
You could chalk it up to a combination of both luck and skill that have led these high school students to make several very scientifically significant discoveries.
"In addition to hundreds of fossilized footprints of amphibians and reptiles, some of which might be new to the scientific fossil records, (Luke and Rowan) have also made many discoveries of invertebrates," says Matt Stimson, assistant curator of paleontology at the New Brunswick Museum.
"Things like little land snails and several plant fossils and most recently, a dragonfly."
The new species is called Brunellopteron Norradi, which is named partly after Paul Brunelle of the New Brunswick Museum who passed away last year – and partly after the Norrad family.
The fossil of a dragonfly wing discovered in the Grand Lake area was sent off to the Natural Museum of History in Paris to be studied – and recently published findings show that it's a new genus and a new species.
"It's amazing to be involved in something that important," says Allen.
The new species is called Brunellopteron Norradi, which is named partly after Paul Brunelle of the New Brunswick Museum who passed away last year – and partly after the Norrad family.
"Back then, we knew it was a dragonfly wing, but we didn't know what kind of dragonfly wing," says Stimson.
"The reason for that, is that it's something brand new."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Bodies recovered in Mexico likely 2 Australians, 1 American who went missing: officials
Three bodies recovered in an area of Baja California are likely to be those of the two Australians and an American who went missing last weekend during a camping and surfing trip, the state prosecutor’s office said Saturday.
Maple Leafs eliminated from NHL playoffs with Game 7 OT loss to Bruins
Sheldon Keefe told his players hockey history would remember them one way or another.
Israel says Hamas attacks a crossing point into Gaza, wounding 10 Israelis and forcing its closure
Hamas militants on Sunday attacked Israel's main crossing point for delivering humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, reportedly wounding several Israelis and prompting Israel to close the terminal.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
What a judge's gag order on Trump means in his hush money case
A gag order bars Trump from commenting publicly on witnesses, jurors and some others connected to the matter. The New York judge already has found that Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee for president, repeatedly violated the order, fined him US$9,000 and warning that jail could follow if he doesn't comply.
Amid climate change warnings, Canadians lukewarm on electric vehicles
Amid scientists' warnings that nations need to transition away from fossil fuels to limit climate change, Canadians are still lukewarm on electric vehicles, according to a study conducted by Nanos Research for CTV News.
Trudeau 'absolutely' best person to lead the Liberals in next election: LeBlanc says
Cabinet minister Dominic LeBlanc insists he's not planning a leadership campaign to head the Liberal party, should current leader and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau resign, seemingly quashing rumours he's planning to make a move for his boss' job.
Netanyahu's Cabinet votes to close Al Jazeera offices in Israel after rising tensions
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that his government has voted unanimously to shut down the local offices of Qatar-owned broadcaster Al Jazeera, escalating Israel's long-running feud with the channel at a time when cease-fire negotiations with Hamas — mediated by Qatar — are gaining steam.
King Charles III’s openness about cancer has helped him connect with people in year after coronation
King Charles III's decision to be open about his cancer diagnosis has helped the new monarch connect with the people of Britain and strengthened the monarchy in the year since his dazzling coronation at Westminster Abbey.