A rare and astonishing discovery on Denmark’s Zealand Island has stunned scientists and fossil enthusiasts alike. What was first mistaken for an odd chunk of rock turned out to be a fossilized pile of fish vomit—dating back a staggering 66 million years. This unprecedented find offers new insights into prehistoric diets and the ancient marine food chain of the Cretaceous period.
A Surprising Discovery
Last November, while combing the beaches of Denmark’s eastern island of Zealand, amateur fossil hunter Peter Bennicke stumbled upon what seemed to be an ordinary chalk fragment. Upon splitting it open, however, he was met with something far more extraordinary: fossilized vomit. This wasn’t just any ordinary chunk of ancient debris—it was regurgitalite, a preserved collection of partially digested material from the Cretaceous period.
The discovery quickly attracted the attention of scientists at Geomuseum Faxe, who identified the vomit as the remnants of a prehistoric marine creature’s meal. The vomit was primarily made up of sea lilies—ancient marine organisms that thrived on the sea floor. The museum’s curator, Dr. Jesper Milàn, remarked, “It is truly an unusual find.”
What’s Inside the Vomit?
Upon closer inspection, experts concluded that the vomit likely belonged to a bottom-dwelling fish or shark that had eaten sea lilies—creatures with calcareous plates and minimal soft tissue, making them difficult to digest. The marine animal probably regurgitated the undigested parts of its meal, creating the unique fossil.
The fossilized pile offers a rare glimpse into the ancient marine ecosystem, shedding light on the diets of creatures that roamed the Cretaceous seas.
- The vomit contains small sea lily fragments, mostly their hard skeletal parts.
- It represents the rare event of a marine creature’s stomach distress being preserved as a fossil.
- Scientists suggest it could have been caused by a prehistoric fish or shark.
This discovery helps scientists understand more about predator-prey relationships during the Late Cretaceous Epoch, offering a snapshot of life in an ancient sea that once covered much of Scandinavia.
Cretaceous Period: A Snapshot of Prehistoric Life
The Cretaceous period, which began 145 million years ago and lasted for around 80 million years, was a time of significant change. Continents were shifting, and a warmer climate prevailed. Much of what we know today as barren land was once teeming with life. For instance, what is now Antarctica was home to lush, dense rainforests during this period.
In Denmark, this era saw the formation of the Western European Chalk Sea, a shallow tropical sea that hosted a variety of marine creatures. Fossilized remains from this period, such as those found at Zealand, are rare, and discoveries like Bennicke’s offer scientists a treasure trove of knowledge about ancient ecosystems.
The Cretaceous Sea: Home to Sea Lilies and More
Sea lilies, the central focus of this discovery, were common inhabitants of the Cretaceous sea. These stationary creatures resemble modern-day sea fans, living on the ocean floor and feeding on plankton. Despite their appearance, they weren’t an ideal meal choice for larger predators, as their hard, calcium-rich plates provided little nutritional value.
But for one unfortunate fish or shark, sea lilies became an inedible snack, leading to the vomit that would eventually be fossilized. The unusual nature of this find lies not just in the regurgitated sea lilies, but in the rare opportunity it provides to understand ancient marine food chains. By studying these remnants, researchers can piece together the relationships between ancient marine creatures and gain insight into the diet of a long-gone predator.
What This Means for Modern Science
This 66-million-year-old vomit, though gross to some, offers a significant breakthrough for paleontologists and fossil hunters alike. The term “regurgitalite” has been used to describe such fossils, and they are highly prized in the field of paleontology for their ability to help scientists reconstruct ancient food webs. The fossilized vomit found in Denmark is expected to offer key details about the interactions between predators and prey in the Cretaceous sea.
Fossils like this one reveal the complexity of ancient ecosystems, providing critical information about the behaviors of species that are long extinct. For researchers, such discoveries are a reminder of how valuable even the smallest pieces of history can be in understanding our planet’s distant past.