Dragonfly fossil, about 150 million years old, in Solnhofen, Bavaria, Germany

© Ingo Arndt/Minden Picture

In praise of the old … the very old

It's rare to find a fossil as well preserved as this amazing dragonfly, but this one was discovered in Solnhofen, Germany, where limestone deposits have revealed some of the most detailed fossils ever found - including the bird-like dinosaur called Archaeopteryx. This dragonfly was preserved in the Solnhofen limestone about 150 million years ago in the Jurassic Period. It measures about 14 centimetres across. Fossils are often discovered on public lands like national parks, so park rangers, scientists, and educators must frequently work together in order to help us understand what life looked like on an ancient Earth.