WHAT'S NEW

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Marathon Photos at the Fossils
On April 26 a new photo exhibition opened at the Ancient Pine Visitor Centre of the Site.
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Toads and frogs invade the Miocene Park
With the start of the tourism season toads and frogs also appeared on the Site. But why do they visit us? Could that be, that they have heard about our newest discoveries of their ancestors' tracks and footprints of prehistoric reptiles?
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The Guardian about our Miocene Park
The Ipolytarnoc Fossils was named as one of the best tourism destinations in Hungary!
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PETRIFIED TREES

The giant petrified tree trunk -- that bridged over a stream of the Borokas ravine with its 42 m length exposed at the beginning of the 19th century – initiated the scientific research of the site.
The first scientific research activities and excavations began by that tree in 1836, led by Ferenc Kubinyi.

Later investigations found out that a whole forest was destroyed by the volcanism, the trees were laid on top of the paleosurface by the nearby volcanic blast. That is why most of the tree remains are embedded at the sandstone—tuff transition, on top of the plinian ash fall unit.
A detailed analysis of the petrified tree trunks revealed that the 20 Ma old rainforest held at least 7 coniferous, 4 deciduous and 1 palm species. By studying the tree’s annual rings, scientists have discovered that the sunspot activity was different then from now. Back then the cycle covered 6-7 years, while today the sunspot cycle is 11 years. The ancient pine unfolds the past even in its sleep.
  • LEAF IMPRESSIONS