Neat:
Palaeontologists have drawn with ink extracted from a preserved fossilised squid uncovered during a dig in Trowbridge, Wiltshire.
The fossil, thought to be 150 million years old, was found when a rock was cracked open, revealing the one-inch-long black ink sac.
The calcified ink was ground with a solution of ammonia to turn it into ink.
Another article.
Clive Robinson • August 22, 2009 5:02 AM
So if the calcified ink sack was ground up with ammonia to get the ink back…
What do you have to use to get your calamari back?
I must admit I’ve had one or two late suppers where the squid rings have tasted as though they have been foissilised so maybe somebody already knows…
Clive Robinson • August 22, 2009 5:09 AM
@ Bruce,
On an off topic note,
Have you seen this NYTimes artical on malware “realtime sending” of “securid” numbers so bank accounts etc can be empted?
Some times I just wish the banks etc would wake up to the fact that each and every transaction and it’s contents needs to be properly authenticated to both parties not just user authentication at sign on etc.
moo • August 23, 2009 7:34 PM
Off-topic:
http://thedailywtf.com/Articles/The-Longest-Yard-and-a-Half.aspx
A funny security story about a tech guy trying to pick up a security pass to allow him to get into the part of a government building where he was supposed to work.
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Sidebar photo of Bruce Schneier by Joe MacInnis.
Matt Simmons • August 21, 2009 11:11 PM
They actually attempt to apply statistics to the odds of finding an intact ink sack, too.
They said 1 billion to one. Sounds scientific to me!
And yes, this is awesome. Probably not as cool as finding feathers on velociraptors, but still, we know that the ink sack isn’t something new that the critters evolved up.