The petrified wood is the said to be one-of-a-kind fossilized tree remains

Aug 13, 2014 19:51 GMT  ·  By
210-million-year-old piece of wood proves to be one-of-a-kind fossilized tree remains
   210-million-year-old piece of wood proves to be one-of-a-kind fossilized tree remains

Following extensive research, a team of scientists found that a piece of wood that served as a doorstop for about 3 decades proved to actually be one-of-a-kind 210-million-year-old fossilized tree remains.

The piece of wood, a photo of which is available next to this article, was left behind by a tree belonging to an ancient species dubbed Agathoxylon arizonicum, Live Science informs.

What makes it unique is the fact that it shows signs of having been damaged during a forest fire that occurred millions of years ago. It is the only piece of wood sporting a fossilized fire scar to have until now been discovered.

For those unaware, such scars form when a tree damaged by fire attempts to heal itself. As part of this process, new wood starts growing over the burned region. The result is a unique pattern of growth rays.

What's more, the petrified piece of wood shows signs of stunted growth in the years immediately after the fire, when resources were scare, and rapid development during the period when resources once again became abundant.

Information shared with the public says that, before being labeled as one-of-a-kind fossilized tree remains, this piece of wood was used as a doorstop for a nuclear physicist by the name Cleo Byers.

It was the scientist's son, Bruce Byers, who, after spending some time with fire ecology researchers, figured out that there was more to this piece of wood than met the eye. A team of specialists later confirmed his suspicions.

Bruce Byers claims that he and his father found the piece of wood while hiking in Utah. Since the fossilized tree remains were found on national forest land, the nuclear physicist and his son did not break the law by removing them.