North Shore - Meeting & talk: Tears of the Gods - the History and Science of Amber

Daniel Bickel from the Australian Museum will review the history, occurrence and study of amber.

Amber has fascinated people since prehistoric times and has long been traded from sources along the Baltic Sea.  As well as being admired and used in jewellery, amber is of great scientific interest as it provides a clear window to past life. Being the hardened and fossilised resin of ancient trees, amber frequently contains inclusions of trapped animals and plants, where tiny insects and delicate floral structures can be seen in exquisite detail. Amber therefore is a great source of information about both the evolution and distribution of major biotic groups and past environments generally.

Within the last 20 years, significant amber deposits have been discovered in Australia. These include (Miocene?) Cape York amber, washed up on remote beaches, and Cretaceous and Paleocene deposits from Victoria and Tasmania.

All welcome.

7.30 for 8.00 pm start.

Plant sales prior, from 7:45 pm. Cash only, please bring change. Refreshments afterwards.

The NSG Botanical library is also available for members to browse and borrow items.