Imagine going out for a quiet stroll and unexpectedly unearthing remnants of a prehistoric meal—one dating back 66 million years. This remarkable event occurred to Peter Bennicke, an amateur fossil enthusiast from Denmark, who stumbled upon fossilized vomit, known scientifically as regurgitalite, on his walk at the Stevns Klint Coastal Cliffs, south of Copenhagen. This site, rich with geological significance, is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site, enhancing the excitement surrounding Bennicke’s find.
Bennicke initially noticed unusual fragments embedded within chalk. Curious about his discovery, he took the pieces to the Museum of East Zealand, where experts determined the fragments to be part of fossilized vomit. The vomit contained remnants of sea lilies, which are not easily digestible, hinting at the dietary habits of ancient creatures from the Cretaceous period.
Jesper Milàn, a paleontologist associated with the Geomuseum Faxe, lauded the discovery as “truly an unusual find,” emphasizing its contribution to our comprehension of ancient food chains. He elaborated, stating, “Sea lilies are not particularly nutritious; they consist mainly of calcareous plates held together by soft parts. Here was probably some kind of fish, 66 million years ago, eating sea lilies found at the bottom of the Cretaceous sea and regurgitating the skeletal parts.” The discovery suggests the fish may have been opportunistic feeders, consuming whatever was available and indicating complex interactions within ancient ecosystems.
The museum issued a press release underscoring the importance of such finds. “This type of find … is considered very important when reconstructing past ecosystems because it provides important information about which animals were eaten by which,” the release stated. Clearly, this vomit is not just any fossil; it serves as a unique window to the past.
The presence of sea lilies within the fossil raises intriguing questions about the predator-prey dynamics of the Cretaceous period. Historically, scientists have often overlooked trace fossils like vomit, feces, or bite marks. Milàn added, “This discovery tells us something about who was eating who 66 million years ago.” Unraveling these relationships helps paleontologists understand the organization of the food chain where dinosaurs roamed the land with creatures like Tyrannosaurus and Velociraptor shortly before the cataclysmic events led to their extinction.
Interestingly, Milàn hypothesizes the vomiter was likely not just any fish, but perhaps a bottom-dwelling shark, characterized by its less specialized teeth. “Lilies aren’t particularly great to eat because they are almost only skeleton,” he stated, which leads to the thought-provoking idea of how marine evolution responded to food availability over millions of years.
This incredible find is classified under the Danish term “Danekræ,” referring to significant natural historical objects discovered within the country. By law, all Danekræ must be handed over to natural history museums, allowing the public access to these treasures. This fossilized vomit is set to be displayed at the Geomuseum Faxe, where visitors will have the opportunity to see what Milàn humorously describes as “the most famous piece of puke in the world.”
While this vomit may claim fame, it’s important to note it’s not the oldest known regurgitalite. The record belongs to 160-million-year-old ichthyosaur vomit discovered back in 2002. Nonetheless, this fossil enhances our grasp of the marine world’s dynamics during the Cretaceous period, demonstrating just how valuable such discoveries can be.
The Stevns Klint site continues to yield discoveries about prehistoric life, illustrating the diverse and complex nature of ancient marine ecosystems. Each new find enriches our narrative of the eons past, and as researchers examine the intricacies of these ancient relationships, they inch closer to painting a vivid and accurate portrait of life millions of years ago. Who knew vomit—albeit ancient—could offer such insights? With each tantalizing discovery, scientists are reminded of the eccentricities of nature’s past and the stories waiting to be uncovered.