ANCIENT SEASHELLS UNDER ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT PROVE TO BE STRIKINGLY COLORED - NOT DRAB AT ALL!

DISCOVERY - ANCIENT SEASHELLS SPORTED FLASHY COLORS  by Jennifer Viegas

Hendricks cleverly placed the drab-looking old shells under ultraviolet light. In doing so, the organic matter remaining in the shells, which date to 6.6–4.8 million years ago, became visible. It revealed the original coloration patterns of the shells that encased the large marine snails.

Using this technique, Hendricks was able to view and document the coloration patterns of 28 different cone shells, 13 of which are now suspected to be new species. One of the most striking examples was a polka-dotted shell. This unmistakable pattern is thought to be extinct among modern cone snails.

(Hendricks is a geologist)