A living fossil, sea turtles still nest up and down the busy and
overbuilt South Florida coast and travel past our shores
throughout the year. The various species of ocean roaming turtle
are approximately 200-300 million years old but because they lay
their eggs on our beaches, scientists are able to closely study
the nomadic animals. For this reason, and with modern techniques
such as satellite tagging, we can occasionally glimpse closely
into their mysterious lives. Tucked away on a high shelf in the
collections room of the Museum of Science is a startlingly
unique rock specimen. It is white with long jutting crystal arms
and made of a fragile mineral called calcite. The piece looks
like it comes from completely different planet.