Treasures at Boston's Prudential I never thought a mall could have anything this cool, but the treasures at the Prudential are beyond anything anyone could imagine. Walking around in my old neighborhood in Washington Heights helped train me to discover these hidden beauties: to avoid stepping in all that doggy-do, I had to constantly look down as I walked! So I looked down as I walked through the Pru -- and lo and behold! What did I see? Hundreds of ammonites staring up at me! Check 'em out the next time you're there!

They are all over the place. What a jackpot quarry the Pru builders hit! And the best part is . . . .

. . they're cephalopods! They're closest living descendant is the nautilus. With their swirling shells, from the outside they resemble snails. However, unlike snail shells, inside of the ammonite consists of distinct chambers. (You can see the chambers in some of the Prudential ammonite pictures here.) All of these creatures are molluscs. Apparently, both ammonites and nautiluses regulate the air in their chambers in order to float and swim. This page by Neale Monks of the Natural History Museum in South Kensington, London has a wonderful wealth of information on ammonites and nautiluses.

So even upon our man-made castles, Mother Nature leaves behind her indelible imprints.

  ¶ Monday, June 20, 2005