--- title: "Scientists Absolutely Thrilled to Find 150 Million Year Old Vomit" description: "As the saying goes, sort of: one being's 150 million year old pile of puked-out amphibian bones is another's scientific treasure." date: "2022-09-16" modified: "2022-09-16" authors: - name: "Maggie Harrison Dupré" job_title: "Senior Staff Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/mharrison" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/scientists-thrilled-50-million-year-old-vomit" categories: - "Science & Energy" tags: - "fossil" - "jurassic" - "paleontology" - "the digest" --- # Scientists Absolutely Thrilled to Find 150 Million Year Old Vomit ![As the saying goes, sort of: one being's 150 million year old pile of puked-out amphibian bones is another's scientific treasure.]() *\Image: Getty Images/Futurism\* ## Vom de Terre As the saying goes, sort of: one being's 150 million year old pile of puked-out amphibian bones is another's scientific treasure. Per a new study, [published in the journal *Palaios*](), a team of researchers have indeed recovered the fossilized remains of a prehistoric pile o' puke. And boy, are they happy about it — as they should be! It's a unique finding, and one that could reveal a lot about a fascinating region's ancient ecosystems. "I was so excited to have found this site, as Upper Jurassic plant localities are so rare," James Kirkland, a paleontologist and study co-author [told Utah's *KSL News*](). "We must now carefully dissect the site in search of more tiny wonders in among the foliage." ## Prehistoric Puke The Jurassic vomit was discovered on the [Morrison Formation](), a world-renowned paleontological site in the Western part of North America known for a host of Jurassic Age findings. What sets this finding apart, though, is that it doesn't just give scientists an understanding of *what* was in this bygone ecosystem — it provides a window into *how* the creatures in it may have interacted with one another. The researchers believe that the puker — or their "current suspect," as they told *KSL* — may have been some kind of ancient bowfin fish, which are known to throw up any recently-consumed snacks to distract or confuse their own predators. The unfortunate pukees, on the other hand, look to be prehistoric frogs and salamanders. These findings corroborate the belief that there was once a pond or small lake in the desert region. Maybe the coolest thing about this, though? This is all pretty normal stuff for animals to be up to. While the Earth and the beings in it have evolved over time, the way that those beings relate to each other maybe hasn't changed all that much. "There were three animals that we still have around today, interacting in ways also known today among those animals — prey eaten by predators and predators perhaps chased by other predators," John Foster, the curator of the Utah Field House of Natural History State Park Museum and study co-author, told *KSL*. "That itself shows how similar some ancient ecosystems were to places on Earth today." **READ MORE:** *[150M-year-old vomit found in Utah offers 'rare glimpse' into prehistoric ecosystems]()* \[*KSL News*\] **More on ancient remains:** [*Man Discovers 82-foot Dinosaur Skeleton in Backyard*]() ## Author At Futurism, I've reported extensively on the rise of AI as a cultural and business force shaping the media industry, and more broadly how those dynamics are changing how we all consume and share information and relate to one another. I'm also fascinated by public health policy and ethics, the role of emerging tech in politics and governance — and the powerful people and forces at those intersections — climate change, and the environment. My investigation on Sports Illustrated's use of AI-generated authors with fictional biographies won a 2024 Mirror Award for "Best Story on Media Coverage of Artificial Intelligence in Journalism and the Media" from Syracuse University's SI Newhouse School, I contributed to Niemen Lab's 2025 Predictions for Journalism series, and I've discussed my work for Futurism during appearances on NPR, CNN, the BBC, the CBC, and more. I grew up in rural Pennsylvania and attended the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where I played Division I field hockey for the Minutewomen as a midfielder. Since then, I've lived in New Orleans, Louisiana and Manhattan, New York. I spend my free time running, reading, perusing archival fashion, and searching for the world’s best negroni. I also have a debonair tuxedo cat, Westley, who's named after "The Princess Bride." ### Author social links [Bluesky]()