18 Jan 2012

Darwin fossils rediscovered in UK

9:56 am on 18 January 2012

Fossils collected by Charles Darwin have been rediscovered in an old cabinet at the headquarters of the British Geological Survey.

The collection of fossil plants on slides had remained untouched for more than 150 years, the ABC reports.

A paleontologist, Howard Falcon-Lang, says he found an old wooden cabinet in a gloomy corner and when he looked inside, one of the first fossils he found had the words "C Darwin, Esquire" attached.

The slides were made by polishing fossil plants into thin glass sheets.

They will be made available to the public on a new online museum.