32-million-year old sea turtle fossil discovered in south Alabama

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ( WBRC ) - The Alabama Gulf Coast touts some of the country’s most beautiful beaches. But did you know much of the state used to be completely underwater?

McWane Science Center recently collected a new fossil that tells us more about the ancient climates of Alabama and how our history can better inform our future.

Paleontologist Jun Ebersole runs the collections department at McWane Science Center, where there is no shortage of ancient life to study.

“A lot of people don’t realize that Alabama is the number one state in the US for fossils,” says Ebersole. “Just about anywhere you go in the state, you can find them. And so, it just so happens, rivers are a great place to go looking for fossils, because mother nature is washing away the dirt, breaking down the rocks.”