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Ice Age Fossils Unearthed At Carlsbad Construction Site

Workers discovered ice age fossils at a construction site in Carlsbad in this undated photo.
The San Diego Natural History Museum
Workers discovered ice age fossils at a construction site in Carlsbad in this undated photo.
Ice Age Fossils Unearthed At Carlsbad Construction Site
Ice Age Fossils Unearthed At Carlsbad Construction Site GUEST:Tom Deméré, curator of paleontology, San Diego Natural History Museum

New construction in Carlsbad is inadvertently giving San Diego County scientists a window into the region’s ancient past.

In July, a number of ice-age fossils were unearthed at the Quarry Creek development site south of state Route 78. They include bones from a Columbian mammoth and an ancient bison.

“It’s amazing what occurs under our feet here in San Diego extending back 140 million years here in the coastal region," said Tom Deméré, curator of paleontology for the San Diego Natural History Museum.

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Deméré said the discoveries may be able to tell us a great deal about the climate and the environment of San Diego County as far back as 200,000 years ago.

"San Diego has a really rich paleontological record," Demérétold KPBS Midday Edition on Wednesday.