Clay and shells from algae
 
Where Mors is now situated, there was only sea 55 million years ago. On the bottom of the sea, a sedimentation of clay and enormous amounts of tiny diatoms took place.

Diatoms are eukaryotic algae, which sink to the bottom of the sea when they have finished flowering. All in all, a layer of clay and algae was created, which was approx. 60 metres deep. The process of creating this layer took 3 million years. In the moler, 110 species of diatoms can be found; the largest are the size of a pinhead (a diameter of 0.2 mm), and the smallest are the size of a pinpoint (a diameter of 0.02-0.04 mm).

179 volcanic eruptions

In the slopes of the northern part of Mors, black striae in the moler can be seen very clearly. They were made from the ashes from prehistoric volcanic eruptions, and if you count the striae of ash you will come to the conclusion that there have been at least 179 large or small eruptions from the volcanoes that were here millions of years ago. You can also see how the entire landscape has since been folded and formed by the enormous natural forces of the ice each time it moved across Jutland during the ice ages.

World record in crystals

In the moler of the northern part of Mors you can find the largest and best preserved fossilized Ikait-crystals in the world. The largest one is 1 metre long, but several other well-preserved crystals have been found, all of which are displayed in the Moler Museum.

Fossils of fish and birds

Turtles, fish, mussels, snails, birds, insects, and many other animals could be found in and around the moler sea – along with trees and other plants. All of them can be seen today as well-preserved fossils in the moler. Denmark’s largest fossilized tree trunk has been found here. The well-preserved tree trunk measures 8.5 metres. A large number of insects have been found here, for instance cockroaches, grasshoppers, cicadas, butterflies, and giant ants; and all of these fossils are 55 million years old!