After Armageddon: Strasburg, Colorado, 65.5 Million Years Ago

Early Paleocene (65.5 Million years ago)(Denver Formation). This scene is 500 years after the end of the Cretaceous. A significant amount of life both marine and on-land died after the large meteorite impact in Mexico. These plants represent the earliest plants that began to evolve after the impact. This scene is along the west bank of West Bijou Creek, south of Strasburg, Colorado

Plants depicted: Paranymphaea crassifolia, misc. ferns
Animal depicted: unnamed species of alligator

This preliminary version is part of a joint project between the Interactive Geology Project at the University of Colorado Boulder and the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. The nature paintings at the Colorado Convention Center and Denver Museum of Nature and Science are being animated.

From the painting "After Armegeddon" (Colorado Convention Center), and "Finally, the Rockies" (DMNS Ancient Denvers exhibit)(courtesy Kirk Johnson and Jan Vriesen). A special thanks to James Hagadorn and Ian Miller (DMNS) for their input.

Scene by Joseph Rogers.

http://igp.colorado.edu
Geologic age: 65.5Ma