Beneath the mud is a deposit of black shale made of sediment laid down earlier. Suddenly an earthquake stirs the bottom and muddies the water. We back off for a wider view. Volcanos erupt on the land to the west. As the years flash by, the dinosauers die out, leaving the earth to the small mammals which survive them.
Plants grow on the plain that was once the bottom of the sea, and develop into a forest.
The chemistry of the plants, the air, and the rain gradually turns the top of the black shale into rich red soil. About 37 million years ago, toward the end of the Eocene Epoch, mammals come into full flower, and we take a close look. To the west, in the direction of the young, vigorous Rockies, a great storm builds. It unleashes a torrent of water and mud which rushes down to flood this area. Many animals are trapped, die, and are buried.