Everything about the discovery of a fossilized leatherback sea turtle in Alabama four years ago is fascinating. ⁠ ⁠ The findings of the never-before studied species were published in a study Friday, concluding (for now) a story that’s been millions of years in the making. The most recent chapter began in 2021, when a family in Alabama discovered the rock, and later recruited professionals to verify what they suspected was a monumental find. Adam and Adrienne Coleman frequently look for fossils with their two kids, Talah and Corey. They’ve fossil hunted for years, and in 2021, they were fishing the Alabama River while also scanning the banks. Under a dense canopy and below a 30-foot cliff, they spotted an SUV-sized boulder that was anything but ordinary. The find is significant because this particular species — a ridgeless leatherback sea turtle — had never been discovered before, which means the Coleman family discovered a new genus and a new species, albeit an extinct one.⁠ ⁠ Tap the ...