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Current Event

Storms unearth hidden treasures and dangers
By Nick Tarver
BBC News
Storm composite
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Unexploded bombs, rare dinosaur fossils and an unknown boat wreck have been unearthed on England's beaches during the recent stormy weather. But what else could appear on our shores?

Pounding waves and high tides have led to the coastline being eroded and changed beyond recognition.

In the past month, World War Two bombs were washed-up on an Essex beach, a near-complete ichthyosaur skeleton was unearthed in Dorset and in Cornwall a boat wreck was discovered.

But why is this happening and what other hidden treasures - or dangers - are waiting to be revealed?

During the storms, mighty rock stacks and arches have been reduced to rubble, but for some there is a silver-lining to the destruction.

David Sear, who is a professor of geography at the University of Southampton, said: "Storms are disastrous and horrible for many people - but in the cold light of day there's some interesting stuff that's revealed."

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How storms uncover wrecks

Canon from Mary Rose
Toby Gane, from the coast and maritime team at Wessex Archaeology, explained why objects are discovered after a storm:

"In certain areas there are different seabed environments - some of these are unsupportive to the survival of wreck sites.

"So where you have high energy environments and a rocky bottom, the wreck can degrade quickly and leave little evidence.

"But where you have a sufficient covering of seabed sediment, particularly where this is stable and low in oxygen, you have the potential for wreck material to be preserved for long periods.

"A classic example of this would be the Mary Rose.

"When you get these storm events, not only on the shore line but out in deeper water as well, you get movement of...

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