Word: spore
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Dates: during 1980-1989
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...oilmen, they mean hefty savings in exploration costs, since fern fossils will indicate at what depths oil is likely to be found. Fern spores, very common in fossil records, are used to date the age of rocks below the earth's surface. Since scientists know that rocks of a certain age-or depth-are more likely to contain oil than others, fern-spore dating can help them decide whether to drill deeper to find...
Since a higher grade coal will contain different fern spores than a lower grade coal, identifying the type of spore will indicate to coalmen the quality of their deposit...
While Rolla Tryon is the professor. Alice has not been content to play second fiddle. Aside from her pioneer work in fern-spore research, she has set precedents-initially by becoming the first woman member of New England's foremost association of botanists-the New England Botanists Club, then by becoming, in 1978, its first woman president...
...enough in their roles to move unself-consciously. Thomas Derrah as Lucio, Claudio's friend, offers the only consistently sympathetic character. Lucio is the literal devil's advocate, the very personification of human frailty. Derrah makes Lucio every bit as enjoyable as he should be, without sacrificing believability. Richard Spore also does an extremely fine job as an absolute caricature, the simpleton constable Elbow...
...characters as sharply as possible, giving each a few eccentricities pronounced enough for easy reference. The servants in particular benefit from the chance to present more than awkward carbon copies of the principals: John Bottoms as Mr. Snake displays: diabolical shuffle and sneer, while the faithful retainer Rowley (Richard Spore) has been so sharply characterized--his hands, legs, voice and cane tremble constantly--that at times he is barely comprehensible...