Youngest archeologist: Emily Baldry sets world record (Video) Chippenham, England -- Emily Baldry, five, from Chippenham, south-west England, dug up a 160-million-year-old rare fossil: a 130lb (59kg), 40cm Rieneckia odysseus fossi,l during her first organised dig , setting the world record for the Youngest archeologist, according to World Record Academy (www.worldrecordacademy.com). Photo: Emily Baldry, the World's Youngest Archeologist, with the rare Rieneckia Odysseus ammonite. (enlarge photo)
The Guinness world record for the youngest university professor was set by Alia Sabur (USA, b. 22 February 1989), who was appointed as a full-time faculty Professor of the Department of Advanced Technology Fusion at Konkuk University, Seoul, South Korea, aged 18 years 362 days.
Guinness World Records also recognized the world record for the youngest ever astronomer to discover an asteroid, set by 18-year old Luigi Sannino (Italy).
The fossil, which has been identified as a deepwater ammonite known as Rieneckia (Collotia) odysseus, dates back 162.8 million years to the Jurassic Period.
"I have got lots of different fossils now, and can't wait to go fossil hunting again" said Emily, now aged six, according to the Cotswold Water Park - a wildlife haven and activity centre - website.
Her father Jon Baldry said, "It's great that Emily has got the fossil hunting bug, she has been very excited by all of this - let's hope her expectations have not been set too high after this amazing find!"
Dr Neville Hollingworth, who was leading the fossil hunt, said, "This ammonite is a very, very rare specimen, as only fragments of this type have been found previously in the UK."
After painstakingly being restored, the fossil was put on display at the Gateway Information Centre, near Cirencester.
