what is this ?

[almost50]

Found in wooded area in back yard, any idea what this rock like formation could be ?. The other side looks almost identical to this side. forgive me if the attachment does not work as this is my first attempt in a forum.

 

[taz42o]

Are you near the ocean? It looks like brain coral.

 

[GaRebel1861]

Welcome to Treasure Net. I'm not very knowledgeable with fossils but, it looks a piece of Brain Coral to me. You found this near the sea?

 

[ohiowhiteguy]

i agree with taz...some type of coral...

 

[Cruisin]

It's brain coral. You don't have to be near the sea to find it. Someone could have brought it home & put it in the back yard. I do this kind of thing all the time. I have 2 pieces of coral in the yard right now & I'm in the Sierra's.
Also, it could be fossilized & from a time when the land you are on was under water. I'm betting on the first option!

 

[Viminacium]

Coral for sure.

 

[almost50]

Thank you all for your quick responses, I do not live near the ocean. I agree that it was probably put there. Now I'll check out what brain coral is. It is cool looking though, we will add it to our rock and mineral collection.

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

I used to be a scuba diver, including diving in tropical oceans, so I'm familiar with what you found. I've got several immature (small) examples of it, as souvenirs I found on diving trips to the Caribbean. Here's your answer about brain coral.

"Brain" coral is the nickname given to that particular species of coral for two reasons:
1- When that species grows to its massive (several feet wide) fully-mature size, its form is an oval-shaped rounded-top dome, like a brain.
2- The curving ridges/channels across its surface make it very closely resemble the surface of the human brain.