Wednesday, June 29, 2016

Watch it, then see it!


What do these two places have in common?

I'll give you a hint.

One is a picture of NYC. The other is Zion National Park in Utah.

Still confused?

Isn't it obvious? The correct answer is: I've been there!!

Actually, they have something else in common: both have geology that tell about the story of our continent. Completely different parts of the story, mind you, but parts that are well knitted together by a special that PBS just aired tonight. Highly recommend that you watch it, by the way. PBS, I think, tends to do a pretty phenomenal job with their illustrations and video. It makes the science very approachable.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/earth/making-north-america.html#north-america-origins

Let me just say that things get really interesting when you start seeing more and more places that you've been on geology/paleontology TV specials.Its one thing to see these places on TV. But you really have to explore them for yourself to understand their vastness. On foot, by my preferences, with a camera.

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My Story (Very briefly...)

Lots of people claim that they wanted to be paleontologists at the age of 3. So did I. The problem is, I never really grew out of it. My third birthday party had dinosaurs. Everywhere. I grew up digging in fossil dirt from Aurora, NC, looking for coral and shark teeth. I practically lived at my local science museums (and still do, only now I get to do research, fossil preparation, and work in collections!) When local paleontologists discovered a dinosaur with a "fossilized heart" (no longer considered such) when I was little, I got to meet the man who led the work. And then, years later a dinosaur bone with soft tissue turned up. I was officially hooked.
No longer was I dreaming about dinosaurs. I was actively pursuing the science behind prehistoric creatures. I didn't want to read about it, I wanted in on the action. So I started working at the museum, and finally going on my own adventures. And thus, I needed a place to share them and maybe inspire others the way I was inspired. I have gone from watching fossils be prepared from one side of the glass at the museum to working on them on the inside of the glass. I am a student working toward my goal. I can finally start to call myself a paleontologist.