As we move content from the previous ESCONI web site to the new site, we want to keep information about some past general meetings. We look forward to more General Meetings like these:

“Ice Age Paleo Indian Cultures of the Great Lakes” by Scott Demel, Field Museum of Natural History, December 2008 General Meeting. In this presentation, Scott provided an overview and insights into parts of the new permanent exhibit, The Ancient Americas. We learned how the views about these Americans are changing what we thought we knew! Field Museum photo Geo-CK-46.1T, by John Weinstein.

“New Gem Exhibit at Field Museum of Natural History” by Fred Holstein, Exhibit Developer, Field Museum of Natural History.  November 2008 General Meeting.

Joel Palka, ESCONI member, presented “The Archeology of Unconquered Maya Territory and Sacred Geography.”, October 2008.  Joel is the author of Unconquered Lacandon Maya.

September 2008, Ancient Historical Sites of Great Britain by Don Cronauer

July – August 2008 – Vacation – no meeting

“Saber-tooth Cats” by Dr. Virginia Staples, Professor in Biology Studies at Northern Illinois University. June 2008 General Meeting. In the presentation, Virginia explained she is studying Smilodon fatalis from Rancho La Brea, the most famous of the  saber-tooths. She explained how she is not only comparing this animal to modern cats, but is also working with actual specimens, restoring the size, shape and position of the  muscles as a means of building a portrait of the animals. To do this work, she examines the skeletons of the fossil and living species, studies the soft tissue anatomy of living species, particularly the musculature. Once she understands how each muscle group contributes to the shape and movement  capabilities of the animal, she can compare those results to the same skeletal elements in the fossils. To represent Smilodon in three dimensions, Dr. Staples models the muscles using clay and sculpt the previously unknown face of a saber-tooth. 

May, 2008 – A Selection of My Favorites by Dan Behnke (Micromount Hall of Fame Photographer and ESCONI member)

 April 2008 – The Hundred Million Year Old Pennsylvanian Fossil Forest Near Danville, Illinois by Scott Elrick and John Nelson of the Illinois State Geological Survey

March 2008 – ESCONI Gem, Mineral and Fossil Show

“Fossil Insects of Mazon Creek” by Cary Easterday, Instructor and Assistant Curator, Northeastern Illinois University, February 2008 General Meeting.  Fossil insects have been reported at Mazon Creek for 143 years.  In fact, the first fossil animal described at Mazon Creek was an insect – Miamia bronsoni Dana, 1864.  Mazon Creek insects have been reported in dozens (hundreds?) of papers, journals, and books ever since then. Unfortunately, these papers are scattered, hard to find, and frequently confusing.  ‘The Richardson’s Guide to the Fossil Fauna of Mazon Creek (1997) provided some clarity; however, it focused on the more common insect groups and did not discuss most species.  Richardson (1953) provided the last detailed review of Mazon Creek insects, but many of the old species have been updated since then and many new species have been found.  The main purpose of the current research is to provide a clear picture of Mazon Creek insect diversity and abundance.  These data have been compiled from multiple sources in the past three years.  This is an ongoing project, but Cary will provide the most recent information, including a few surprises!

“Burpee Museum Discoveries” by Scot Williams, Collections Manager for Burpee Museum of Natural HIstory, January 2008 General Meeting. Scot entertained us with interesting stories and photographs on the museum’s latest additions to their collection, including Jane, the new 21-foot restored dinosaur.

“Iron Country Microminerals” by Dan Behnke, author and micro-mount photographer, June 2007. Wherever mineral deposits are found, mineral collectors are not far behind. As micro mineral collectors know the specimen material available from the Copper Country is well documented, but little has been written about the availability and variety of specimens found as micro crystals in the iron belts. Dan’s presentation sparked interest in the micro minerals from the Iron Country and explained that the variety of forms makes searching for them worthwhile.

Tyler Keillor, the paleo-artist who created the reconstruction of Tiktaalik, the transitional fish/amphibian fossil, which was found recently in the Canadian Arctic, spoke at the May, 2007 General Meeting.

“Dinosaur Fossil Preparation Techniques” by Bob Masek, April 2007 General Meeting. Bob is head fossil preparator at University of Chicago under Paul Sereno and former lead preparator of SUE. (Copyright photograph courtesy of Field Museum of Natural History.) 

 

“Trace Fossils and the Evolution of Animals” by Dr. Roy Plotnick who currently teaches geology and invertebrate paleontology at the University of Illinois at Chicago, February 2007. Dr. Plotnick will present a slide program about trace fossils.

“Pearls” by Jodie Diegel, Certified gemologist, January 2007.