Month: November 2011
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Gold Rush In Wisconsin?
Via Milwaukee Journal Sentinal: There’s gold in Marathon County, and a Michigan-based company is returning to the woods this winter for more prospecting in the hope of striking it big. As mining has taken a higher profile in Wisconsin in 2011, mineral exploration company Aquila Resources Inc. has quietly become the most active player in…
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Geology Tattoo and Other Scientific Tattooes As Well
Via Guardian – What lurks beneath a scientist’s lab coat? A surprising number of scientists are sporting tattoos related to their trade. Carl Zimmer explores the stories behind the ink… –
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Shopping for Secret Santa Gift for Friday Party
The ESCONI Holiday party is this Friday. We will continue our tradition of a Secret Santa gift exchange. This grab bag is optional. If you want to participate, please make sure that your gift is earth science related, has a value of $15.00 and is labeled “male” or “female” if it is a gender specific…
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Have You Called in Your RSVP for the Holiday Party?
Just a reminder – remember to send or call in your RSVP for the ESCONI Holiday party on Friday, 12/2, 5:30 – 7:30 pm If you would like to attend the Holiday Party, please RSVP by December 1st to Rob Sula (630) 236-9695 e-mail: sulasaurus@comcast.net.
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Interview With Rob Sula on Paleo Artwork for Lizzadro Museum
Rob Sula wears many hats – paleontologist, teacher and artist (and ESCONI Vice President). I recently caught up with him to talk about his latest art installation at the Lizzadro Museum. Dianna Lord: How did your project get started? Rob Sula: In September I was approached by Dorothy Asher, the Director of the Lizzadro Museum…
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Fishing 42,000 Years Ago
Humans Were Catching Tuna 42K Years Ago Humans were expert deep-sea fishermen as far back as 42,000 years ago, hauling in tuna, sharks and barracudas, new research suggests. Fish appeared in the human diet about 1.9 million years ago. Early catchers waded into freshwater lakes and streams without the need for boats or complex tools.…
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Gift Ideas: Display Cases
A great gift idea for yourself or that special person – a display case sold by GEMO for your collection.
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Have You Sent In Your RSVP for Holiday Party?
Just a reminder – remember to send or call in your RSVP for the ESCONI Holiday party on Friday, 12/2, 5:30 – 7:30 pm If you would like to attend the Holiday Party, please RSVP by December 1st to Rob Sula (630) 236-9695 e-mail: sulasaurus@comcast.net.
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Events for December 2011
Sat. 12/10 Mineralogy and Micromount Study Group. 7:30 p.m. College of Dupage, Building K, Rm 161. Wild and wacky holiday mineral identification contest! Bring three mineral specimens to be included in the identification contest, and any favorite holiday treats you like. NO ARCHAEOLOGY or PALEO STUDY GROUP MEETING in DECEMBER
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Death by Ice – Who Knew It Could Be So Quick?
One way to create the environment for a fossil to develop (must watch video upon clicking link). “A bizarre underwater “icicle of death” has been filmed by a BBC crew. With timelapse cameras, specialists recorded salt water being excluded from the sea ice and sinking. The temperature of this sinking brine, which was well below…
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Diamond Production in US
Geology.com has written an informative and interesting piece on diamond production in the US.
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New Well Preserved Find of Baby Protoceraops
Via ABC News: Jennifer ViegasDiscovery News Scientists have discovered a 70-million-year-old nest filled with the remains of baby protoceraops dinosaurs. The nest of 15 juvenile Protoceratops andrewsi dinosaurs provides clues about the dinosaurs’ early behaviour…
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X-Ray Scan Shows New Fossils
Via PlanetEarth Online: A remarkably complete record of a prehistoric seabed ecosystem of a kind never discovered before has been revealed with X-ray scanning. A paper in Geology gives the first account of the plentiful and exceptionally well-preserved organisms from the Ordovician period that have been found in the Llanfawr Mudstones near Llandrindod Wells in…
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Earth Science Things to Do Today 11/19
Lizzadro Museum has a public opening for their Rock & Mineral Experience November 19th (10 a.m. to 5 p.m.) Free Admission! Also, they are having a lapidary day too! Learn how gemstone jewelry is made and the types of lapidary art with members of the West Suburban Lapidary Club. See demonstrations of cabochon cutting, faceting, silversmithing,…
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Texas Drought Exposing Sites of Interest to Archaeologists
From OAOnline: Dried-up bodies of water are producing some hidden historical treasures, according to the Texas Historical Commission, but so far, no such finds have been reported in West Texas. Director of the Archeology Division for the THC Pat Mercado-Allinger said since the recent drought has taken its toll on the lakes and reservoirs in…
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How Geologists Are Using Google+
Ron Schott in his blog explains how to record a Hangout using Google+.
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Artists from U of Chicago Working in the Sciences
From University of Chicago a nice article about artists from U of C who work in paleo art, including Tyler Keillor. …The combination of important paleontological finds and skillful artists has made UChicago a fruitful place for scientific illustrators to ply their craft…
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Gift Ideas: Fossil Wood Calendar
Elisabeth Wheeler, Professor Emerita, N.C. State University, paleobotanist specializing in studying fossil woods, created a beautiful calendar for 2012 “Plants With A Past. Inside Ancient Woods” The calendar shows the distinctive anatomy of fossil trees from Big Bend National Park, Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, Ginkgo Petrified Forest State Park, John Day Fossil Beds National…
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ESCONI Holiday Party
ESCONI ANNUAL HOLIDAY PARTY It is time to celebrate the holiday season with our annual ESCONI get together. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2nd, 2011 5:30 to 7:30 pm Greek Islands Restaurant 300 E. 22nd St. Lombard IL 60148 www.greekislands.net (630) 932-4545 If you would like to attend the Holiday Party, please RSVP by December 1st to Rob…
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600 AD Bronze Artifact Found in Alaska
Sent in by Floyd Rogers – From AP, which includes an interesting photo of item. A research team is attempting to discover the origin of a cast bronze artifact excavated from an Inupiat Eskimo home site believed to be about 1,000 years old. The artifact resembles a small buckle, researchers from the University of Colorado…
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Sun Drop Diamond
via geology.com: A 110-carat vivid yellow, pear-shaped diamond that was mined in South Africa will be auctioned next week in Geneva. It is expected to bring up to $15 million. YouTube Video.
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Events for 2nd Half of November 2011
Sat. 11/19 Paleontology Study Group. 7:30 p.m. College of Dupage, Building K, Rm 161. Michael Paine presents on Niagra fossils. NO ARCHAEOLOGY MEETING in NOVEMBER Fri. 12/2 Holiday Dinner 5:30 (see below) General and Board Meeting. 8:00 p.m. College of Dupage, Building K, Rm 161. Jack MacRae, a naturalist at the Willowbrook Wildlife Center,…
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How Active is New Madrid Fault in Midwest?
Via Scientific American: …the quake-maker is hardly noticeable: the only sign is a 3-meter-high bump. “You don’t see much of a fault,” snorts Stein, a geophysicist at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, who has studied the region for the past 20 years. To Stein, the lack of anything substantial to photograph is one of several…
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Mazon Creek Fossils: Dinner With Dr. Frederick R. Schram by Mary Fairchild
Rob Sula, Dr. Frederick R. Schram, Jack Wittry, Jim Fairchild.–August, 2011. The Mazon Creek site is very significant because of the diversity of life compared to other Lagerstatten. Frederick R. Schram (2) In August, ESCONI members Rob and Sondra Sula, Jack and Charlene Wittry, and Jim and I met with Dr. Frederick Schram at the Two Brothers…
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Tonight – Microphotograhy of Minerals from Clark Mines
Sat. 11/12 Mineralogy and Micromount Study Group. 7:30 p.m. College of Dupage, Building K, Rm 161. Dan Behnke presents microphotography of specimens collected from Clark Mines. Promise – gorgeous photographs – will see minerals and rocks at their most beautiful. Will amaze.
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Wisconsin Landslide
Via The Journal Times: Nov. 1: A super-saturated type of ash – used to help fill in a ravine more than 50 years ago at a We Energies power plant – may have triggered a massive landslide there Monday, sending that hazardous material and others funneling into Lake Michigan…
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Review of Reading the Rocks
NOVA Geoblog reviews Reading The Rocks: I recently read the excellent book Reading the Rocks, by Marcia Bjornerud. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in their planet. I think it’s an equally good choice for professionals and interested amateurs. The book works on several levels. It’s lyrically written, with an economy of flourishes,…
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Horner Interview
From Wired: John “Jack” R. Horner is the Curator of Paleontology, Museum of the Rockies and Regents Professor, Montana State University. Dr. Horner discovered the first dinosaur eggs in the Western Hemisphere, first evidence of parental care among dinosaurs
