-
Chinese Cretaceous fossil highlights avian evolution
Read more: Chinese Cretaceous fossil highlights avian evolutionPhys.org has a story about a newly identified extinct bird species. The 127 million year old bird lived in what is now northeastern China. Its name is Jinguoforis perplexus and it provides new information about avian development during the early evolution of flight. Details are provided in a paper published in PNAS. Drs. Wang Min, Thomas Stidham, and Zhou Zhonghe from the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology (IVPP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences reported their study of the well-preserved complete skeleton and feathers of this early bird in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). The…
-
The Story of Tiny, Thornton Colorado’s Torosaurus
Read more: The Story of Tiny, Thornton Colorado’s TorosaurusThe city of Thornton in Colorado, just north of Denver, has a website about their very own Torosaurus. The website details the whole story, from discovery, to extraction, to display in the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, concluding with the legacy of the affair. There’s even a YouTube video with more explanation. Denver Triceratops Turns Out to Be an “Extremely Rare” Torosaurus Fossil – 303 Magazine
-
Newly Discovered Tyrant Dinosaur Stalked Ancient New Mexico
Read more: Newly Discovered Tyrant Dinosaur Stalked Ancient New MexicoThe Smithsonian has a post about a new tyrannosaur. Its name is Dynamoterror and it lived about 80 million years ago in what is now New Mexico. The paper, published in PeerJ, describes the 30-foot-long meat eater, which probably snacked on hadrosaurs, armored dinosaurs, and ceratopsians that lived in the hot, humid, and lush forests and swamps that covered the southwestern U.S. at that time. The remains of Dynamoterror were found in New Mexico’s Menefee Formation in 2012 during an expedition led by Western Science Center paleontologist Andrew McDonald and CEO of the Zuni Dinosaur Institute for Geosciences, Douglas Wolfe.…
-
Reminder: ESCONI General Meeting on October 12th, 2018
Read more: Reminder: ESCONI General Meeting on October 12th, 2018The October General Meeting will be held on October 12th, 2018 at the College of Dupage, Room 1038B TEC in the Tech Ed building. The topic is “The Mazon Creek Cnidarian Essexella: The World Turned Upside Down” by Dr. Roy Plotnick from the University of Illinois – Chicago. See you all there!
-
October 2018 Junior Meeting is Friday, October 12th, 2018 at 7:00 PM
Read more: October 2018 Junior Meeting is Friday, October 12th, 2018 at 7:00 PMThe October 2018 Junior Meeting will be held on Friday, October 12th, 2018 at 7:00 PM, just before the General Meeting in TEC room 1038B at the College of DuPage. Here is a map.
-
Save the Date: ESCONI Holiday Party will be held on December 7th, 2018 5:30 to 7:30 PM
Read more: Save the Date: ESCONI Holiday Party will be held on December 7th, 2018 5:30 to 7:30 PMThe ESCONI Holiday Dinner has been scheduled at Cozymel’s in Wheaton for December 7, 2018 from 5:30 to 7:30 PM. The speaker for the meeting after dinner in Peter Makovicky of the Field Museum.
-
The LOESS Gem, Mineral, and Fossil Show is October 6th and 7th, 2018
Read more: The LOESS Gem, Mineral, and Fossil Show is October 6th and 7th, 2018The Lincoln Orbit Earth Science Society in Springfield, IL will hold its annual show on October 6th and 7th, 2018. Show times are 10 AM – 6 PM on Saturday and 10 AM – 5 PM on Sunday. They always put on a great show! Orr Building *Please note the new location*State FairgroundsSpringfield, Illinois Admission Adults $2.00 Seniors (65+) $1.00 FREE Admission for scouts in uniforms, 4-H groups, and Children 12 & under when accompanied by an adult.Below is a flier with a coupon for adults to get in free with a child.FeaturingFREE ParkingGreat foodFree fossil, mineral, & artifact…
-
ESCONI Events October 2018
Read more: ESCONI Events October 2018Field trips require membership, but visitors are welcome at all meetings! Sun, Oct 7th ESCONI Field Trip, 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM Airport Quarry in Rockford, IL – See details here Fri, Oct 12th ESCONI Junior Meeting, 7:00 PM College of Dupage – Tech Ed (TEC) Building, Room 1038B (Map) – Topic: TBA Fri, Oct 12th ESCONI General Meeting, 8:00 PM College of Dupage – Tech Ed (TEC) Building, Room 1038B (Map) – Topic: “The Mazon Creek Cnidarian Essexella: The World Turned Upside Down” by Dr. Roy Plotnick from the University of Illinois – Chicago Wed, Oct 17th National Fossil…
-
ESCONI Paleontology Meeting: Saturday, October 20th, 2018 – Show and Tell
Read more: ESCONI Paleontology Meeting: Saturday, October 20th, 2018 – Show and TellThe October Paleontology Meeting will be “Show and Tell”. Reminder: Wednesday, October 17th is National Fossil Day, so bring in some specimens and tell us some stories!
-
ScienceFriday: A Day With Fossil Hunters
Read more: ScienceFriday: A Day With Fossil HuntersScience Friday has a post about fossil hunting in Utah. Here is the related audio for the story. A team from Science Friday ventured out into the dusty canyons of Utah to see what it’s like to hunt for fossils. Out in the canyons of southeastern Utah, the arid August heat pricks at your skin. It’s a toasty 90 degrees Fahrenheit. When the wind picks up it only leaves you covered in a thin layer of fine dust. The loose rubble, fallen from the 200-million-year-old sandstone cliffs above crunch beneath your boots. And if you’re not careful with your steps,…
-
ESCONI Field Trip: Sunday, October 7th, 2018 to the Airport Quarry in Rockford, IL 10 AM to 1 PM
Read more: ESCONI Field Trip: Sunday, October 7th, 2018 to the Airport Quarry in Rockford, IL 10 AM to 1 PMThere will be a joint field trip with the Rock River Valley Gem & Mineral Society RRVGMS on October 7th, 2018. There is room 15 ESCONI members. The trip will be from 10 AM to 1 PM. There is no age limit. You will need to be a member of ESCONI or RRVGMS. Hard hats are required! You will need to complete an ESCONI field trip form which will be provided on site. Note: this is a sand and gravel quarry, not the usual hard rock quarry in Rockford. There are fossils, but they come from the glacial till. So,…
-
Palaeocast Episode 94: Joggins Fossil Cliffs
Read more: Palaeocast Episode 94: Joggins Fossil CliffsPalaeocast has a new episode. The topic is the Joggins Fossil Cliffs, which is a rich fossil deposit from the Carboniferous Period. The locality is in Nova Scotia, Canada and dates to about 300 million years ago, which makes it contemporary in time with Mazon Creek. There is a wide variety of fossils, both plants and animals (vertebrates and invertebrates). Basically, a whole ecosystem was preserved. The Carboniferous was a time of huge swampy forests, big trees, and lots of life both on land and in the ocean. One world-renowned fossil site from approximately 300 million years ago is the…
-
Earth Science Week – October 14th – 20th, 2018
Read more: Earth Science Week – October 14th – 20th, 2018Earth Science Week is from October 14th to 20th, 2018. All the details can be found here. There are materials for teachers, events in your area, and much, much more! Remember, Wednesday, October 17th, 2018 is National Fossil Day. There are ESCONI meetings bracketing this week… the General Meeting is October 12th and the Paleontology Study Group Meeting is October 20th. Come on out and get your earth science on!
-
PBS Eons: Did Raptorex Really Exist?
Read more: PBS Eons: Did Raptorex Really Exist?PBS Eons has a new video… Did Raptorex Really Exist? It discusses the controversy over when, where, and did Raptorex live.
-
National Fossil Day is Wednesday, October 17th 2019
Read more: National Fossil Day is Wednesday, October 17th 2019National Fossil Day is Wednesday, October 17th 2019. The official website is by the National Park Service. ESCONI will be having the Paleontology Meeting on Saturday, October 20th, 2019. The topic is still to be announced. There’s many events listed on the website. Check them out!
-
National Fossil Day is Wednesday, October 17th 2019
Read more: National Fossil Day is Wednesday, October 17th 2019National Fossil Day is Wednesday, October 17th 2019. The official website is by the National Park Service. ESCONI will be having the Paleontology Meeting on Saturday, October 20th, 2019. The topic is still to be announced. There’s many events listed on the website. Check them out!
-
National Fossil Day is Wednesday, October 17th 2019
Read more: National Fossil Day is Wednesday, October 17th 2019National Fossil Day is Wednesday, October 17th 2019. The official website is by the National Park Service. ESCONI will be having the Paleontology Meeting on Saturday, October 20th, 2019. The topic is still to be announced. There’s many events listed on the website. Check them out!
-
Reminder: September 2018 General Meeting is “The Origin of Crinoids” by Dr. Tom Guensburg of the Field Museum
Read more: Reminder: September 2018 General Meeting is “The Origin of Crinoids” by Dr. Tom Guensburg of the Field MuseumThe speaker at our September meeting will be Dr. Tom Guensburg, Research Associate at the Field Museum. The title of his program is “The Origin of Crinoids”. Don’t miss it!
-
Rock River Valley Gem & Mineral Society: Rock Swap on Saturday, September 15th, 2018
Read more: Rock River Valley Gem & Mineral Society: Rock Swap on Saturday, September 15th, 2018The Rock River Valley Gem & Mineral Society his holding a Rock Swap on Saturday, September 15th, 2018. Show Flyer Saturday September 17, 2016 6219 Forest Hills Road, Rockford, Illinois ODD FELLOWS HALL Bring it, Swap it, Buy it, and Sell it 9:30 am to 4:00 pm $20 space donation for 10ft by 10ft Rain or Shine Public Admission Free Sponsored by the Rock River Valley Gem & Mineral Society Contact Duane at 815-218-5011, rrvgms@gmail.com
-
ESCONI Field Trip: Sunday, September 30th, 2018 to Irene Quarry near Belvidere, Illinois 10 AM to 1 PM
Read more: ESCONI Field Trip: Sunday, September 30th, 2018 to Irene Quarry near Belvidere, Illinois 10 AM to 1 PMThere will be a field trip to the Irene Quarry near Belvidere, Illinois on Sunday, Sept 30, 2018, from 10AM to 1 PM. The rock is Ordovician, Galena Group. This is a “hard-rock” quarry (dolomite). If you like Hormotoma or Receptaculites, this is the place for you! The quarry has been active so there is new rock exposed. Rules: The address of the quarry is 4525 Irene Road, Belvidere, Illinois. I will distribute the waiver forms by email to those signed up just before the trip. Questions? Send me (fossil54@att.net) an email …
ESCONI Gem, Mineral, and Fossil Show
Most Recent Post
- PBS Eons: The Chaotic Race to Name T. rex
PBS Eons has a new episode. This one is about the controversial history of the name Tyrannosaurus rex.
- About ESCONI
- Around the Web
- Calendar of Events
- Code of Ethics and Conduct
- ESCONI Books for Sale
- ESCONI Gem, Mineral, and Fossil Show
- ESCONI in the News
- ESCONI Videos
- Field Trips
- Flashback Friday
- Fossil Friday
- Mazon Creek
- Mazon Monday
- Member Spotlight
- Membership Information
- Reference Material
- Throwback Thursday
- Trilobite Tuesday
Field trips require membership, but visitors are welcome at all meetings!
| Friday, April 10th | General Meeting – 8:00 PM via Zoom. Jessica Hull will present “Life in the Devonian Period, The Age of Fishes.” |
| Saturday, April 11th | Junior Study Group Meeting – 2:00 PM, in person at the College of DuPage Technical Education Center (TEC) Building – Room 1038A (Map). Katherine Howard will present on Sand and Sediment Collecting. Specifics of this meeting are available from Scott Galloway, 630-670-2591, gallowayscottf@gmail.com. |
| Saturday, April 18th | Paleontology Study Group – 7:30 PM via Zoom and in person at the College of DuPage, TEC, Room 1038B (Map). Keith Robitschek will present “Digging the Marl of the Lance Formation.” |
| No meeting this month | Mineralogy Study Group |
| No meeting this month | Junior Study Group |