Tag: Chicago
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Throwback Thursday #305: The Sinclair Dinosaurs at the New York World’s Fair in 1964-1965
This is Throwback Thursday #305. In these, we look back into the past at ESCONI specifically and Earth Science in general. If you have any contributions, (science, pictures, stories, etc …), please send them to esconi.info@gmail.com. Thanks! email:esconi.info@gmail.com. The Sinclair Oil company was formed by Harry Sinclair in 1916. The dinosaur known as “Dino” first appeared…
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Throwback Thursday #289: Happy 200th Birthday, Erie Canal!
The Chicago Sun Times ran an interesting piece about the Erie Canal about the 200th birthday of the Erie Canal on October 26th, 2025. The article was written by by Neil Steinberg, a Sun Times Columnist. Steinberg states the Erie Canal was the most significant event in the history of Chicago.
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BeHistoric: The Great Chicago Portage
Brian and Joyce of the Youtube channel BeHistoric have a fascinating episode about the “Great Chicago Portage”. They layout the history from the Ice Age to the Native American peoples through to modern times. In this video documentary (#89), we explore the great Chicago Portage, used for hundreds or even thousands of years by indigenous…
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This Dinosaur Had Feathers and Probably Flew Like a Chicken
The New York Times has an article about the Chicago Archaeopteryx. The Field Museum unveiled the its Archaeopteryx in the Spring of 2024. Since then, the fossil has been revealing its secrets… some of them were published recently in the journal Nature. Archaeopteryx specimens have, “maybe more than any other fossil, changed the way that…
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What prehistoric creatures roamed Chicago?
WBEZ Chicago muses about “what prehistory creatures roamed Chicago”… No dinosaur, at least not non-avian dinosaurs, but many other wondrous plants and animals! A group of third and fourth graders from Urban Prairie Waldorf School in the city’s Pilsen neighborhood asked Curious City if dinosaurs ever walked in Chicago. The unsatisfying answer: we don’t know for sure.…
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More on the Chicago Archaeopteryx
More about the new Chicago Archaeopteryx, This is the unveiling which happened on May 7th, 2024. It includes a great video of Paleornithologist Jingmai O’Connor describing the animal and its acquisition. More links…
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Throwback Thursday #196: Field Museum Photos – Columbian Museum of Chicago
This is Throwback Thursday #196. In these, we look back into the past at ESCONI specifically and Earth Science in general. If you have any contributions, (science, pictures, stories, etc …), please send them to esconi.info@gmail.com. Thanks! Today, we look back at the Columbian Museum of Chicago, which is now called the Field Museum. It…
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Throwback Thursday #121: The Chicago Portage
This is Throwback Thursday #121. In these, we look back into the past at ESCONI specifically and Earth Science in general. If you have any contributions, (science, pictures, stories, etc …), please send them to esconi.info@gmail.com. Thanks! Ever wonder why Chicago is Chicago? It’s all about a small piece of land now called the “Chicago…
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TheOnion: Chicago Field Museum Director Uses Titanosaur Skull To Hold Parking Space In Snow
From The Onion, we have this… Chicago Field Museum Director Uses Titanosaur Skull To Hold Parking Space In Snow https://bit.ly/3cK9hJr
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Roy Plotnick: Exploring Chicago’s Geoheritage
Roy Plotnick has a new post over on Medium. This one is about the Chicago’s rich geological history. There is a list of significant sites near Chicago that can be visited easily… even during a pandemic. I recently participated in a workshop on America’s Geoheritage. What is geoheritage? One definition is that this an area with…
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Roy Plotnick: Looking back, looking forward: Chicago and the Anthropocene
Our friend, Roy Plotnick has a new article over on Medium. This one is a summary of the changes to the natural geology of Chicago from the last ice age about 20,000 years ago until the present. As always, it’s a good read! About 20,000 years ago, where I am sitting in Chicago was covered…
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Fossil tour of Chicago skyscrapers August 9 and September 13
From dabble, there is a paleontological tour of Chicago skyscrapers a few times this summer. The next dates are Sunday, August 9, and Sunday, September 13: https://dabble.co/chicago/science/classes/fossils-the-magnificent-mile-with-peter-kaplan ESCONI members are welcome to attend but please RSVP. If you prefer to do a self-guided tour, a .pdf of the guide booklet can be provided. Raise your…
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Talk by Alan Hodgkinson On Gemstone Identification
Hat tip D. Lovely! October 15, 2012 6:00 pm Jewelers Center 18th Fl. 5 So. Wabash Ave. Chicago, Illinois Today, often sophisticated equipment is needed in the identification of gemstones and diamonds. One of the most underused and misused pieces of equipment is the polariscope. In this enlightening presentation, renowned Scottish gemologist, Alan Hodgkinson,…
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Events for Weekend and Week Ahead
Thursday, 12/2 Cafe Science: Egyptian Gold – 7:00 p.m. Join Dr. James Phillips at the Hopleaaf Bar, 5148 N. Clark Street, in Andersonville as he discusses the role that gold has played in Egyptian history and culture, past and present. Free. Pre-registration not required. Friday, 12/3 ESCONI Christmas Party – 5:30 pm at Greek…
