By: Andy Rich People often ask, “Why do so many people come all the way to Montana for fossils?” Montana seems to have a little bit of everything when it comes to fossils. From ancient fish, fabulous dinosaurs, mighty elephants, and so much more, Montana was home to a diverse range of wonderful organisms. The…
By Andy Rich Once fossils are removed from the field and prepared in the lab, they are ready to be researched or displayed. But where do we start? If we want to research fossils, the first thing we need is a research project. This is a question that you have and want to answer. Let’s…
By Andy Rich After carefully removing fossils from the field and transporting them to the museum, we have plenty of lab work to do. Fossil preparation, or prep for short, involves all the steps required to make sure fossils can be researched and/or displayed. Prep involves, but is not limited to, removing excess rock from…
By Andy Rich It’s a thrilling moment to find a fossil while digging. However, how do you get to that point and what do you do after? We at The Montana Dinosaur Center pride ourselves on involving the public in citizen science. In our dig programs our staff trains you in finding and excavating fossils:…
Montana Dinosaur Center paleontologist Andy has published a new peer-reviewed article in PALAIOS, a leading journal in paleontology and sedimentary research. The study was conducted as part of Andy’s master’s research under the guidance of Professor Keenan. The paper examines how mosasaur fossils from the Sharon Springs Member of the Pierre Shale in South Dakota…
We get asked a lot, “How do you tell the difference between a dinosaur bone and a regular rock?” As paleontologists, we use a simple trick, The 4 S’s. Each S stands for a feature that fossilized bone will have. Shape: Bones have very specific shapes. If you see a femur shaped rock, there is…
This episode of Fourth Favorite Hat drops listeners straight into the Montana Dinosaur Center’s field banter, with Andy, Brett, and Bryce swapping “Graveyard” digsite stories after introducing their fourth-favorite hats (a Badlands dad cap, a Lake Monsters baseball hat, and a wide-brimmed Denver Zoo hat).
Andy, Bret, and Bryce break down the geology, environment, and dinosaurs of the Two Medicine Formation, explaining how volcanic ash, ancient climates, and unique preservation created one of Montana’s richest fossil sites. They also share new research from their current dig, “The Graveyard,” and discuss the surprising variety of species found in this Late Cretaceous ecosystem.
Three Montana Dinosaur Center paleontologists – Andy, Bret, and Bryce – introduce themselves, their research specialties, and the running gag that inspired the podcast’s title: asking people for their fourth favorite hat. Each host shares their own answer, establishing the blend of science and unserious banter that frames the show. The team explains that the…
During our dinosaur fossil dig expeditions, one question we frequently hear is, “Can I keep this?” We completely understand the excitement that comes with unearthing a piece of ancient history—it’s a thrilling moment, and the desire to take home a unique fossil as a keepsake is natural. However, there are critical reasons why museums don’t…