Stay up-to-date with the latest happenings at the Montana Dinosaur Center! This category features exciting announcements, updates on ongoing projects, and noteworthy discoveries in the world of paleontology. Immerse yourself in our dynamic journey as we continue to uncover new insights, expand our exhibits, and engage with the community through educational events and programs. Don’t miss out on any prehistoric news – explore and be a part of our fascinating journey into the realm of dinosaurs!
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…
“When we’re not digging up ancient creatures, we’re exploring new worlds.”
From the witty absurdity of Discworld to the gritty realism of The Expanse, the staff at the Montana Dinosaur Center are just as passionate about great stories as they are about great fossils. In this post, we’re sharing our favorite science fiction and fantasy reads—organized by staff member. Whether you love space operas, clever satire, or mind-bending questions about the future, there’s a book (or ten) here for you. Grab your reading list and dig in.
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…
What is a Paleontologist? Exploring the Role of These Ancient Detectives Paleontology, the scientific study of life that existed millions of years ago, offers us a glimpse into Earth’s ancient past. The individuals at the forefront of this fascinating field are known as paleontologists. But what is a paleontologist, and what exactly do they do?…
Paleontologists work to understand extinct organisms. Paleontologists use their creativity to learn about past life. Paleontology blends multiple science disciplines such as geology, biology, chemistry, and more. Paleontology also has a healthy amount of artist contributions; paleoart, which reimagines fossil organisms as living specimens, and museum exhibits require an artistic eye. The ways people can…
Typically the first question someone interested in paleontology asks themselves is “what type of fossils do I want to work with?”First, let’s answer the question “what is a fossil?” A fossil is evidence of a previously living organism preserved as a geologic object. These range from bones turning into stone, to impressions of leaves being…
In the early days of paleontology, paleontologists focused on collecting fossils and turning them into display pieces. Not much science was actually done. Paleontologists just wanted to find the new scariest monster and get famous from it. Now, we are more interested in doing proper science and sharing our findings with everyone. There are many…
Paleontologists learn about the past by working with fossils and their associated rock formations. There are many ways to work with fossils which can be classified into broader categories. Typically we divide working with fossils into field work, lab work, and collections work. Regardless of what environment we work in and how we work with…
Hey there, fellow dinosaur enthusiasts! We’ve got some fantastic news to share with you. The Montana Dinosaur Center has recently received a $9,400 grant from the Foundation for Montana History. This generous funding will help us in two significant ways: retaining staff and purchasing materials for building custom support jackets for our precious dinosaur fossils….