fossils

Northwest Fossil Fest at the Rice Northwest Museum

Events, News /

The Northwest Fossil Fest sponsored by the North America Research Group (NARG) will take place at the Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks and Minerals on Saturday, August 8, 2015, from 10 AM to 5 PM. The Theme for the 10th Annual Northwest Fossil Fest is The Pleistocene Epoch! The event is free for families to learn about fossils, fossil collecting, preparation, identification, and display. The event includes lectures and demonstrations, including presentations by Mike Full and Dave Ellingson.  Mike will discuss some of his recent important discoveries from the Yamhill River Pleistocene Project and will have some of his Ice Age mammal bone discoveries on display.  Dave, a science teacher at Woodburn High School, will talk about major fossil discoveries from a bog deposit on grounds of the Woodburn Campus.  The Woodburn discoveries are part of the exciting Willamette Valley Pleistocene Project.  The lecture schedule will be published soon. Paleontologists will be on hand identify fossils and to show kids of all ages how to clean and prepare fossils.  There will be lots of hands on activities and this is a great event for families and fossil fans.  Attendance for the Fossil Fest includes free admission to the museum. For more information and up-to-the-minute information see Northwest Fossil Fest. IMPORTANT ROAD CONSTRUCTION ALERT:  Please note that Helvetia Road will be closed August 8, 2015 because of construction.  Please follow our detour instructions and be alert for detour signs to guide you to the Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks and Minerals and the 2015 NW Fossil Fest.

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What’s in the Box? Clammy Hands

Behind the Scenes /

What do you think the object on the left has in common with the three objects on the right? This question isn’t too hard to answer: they’re all fossilized clams. But why do they look so different? The clam on the left is the mineralized shell of a clam from Coal Creek, Washington. After the clam died, its shell was encased in sedimentary rock; while that rock was forming, foreign minerals grew and replaced the original calcium carbonate the shell was created from when the clam was alive. (These replacement minerals are responsible for the dark color.) The clams on the right, on the other hand, are agate molds of clam shell insides. They come from Green Creek in Washington. Their tops have been polished a bit to give them a nice shine, but the shapes are natural. After these clams died, agate filled in the insides of their shells, and the shells themselves dissolved away. These fossil clams show just two of the many different modes of fossil preservation!

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New Ichthyosaur Found in Rare Fossils

News /

New findings in Scotland show ichthyosaurs are unique to the warm shallow waters of what is now Scotland during Jurassic period, 117-169 million years ago. A team of paleontologists headed by Dr. Steve Brusatte of National Museums Scotland and the University of Edinburgh has discovered a new genus and species of ichthyosaur in rare fossils. “During the time of dinosaurs, the waters of Scotland were prowled by big reptiles the size of motor boats. Their fossils are very rare, and only now, for the first time we’ve found a new species that was uniquely Scottish,” said Dr Brusatte, who is the first author of a paper published in the Scottish Journal of Geology. The newfound species, named Dearcmhara shawcrossi, was a 4-meter long aquatic dolphin-like reptile. It was near the top of the food chain and preyed on fish and other reptiles.

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9th Annual Northwest Fossil Fest

Events, News /

The Northwest Fossil Fest hosted by North American Research Group (NARG) will be at the Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks and Minerals Saturday, August 9, 2014. The Theme for the 9th Annual Northwest Fossil Fest is Petrified Wood. The event is free for families to learn about fossils, fossil collecting, preparation, identification, and display. The event includes lectures and demonstrations, including a presentation by acclaimed petrified wood specialist, Walt Wright, followed by an optional 3 day workshop (requires separate registration). The schedule for the Fossil Fest is: 11:00AM – Fossils of Oregon 1:00PM – Walt Wright’s Introductory Lecture on Identifying Petrified Wood 3:00PM – Brad Newport and the Holleywood Ranch on his famous Petrified Wood Collection and its history This is a great event for families and fossil fans. Attendance for the Fossil Fest includes free admission to the museum. For more information and registration, see Northwest Fossil Fest.

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Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks & Minerals
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