New Exhibit

Fossil Revival

LEWilsonLeave a comment

Specimen collections form the backbone of exhibits, education, and research at a natural history museum. The most complete and well-preserved specimens are usually the ones highlighted in exhibits, while fragmented and incomplete specimens are held in collection rooms behind the scenes.  The latter specimens may not be pretty or obvious as to which animal or plant they represent, but they are still important to preserve.  A biologist wouldn’t study just one meadow lark to understand everything about the entire species, and a paleontologist wouldn’t want to study just one Pteranodon fossil to try to understand everything about pterosaurs. So, scientists collect many specimens – including partial and fragmented specimens – hoping to form as accurate a picture as possible about these animals and how they lived. Additionally, we use these specimens to train students of all ages in the process of science, we show them off during tours, and we share relevant information and images online for public access.
IMG_1085
Of course, the easiest way for the public to learn about our specimen collections is through interpretive exhibits. Visitors not only see what ancient and modern plants, animals, and ecosystems look like, but can learn about the research done on those organisms. Exhibits are a great way for scientists to share their research.  Pictured here is a Niobrarasaurus dinosaur skeleton being laid out for a new exhibit being constructed at the Sternberg Museum. By designing this exhibit, we have the opportunity to showcase specimens that have never been on display or have not been on display recently.  And we are also able to share new research undertaken by FHSU students, faculty, and staff on some of our fantastic fossils.

 

2015: Comings and Goings

LEWilsonLeave a comment
The end of the year is always a good time for reflecting on recent accomplishments – especially since I am writing the Sternberg Museum Paleontology Department’s annual report. 2015 was a great year for paleontology at the Museum, with exciting plans on the horizon.  
New Programs
We continued established traditions like celebrating National Fossil Day (October), and added new annual programs like Penguin Awareness Day (January) and Darwin Day (February).  Our attendance numbers for these events are growing, showing that we are reaching more and more people with science education.  Perhaps rather selfishly, these events also allow me to celebrate things I’m passionate about: the history of science, evolutionary theory, the importance of preserving and studying fossils, and cute penguin pictures. Over the summer, Sternberg Museum Education Director David Levering led a tremendously successful second year of summer science camps.  Paleontology continues to play a large role in the elementary, junior high, and high school camps. 
New Exhibits
In April of 2015 we also had the excitement of opening a new permanent exhibit in our main exhibit gallery. “Bringing Fossils To Life” is an engaging exhibit pairing living organisms with fossil counterparts to teach various aspects of evolutionary theory.  Fossil tortoises are exhibited with living African spurred-thigh tortoises to demonstrate evolutionary stasis; living sassafras trees are paired with fossil leaves that were originally (mis)identified as sassafras to demonstrate convergent evolution; a fossil mosasaur from Kansas is compared to a living Merten’s Water Monitor to illustrate functional morphology; and we have live salamanders and mudskippers displayed with fossils salamanders to explain how animals transitioned from water to land.  The mudskippers are pretty damn cool.

The Museum also hosted “Titanoboa: Monster Snake” as our summer traveling exhibit. Titanoboa was a 60 million year old, 48 foot long fossil snake found in Columbia.  The excellent, and very well received exhibit details the story of the discovery of the fossil and what we have learned by studying this beast’s fossil remains and ecosystem.   

New Science
As always, new science made headlines for the paleontology program at the Sternberg Museum and Fort Hays State University.  My students and I attended multiple conferences where we had the opportunity to present novel research to the scientific community. Seven graduate students and I drove to Pittsburg, Kansas for the Kansas Academy of Science annual meeting, where six of us gave presentations. Adjunct Curator of Paleontology Michael Everhart was the 2015 president of KAS and put on a fantastic conference (as well as gave a talk). Two of my students successfully defended their MS theses over the summer, and I had the opportunity to present new pterosaur histology research at the International Symposium on Paleohistology in Bonn, Germany.  We rounded out the year of conferences by attending the 75th annual meeting of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology in Dallas, Texas. A huge contingency from FHSU showed up, with many of us presenting research. Recent MS graduate Makenzie Kirchner-Smith and I gave talks.  Mike Everhart presented a poster. Recent grad Josh Fry and finishing MS students Kelsie Abrums and Melissa Macias presented posters, along with current MS students Tom Buskuskie, Logan King, and Patrick Wilson. Recently hired (and finishing FHSU grad student) Outreach Coordinator Ian Trevethan also presented a poster. Four first year graduate students (Cyrus Green, Mariah Towell, Jessica Barnett, and Darrah Jorgensen), two undergraduate students (Kris Super and Ted Vlamis), and David Levering attended, as well.

My students and I also had several opportunities to get outside during the spring, summer, and fall of 2015 and dig up some fossils! Excavations recovered fossils from Cretaceous, Miocene, and Pleistocene deposits of western Kansas. Additionally, Darrah and I were able to work with David Levering and his High School Paleontology Camp to teach paleontology excavation techniques.

So what’s new for 2016?

Let’s just say I’m extremely excited for what we have planned for our headlining events of 2016 so far.  In addition to continued programming like Penguin Awareness Day, Darwin Day, and National Fossil Day, we will be heading up a new capital campaign. The main campaign goal for the paleontology program at the Sternberg Museum of Natural History is to build a new paleo prep lab. This includes renovating and expanding the current lab, creating new research space, improving health and safety conditions for our preparators, and updating equipment.  Our goal is high ($150,000), but we’re excited about the project and the potential for increased paleontology opportunities for students, visitors, volunteers, and scientific research.

World famous paleontologist Dr. Jack Horner from the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman, Montana will be visiting us in April to help with our fundraising efforts. In addition to decades of scientific innovation and education, Jack is also the technical advisor for the Jurassic Park movies. So keep a look out for news about Jack’s visit, public talk, and the first annual Sternberg Museum Spring Gala! (And let me know if you would like more information about the fundraising campaign!)
2015 was a huge success and we expect even more excitement in 2016. We hope to see you at the Museum!
Curator of Paleontology

Titans of the Ice Age: When Big was Cool

LEWilsonLeave a comment

We have a new exhibit at the Sternberg Museum of Natural History!

Last Saturday, December 14, we opened Titans of the Ice Age: When Big was Cool!  This new exhibit was built by Sternberg Museum staff and features information about Ice Age mammals. The last ice age took place during the Pleistocene Epoch, which lasted 2.6 million years ago to 10,000 years ago.  During this time, large portions of Earth’s surface (up to 30%) was repeatedly covered by glaciers, and then uncovered when glaciers retreated as climate warmed.  Many of the animals that lived at this time are referred to as the Pleistocene Megafauna because they were bigger than their modern descendants.

This new exhibit explains why the climate was colder during the Pleistocene and why many of the animals were bigger. It compares extinct Ice Age animals to their living descendants and discusses the current scientific hypotheses surround the extinction of the Megafauna around 10,000 years ago.

This new exhibit showcases Pleistocene animals next to their modern counterparts, demonstrating the changes in size, ecology, and behavior within different mammal lineages.  Bison latifrons (the long-horned bison), Panthera atrox (the North American lion), and Mammuthus columbi (the Columbian mammoth), and Arctodus simus (the short-faced bear) are just some of the animals on display.  These animal are distinctly different from their modern relatives.  Understanding these differences is important for scientists, policy makers, and anyone concerned about the future of our ecosystems given ongoing global climate change.

Kansas is well known for our Cretaceous Seaway fossils like mosasaurs, plesiosaurs, sharks, and sea turtles, but we also have a record of the animals that roamed the grasslands at the edge of the ice sheets during the Pleistocene.  Mammoth, horse, bison, camel, and sloth skeletons can be found in gravels and other glacial deposits around the state.  With the unveiling of this new exhibit, we are finally able to tell the stories of the animals that lived not too long ago, but during a time that was characterized by extreme changes in the climate and landscape.

Titans of the Ice Age: When Big was Cool will be open for the next year and is part of a series of exhibits the Sternberg Museum will be building and opening over the next few years.

Come discover what’s under the Dome!

Panthera atrox, the North American lion that used to roam the plains during the last Ice Age. This cat was larger than any known lion species – past or present.

New Exhibit Opening!

LEWilsonLeave a comment

Opening Saturday December 14th, 2013:

TITANS OF THE ICE AGE:
                         When Big Was Cool

By comparing fossils from the most recent Ice Age with their modern descendants, this new exhibit showcases some of the Megafauna that used to roam North America. 


  • Why was the Ice Age cold?
  • Why did mammals get so much bigger?
  • Why did the Megafauna die 10,000 years ago?

The Museum members-only opening is 10am – Noon on Saturday.*
The exhibit opens to the public at NOON on Saturday. 

Come visit the Museum if you’re looking for something to do with the family, an escape from the cold, or to do some holiday shopping at the Excavations Gift Shop!

*Members-only opening includes a guided tour of the new exhibit, Q&A with Museum staff, and refreshments.  If you want to become a member, membership registration will be available on-site Saturday morning. 

UPDATE: KSN aired a nice segment on the new exhibit opening.  Thanks, Molly Hadfield and KSN!