Thursday, September 6, 2012

Discover some amazing dinosaur remains

From tiny trilobites to immense dinosaurs, a wonderful array of creatures has lived on Earth over the past 4 billion years. Deep in the earth around you are the sealed remains of past life. Paleontologists work to show these fossils, which can be many different shapes, sizes, and colors. Usually, fossils are the teeth, bones, or shells of olden animals, but sometimes we find out something even rarer, like fossilized poop.

Fossilized feces are called coprolites, meaning “dung stones.” Coprolites frequently seize clues to an animal’s meal, the atmosphere in which the animal lived, and more. Dino poop — along with coprolites from other dead animals — can tell notable stories about creatures that lived millions of years ago.

 By investigative fossil feces, along with teeth, bones, and sealed stomach contents, scientists can part together how dinosaur carnivores, omnivores, and herbivores ate and digested their meals.

Did Dinosaurs Poop? Is a brand new hands-on exhibition for children opening Sept. 14 at the Museum of the Earth? Considered mainly for families with children ages 4 to 10 but fun for all ages, the exhibition presents a fun and multicolored approach to knowledge about fossils and dinosaur diets.

The museum will celebrate Family Day from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sept. 15 with fun practical activities and two showings at 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. of WSKG’s “Dinosaur coach: Every fossil Poops” event.