deseretnews.com
A herd of dinosaurs are trapped in rock outside Arches National Park, and state paleontologists need a helicopter to bring it back to the lab to see what’s really inside.
State paleontologists hope to line up a helicopter in the next few weeks to bring back the extraordinary discovery near Moab.
deseretnews.com
A herd of dinosaurs are trapped in rock outside Arches National Park, and state paleontologists need a helicopter to bring it back to the lab to see what’s really inside.
State paleontologists hope to line up a helicopter in the next few weeks to bring back the extraordinary discovery near Moab.
fox13now.com
An Eagle Mountain family made an enormous, and ancient, discovery over the weekend when they went searching for fossils and dinosaur bones.
The Watt family was attending a family reunion near the San Rafael Desert, and when they left to look for dinosaur remains they found them.
Dr. Jim Kirkland is Utah’s state paleontologist, and he said the family’s decision to call experts before digging too deeply was the right one.
ksl.com
Utah paleontologists are looking for one enormous helicopter to lift a herd of dinosaurs
It may sound like fiction or a scene from Jurassic Park, but there’s a herd of Utahraptors near Moab and paleontologists are trying to figure out how to move it.
Digging in the dirt does not sound like a glamorous job, but it caught the attention of the cable television network’s Discovery Channel. The show, DIRTY JOBS recently went on a dinosaur dig with some paleontologists from the Utah Geological Survey (UGS). The show is set to air on Tuesday, December 20.
According to the show’s website: “DIRTY JOBS profiles the unsung American laborers who make their living in the most unthinkable — yet vital — ways. Our brave host and apprentice Mike Rowe introduces you to a hardworking group of men and women who overcome fear, danger and sometimes stench and overall ickiness to accomplish their daily tasks.”
State Paleontologist Jim Kirkland and UGS paleontologist Don DeBlieux traveled with the cast and crew of the show to an undisclosed location in eastern Utah for the one day shoot to look for and dig dinosaur bones out of the side of a steep hill. “We picked that site because it is such a spectacular location, but it is a difficult location and one which requires lots of hard and strenuous work,” says DeBlieux.
In fact, the weather was very uncooperative as they were driving to the site. “It rained for a couple of hours in the morning and we were afraid that we weren’t going to be able to film, and they only had one day to shoot. But luckily, the skies cleared and it turned out to be a nice day.” The show points out that you have to have patience, strength and a love of playing in the dirt in order to be a paleontologist.
“We are excited to see the show because we have only seen the trailers,” said DeBlieux. “But based on the trailers, it should be pretty amusing!”
Some of the episode’s trailers can be seen at: http://dsc.discovery.com/videos/dirty-jobs-sneak-peek/
The Utah Geological Survey provides timely scientific information about Utah’s geologic environment, resources, and hazards.
Salt Lake Tribune
Jeff and Denise Roberts love to roam the hills south of Richfield, sleuthing for fossils and ancient artifacts. During one of those trips several years ago, the couple found fossilized jaw bones so small they can sit on a penny.
The significance of those puny jaws outweighs their size: Paleontologists say they shed light on an era in Utah 8 million years ago that has produced few fossils, unlike the huge dinosaur bones from earlier periods that have made the state a paleontology treasure trove.
The Roberts reported their find to state experts, who determined the fossils came from two heretofore unknown species of rodents related to modern deer and pocket mice. In their honor, the species related to the deer mouse was named Basirepomys robertsi , while the other species was named Metaliomys sevierensis for the formation in Sevier County where the fossils were found.
IN THE MEDIA
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KSL.com
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UPI.com
A newly-published report describes the discovery of two new prehistoric rodents in Utah. The report also identifies two fossil rodents and a rabbit previously known from other states. All are from a site near Sevier in central Utah.
“In addition to identifying the new species, the findings are significant because until now, Utah has been a big hole in the Miocene map of western North America for fossil mammals,” said Don DeBlieux, report co-author and paleontologist with the Utah Geological Survey (UGS). “The uplift and erosion of the Colorado Plateau which makes Utah such a good place for finding dinosaur fossils means that younger rocks and fossils, such as those from the Miocene Epoch which lasted from 23 to five million years ago, have been washed way.”
The Utah Geological Survey (UGS) needs your help in locating fissures in the Cedar Valley area of Iron County. The Central Iron Water Conservancy District has asked the UGS to study earth fissures in the Enoch area and adjoining parts of Cedar Valley in Iron County.
“Our hope is that by putting out the information on fissures and what they are, people might recognize them and direct us to where they are,” said Mike Lowe, UGS Ground-Water and Paleontology Program Manager.
The Utah Geological Survey (UGS) is a division of the Utah Department of Natural Resources. Several specialized programs comprise the UGS: Data Management, Energy & Minerals, Geologic Hazards, Geologic Information & Outreach, Geologic Mapping, Groundwater & Wetlands, and Paleontology.