Earth Science Club of Northern Illinois - ESCONI

Past Field Trips

As we move content to the new web site, we wanted to keep the information about past field trips. We look forward to more field trips like these:

Membership Application and Information

Membership is open to all people interested in the earth sciences.

Annual family dues are $20. $50 for three years.  This covers all members of the family.  To become a member, complete this Membership
Form and send with your check to Eileen Mizerk, 2094 Windward Lane, Hanover Park, IL  60133.      

To learn more about ESCONI, come to a General Meeting or Study Group Meeting, write an e-mail to emizerk@yahoo.com 
or write a letter to ESCONI; Box 321, Downers Grove, IL 60515.

General Information

Membership is open to all people interested in the earth sciences.

Annual family dues are $20. $50 for three years.  This covers all members of the family.  To become a member, complete this Membership Form.

To learn more about ESCONI, come to a General Meeting or Study Group Meeting, write an e-mail to the web master diannal20@yahoo.com or write a letter to ESCONI; Box 321, Downers Grove, IL 60515.

Check our Calendar for upcoming events!

Calendar of Events - 2010

2009 - 2010 Calendars - for reference

 

Paleontology Study Group Meeting for January

The next ESCONI Paleontology Study Group Meeting is January 17, 2009 at 7:30 pm and will be "The Cambrian Era By Tom Williams" at College of DuPage Bldg. K, Rm 131 7:30 P.M.

Image: Reproduction of fig. 1K from Bengtson & Zhao 1997, a SEM image of the cnidarian Olivooides multisulcatus. Sample is CAGS (Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences) 32372, also from the Dengying Formation exposed in the Shizhonggou section; scale is the same as A.  Via Peripatus.

Paleontology & Archeology Meetings Cancelled in December

Due to the holidays, the Paleontology Study Group and the Archeology Study Group meetings are cancelled for December. See you in January!

Mineralogy Meeting in December

MINERALOGY/MICROMOUNT STUDY GROUP will be held on Friday, December 13,  at  College of DuPage, Room  K-161.

"The World Famous Mineral Identification Contest"

Bring three (3) specimens and four labels.  Fabulous prizes for all. Refreshments will be served.

ESCONI Events for December, 2008

ESCONI HOLIDAY PARTY AND DECEMBER GENERAL MEETING 

            

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2008

5:30 to 7:30 pm
Charlie’s Ale House
301 East Loop Road
Wheaton, IL 60187
www.charliesalehouse.com
(630) 510-3141

The restaurant is on the north side of Butterfield Road (Route 56) and east of Naperville Road and the Danada Square East Shopping Center.

PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING CHANGES: Beyond the change in location, the Holiday party will now be a Dutch Treat . . . that is, you will pay your own check.

We will continue our tradition of a Secret Santa gift exchange. This grab bag is optional. If you do want to participate, please make sure that your gift is earth science related, has a value of $15.00 and is labeled “male” or “female” if it is a gender specific gift.

If you would like to attend the Holiday Party, please RSVP by December 1st to Rob Sula (630) 236-9695 e-mail: sulasaurus@comcast.net.

After the party, ESCONI is honored to have guest speaker Scott Demel from the Field Museum of Natural History speak to us about Ice Age Paleo Indian Cultures of the Great Lakes. The lecture will be held at The College of DuPage in room K-161 at 8:00 pm.

So even if you can’t attend the Holiday Party, please join us for our General Meeting and an exciting presentation.

 

 

December  13,  2008     MINERALOGY/MICROMOUNT STUDY GROUP 

                                 College of DuPage  K-161

"The World Famous Mineral Identification Contest"

Bring three(3) specimens and four labels.  Fabulous prizes for all. Refreshments will be served.

 

December 20, 2008    PALEONTOLOGY STUDY GROUP  

NO MEETING DUE TO CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY

December 27, 2008  ARCHAEOLOGY STUDY GROUP  

NO MEETING DUE TO CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY

Past Archaeology Study Group Meetings

November - December, 2008 - Holidays - no meetings

October 2008 - Alaska Eskimos/Native Americans of Alaska

September 2008 - Introduction of Horses in the Americas by ESCONI member, Sheila Bergmann

June-August 2008 - Summer Vacation - no meetings

May 2008 - Holiday Weekend  - no meeting

April 2008 - “Archaeology of the Cahokia and Dixon Mounds” by ESCONI member Bryan Nugent.

March, 2008 - "Archaeology of the Mississippian period" by Bryan Nugent.

February, 2008 - Bryan Nugent led a discussion of the “Woodland period of North America.”

January, 2008 - "North American Archaeology Period Review" by Bryan Nugent.

October, 2007 - Video: Guns, Germs & Steel by Jared Diamond, How did so few Europeans conquer an entire continent? Or did they? Discussion follows the video. Presented by Don Brazda

September, 2007 - The Archaeology of Monument Valley Utah, presented by Bryan Nugent

May, 2007 - Archaeology Field Trip to Dickson Mounds

April, 2007 - "Flint knapping "by Floyd Rogers. Make your own arrowheads or bring your Indian
artifacts.

March, 2007 - "Flint knapping "by Floyd Rogers. Make your own arrowheads or bring your Indian artifacts.

February, 2007 - Archaeology of Monument Valley Arizona: We will look at petroglyphs and pictographs and the Anasazi Indians. Bring your Arizona Artifacts such as pottery.

January, 2007 - Mining Archaeology. Bring artifacts and minerals from mines.

Past Paleontology Meetings

January 15, 2000    Micro-Fossils/Identifying Mazon Creek Animals

February 19, 2000    Identifying Mazon Creek Plants

March 18, 2000 Larson Quarry. Bring in Specimens from your trips to this quarry. Dave Carlson will be giving a detailed presentation with overheads, handouts and specimen displays of his collecting at this local quarry. He will discuss the history, geology and analysis of the types of fossils found there.

April 15, 2000 No Meeting due to conflict with MAPS Fossil Expo in Macomb, Illinois. For more information about MAPS, click on MAPS Fossil EXPO

May 20, 2000  Sylvania, Ohio Quarry. Sylvania, Ohio is a world famous fossil locality known for its trilobites, crinoids and pyrotized brachiopods. ESCONI has had several field trips there(1993,1994,1999).   Related Web site is Ohio Geological Survey.

September 16, 2000 Show and Tell. Members can bring fossils and stories about what they did over the summer.

October 21,2000  Canada Dinosaurs. David and Sheila Bergman, ESCONI Members, will be discussing the dinosaurs of Canada.  They will show slides and videos from their trip to Drumheller, Canada and the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology.

Nov 18, 2000     Crinoids. Chris Cozert, ESCONI Member, will be discussing the crinoids.   Members will be bringing examples from their own collection.

Jan 20, 2001   "Burgess Shale Videos". David and Sheila Bergmann will be showing two videos of the world famous Burgess Shale fossils of Canada.  

Feb 17, 2001  "Fossils From Florida". James Schmidt, a new ESCONI member, will be leading a discussion on collecting fossils in Florida.  He will draw upon his own collecting experiences and fossils.  Members are invited to bring fossils and share their experiences.  A silent auction of fossils to benefit the ESCONI Scholarship program, many from Florida, will follow at the end of the program.

March 17, 2001 "Dinosaur Collecting In New Mexico" David Carlson will be giving a slide program on dinosaur collecting in New Mexico.

April 21, 2001  "Trilobites"

May 19,2001 "Nautiloid" John Catalani, an ESCONI member, will give a presentation on the Nautiloids both past and present using fossils, slides and a special video presentation. John is well-known for his Nautiloid collection and will bring specimens to illustrate his program.  A good web site is Chambered Nautilus.

Sept 15, 2001    "Show and Tell" A chance for ESCONI members to bring the fossils that they have collected during the summer or in recent ESCONI field trips for discussion and review. Fossils from Mazon Creek, Lone Star Quarry, Illinois Cement Quarry and others will be displayed.  

Nov 17, 2001     "Blastoids" John Catalani and Chris Cozert, ESCONI Members, will be discussing  Blastoids.  Blastoids were small, stemmed echinoderms, abundant and diverse in the Middle and late Paleozoic (Silurian through Permian).  John and Chris will give a presentation about the fossil record of Blastoids and what it tells us about how they lived.  Bring your Blastoids from your fossil collection to display.   

Jan 19, 2002     "Collecting Fossils in South Dakota and Nebraska" David and Sheila Bergmann will be showing slides, pictures and fossils from their field trip last year to Nebraska and South Dakota.  Field Trips for 2002 will be discussed.

Feb 16, 2002     "AMMONITES" John Catalani, an ESCONI member, will give a presentation on the Ammonites focusing on the differences between the now extinct Ammonites and the fossil record and present day Nautiloids. He will use overheads, handouts and fossils. Bring your Ammonites to the meeting.

March 16, 2002    "TRACKS, TRAILS AND TRACE FOSSILS" Karen Nordquist, an ESCONI member (and President) and volunteer at the Field Museum, will talk about how fossils animals react with their environment and leave in the fossil record a history of tracks, trails and traces.  Examples are dinosaur footprints, coprolites and gastroliths.  Bring your tracks, trails and trace fossils to show at the meeting. 

March 2002 Paleo Notes

MAY 18, 2002     "Fossil Fish" Irene Broede, an ESCONI member, will be discussing the fossil history of fish. She will be using slides, overheads, handouts and fossil examples from the Green River formation and other areas.  Bring your fossil fish in to share with others. 

November 16, 2002     "The Burpee Museum 2002 Field Trip – The Nanotyrannus Find" Dave Carlson will be giving a presentation on his participation on the Burpee Museum 2002 Field Trip, "HIGHWAY TO HELL CREEK". This expedition found a Nanotryannus dinosaur. He will be using slides and overheads.

January 18, 2003    "Excavation of a Mississipian Crinoid Bed in Northern Alabama"Tom Williams of ESCONI will be giving a presentation on collecting crinoids in Northern Alabama. He will be showing slides and overheads along with displaying fossils.

February 15, 2003     "IDENTIFYING MAZON CREEK FOSSILS" Bring your Mazon Creek Fossils and have them identified by ESCONI experts. Bring your best Mazon Creek Fossils and show them off.  Help identify unknown fossils.

March 15, 2003   "Collecting Fossils in the Dakotas and Nebraska" by Richard Rock. Richard Rock, an ESCONI member, will be discussing his fossil collecting last summer in the Dakotas and Nebraska. He will be focusing on the Oligocene of Nebraska and the Cretaceous (Hell’s Creek Formation) of South and North Dakota. He will bring turtle fossils, oredonts and dinosaur bones. Bring your fossils from the Dakota’s and Nebraska, especially turtles and oredonts, to share with other club members.

MAY 17, 2003     "Plant Fossils of Mazon Creek" Jack Wittry of ESCONI will be discussing the legendary plant fossils of Mazon Creek. He will be using slides, overheads, handouts and fossil examples from the Mazon Creek of Illinois.  Members are invited to bring their Mazon Creek plant fossils and their ESCONI book, Keys to Identify Pennsylvanian Fossil Plants of the Mazon Creek Area

OCTOBER 18, 2003    "Highlights of the Evo/Devo of Tetrapods (evolutionary development of four legged critters) " by Jim Schmidt, ESCONI member. 

NOV 15, 2003    "Vertebrate Fossils From Mazon Creek " by Jim Testa" Jim Testa will be discussing the vertebrate fossils such as fish found in the Mazon Creek area of northeastern Illinois.    He will showing slides and bringing fossils from his collection.  Bring your Mazon Creek Vertebrate Fossils. 

JAN 17, 2004   PALEONTOLOGY STUDY GROUP  Paleo Techniques: Discover, Develop and Display ESCONI members will be discussing different techniques for finding fossils, preparing them, analyzing them and displaying them.  Bring your Mazon Creek concretions, trilobites, crinoids and other fossils and discuss what tools (Bring them too) and techniques you use in preparing them.  Newcomers can learn from the ESCONI experts.

April 17, 2004  "Palentology and the WWW / Mazon Creek Fossils" by John Good and others. John Good will be discussing the ESCONI web site and other Paleontology web sites using the COD internet links. Afterwards, John Good will use the digital projector to display Mazon Creek fossils. Bring your favorite Mazon Creek fossil(s). We can discuss their significance while viewing them as an overhead projection.

MAY 15, 2004    "Evo / Devo of Aves (Evolutionary Development of Birds) or, a 150 million year flight thru time” by Jim Schmidt, ESCONI Member

SEPT 18, 2004   "Show and Tell" A chance for ESCONI members to bring the fossils that they have collected during the summer or in recent ESCONI field trips for discussion and review. Fossils from Mazon Creek,  Lone Star Quarry and others will be displayed.   

OCTOBER 16, 2004  "Show and Tell (Continued)" A  second chance for ESCONI members to bring the fossils that they have collected during the summer or in recent ESCONI field trips for discussion and review. Fossils from Mazon Creek,  Lone Star Quarry and others will be displayed.    

NOV 20, 2004   "Origins of Life."  by Jim Schmidt, ESCONI member  Jim Schmidt will give us another great PowerPoint presentation, reviewing some of the latest scientific understandings of how life got started on Earth. It will contain some eye-opening imagery along with a lot of provocative information. This will discuss what happened before any fossils...before life as we know it...before the "textbook" tree-of-life. We will review the origin of the planet, some of life's basic chemistry, the planet's early environment, and the consequential life-enabling mechanisms. Visitors are welcome. Refreshments will be served.

January 15, 2005 "Mazon Creek Worms and Bivalves”  Tom Testa, an E.S.C.O.N.I. member, will be discussing the worms of Mazon Creek and how to identify them. In keeping with the MAPS 2005 focus on bivalves, he will talk about bivalves also. He will bring specimens. Bring your worms and bivalve fossils from Mazon Creek to display also. 

March 19, 2005 "Variation in Life" by Jim Schmidt, E.S.C.O.N.I. member. We'll explore several mechanisms of variation including: Mutation, •Anagenesis, •Adaptive radiation, •Prokaryotic Gene Transfer, •Symbiogenesis, •Williamson’s theory, and Karyotypic Fission Theory (aka Kinetochore Reproduction). Don't be scared off by the fancy words. The importance of this is to get a better understanding of evolution. It's that variation which gets selected "for" or "against" by the environment. For many years, scientist have asked the questions of how that happens. What are those mechanisms? What works? What doesn't work. How do they work? These are the things we will explore. It's absolutely amazing...just when you think you've got things figured out.   

May, 2007 Mazon Creek Fauna. Members will bring specimens and talk about collecting.

November, 2007 Mazon Creek fossils. Bring your Mazon Creek fossils for identification and display.

February, 2008 "Sharks I - Paleozic" by member Tom Williams.      

March, 2008 "Sharks II - Mesozoic" period by member Tom Williams.

April, 2008 "Sharks III" will be presented by Tom Williams. Emphasis is on the Cenozoic Time

May, 2008 Illinois Stratigraphy by Tom Williams

June-August, 2008  - Summer Vacation - no meetings

September, 2008  - Show and Tell

October, 2008 - Show and Tell (part two)

November, 2008 - "The PreCambrian Era: The world of Ediacaran fossils and more."

December, 2008 - Christmas Vacation - no meeting

Lapidary Study Group

The Lapidary Study Group used to meet the third Friday of the Month at 7:30 p.m. in room 162 of the COD Art Center at the College of DuPage Glen Ellyn Campus.  The Lapidary Study Group meets upon request.

Chairperson: Sheila Bergmann

Paleontology Study Group Information

The Paleontology Study Group meets the third Saturday of the Month at 7:30 p.m. in room 161 of the K Building at the College of DuPage Glen Ellyn Campus.

Chairperson: John Good

Mineral / Micromount Study Group Information

The Mineral/Micromount Study Group meets the second Saturday of the Month at 7:30 p.m. in room 161 of the K Building at the College of Dupage Glen Ellyn Campus. 

Chairperson: Kathy Dedina

Archaeology Study Group Information

The Archaeology Study Group normally meets the fourth Saturday of the Month at 7:30 p.m. in room 161 of the K Building at the College of DuPage Glen Ellyn Campus starting March 22, 2003.  

Chairperson:  Bryan Nugent

Past Mineral & Micromount Study Group Meetings

January 8, 2000 Video on Upper Michigan

February 12, 2000 Minerals of Langban, Sweden

March 11, 2000 Unusual Crystal Forms – Twins and Pseudomorphs. Crystals frequently appear "different" from the classic textbook illustrations. Sometimes twins are formed reflecting a series of crystals faces. Sometimes the crystals are not what they seem. Instead they look like one crystal form, but chemically are replaced by another mineral to become a pseudomorph. Both types will be illustrated with specimens.

April 8, 2000 Minerals of Mont St. Hilaire, Canada. This is another world class location with a great number of species, diverse, unique and fluorescent species.   Specimens will illustrate the program. 

May 13, 2000   Minerals of Laurium, Greece. This is another world class location with a great number of species,but with an important historical perspective.  The silver and gold mines of Laurium, Greece financed the Greek-Persian wars and main era of ancient Greek History.  Specimens will illustrate the program.                   .

Sept 9,  2000      Mineral Video - The Stewart Tourmaline Mine

Oct 14, 2000     The Minerals of Bancroft, Canada

Nov. 11, 2000    The Minerals of Mapimi, Mexico. Mapimi in Durango, Mexico is another famous mineral locality known for adamite, aragonite, aurichalcite, chalophanite, collophanite, hemimorphite, mimetite and wulfenite.  We will discuss the history, geology, and minerals of the area.  If you have any minerals from Mapimi, bring them to the meeting to show everyone.

DEC 9,  2000     "The World Famous Mineral Identification Contest". Bring three(3) specimens and four labels.  Fabulous prizes for all

JAN 13, 2001   "Mineral Video". Mineral Video will be shown

FEB 10, 2001    "IRON COUNTRY MICROMINERALS " Dan Behnke, noted photographer, with pictures in many magazines, will be giving a slide program on the microminerals found in the iron belt of Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan.   A silent auction of minerals to benefit the ESCONI Scholarship program will follow at the end of the program.

MARCH 10, 2001   "TOXIC MINERALS " Some minerals such as halite (Salt) are necessary for life.  Others can be toxic .minerals that require special care for safe ownership will be discussed as well as the reasons for the toxicity.  Also covered are the special precautions that should be taken for safe collecting of potentially toxic minerals.  A silent auction of minerals to benefit the ESCONI Scholarship program will follow at the end of the program.

APRIL 14, 2001    "MINERALS OF PAINTS AND PLASTICS " Stan Schmidt will be leading a discussion with help from Jim Daly and other members on the practical side of minerals. A silent auction of minerals to benefit the ESCONI Scholarship program will follow at the end of the program.

MAY 12, 2001  "Minerals Requiring Special Preservation" ESCONI members will talk about how different minerals require different and sometimes special preservation. We will look at how water, air, vibration and other aspects of the physical world can change, damage and even destroy valuable mineral specimens. Specimens will illustrate the program. A silent auction of minerals to benefit the ESCONI Scholarship program will follow at the end of the program.

JUNE 9, 2001      "PHOSPHATE MINERALS OF THE SOUTH" ESCONI members will talk about phosphate minerals from Florida and Alabama.   Specimens will illustrate the program.   A silent auction of minerals to benefit the ESCONI Scholarship program will follow at the end of the program.              .

SEPT 8,  2001 "MINERAL VIDEO"

OCT 13  2001    "THE PHOSPHATE MINERALS OF THE WEST"

NOV 10,  2001     "Colored Quartz" Quartz occurs in many colors.  These make beautiful specimens and gemstones.  Amethyst (Purple Quartz), Rose quartz and Smokey quartz will all be discussed.

DEC 9,  2001    "The World Famous Mineral Identification Contest" Bring three(3) specimens and four labels.  Fabulous prizes for all

JAN 12, 2002   "Mineral Video - Collecting In Colorado" Mineral Video on Collecting in Colorado will be shown

FEB 9, 2002    "PINK MINERALS "  Minerals such as rhodochrosite will be examined.

MARCH 10, 2002   "SALT " Salt is vital for life and industry.  It is a colorful and interesting mineral, found in cubic form in worldwide locations.  Characteristics, mining and history will be discussed.   A silent auction of minerals to benefit the ESCONI Scholarship program will follow at the end of the program.

April 20, 2002     "MINERALS OF MINNESOTA "  The Mineral/Micromount Study group will be discussing the Lake Superior Agates, the great Iron Ranges and other minerals of Minnesota.

MAY 11, 2002    "Minerals of  South Dakota" ESCONI members will be discussing the minerals of  South Dakota.  The geology, mines and mining history will be explored.  Specimens will illustrate the discussion.

OCTOBER 12  2002    "Diamonds" Locations, Prospecting, mining and discoveries will be discussed.

February 8, 2003  "Fluorite" The mineral fluorite will be discussed.  It's history, properties, history, mining, locations and fluorescence will be reviewed.   Members are encouraged to bring specimens from the Cave-In-Rock area and other areas such as Colorado, Ohio, New Mexico and England.

March 8, 2003    "Fluorescence " Fluorescent minerals will be discussed.  Properties, history, types and collecting locations will be discussed.  Members should bring fluorescent minerals along with shortwave / longwave lights. 

April 12, 2003     "Minerals of Franklin, New Jersey"  The Mineral/Micromount Study group will be discussing minerals of Franklin, New Jersey.

May 10, 2003     "Upper Michigan Minerals Revisited" Dan Behnke, an ESCONI member,  will be discussing the minerals of  Upper Michigan, focusing on mico-minerals.  The geology, mines and mining history will be explored thru a slide program.  Specimens will illustrate the discussion.

Sept 13,  2003    Mineral Video

October 11  2003    "Barite" Locations, Prospecting, mining and discoveries will be discussed.

Nov 8,  2003     "Gypsum"  Hydrous calcium sulfate or gypsum is found worldwide, with notable occurrence in several U.S. states.  The  relationship of gypsum, selenite and alabaster will be discussed as well as the uses of this mineral.

January 2008 - Introduction to Micromounts, Jim Daly

February 2008 - Moon Rocks, by Kathy Dedina

March 2008 - My Favorite MicroMinerals by Dan Behnke

April 2008 - Minerals of Romania

May 2008 - Minerals of Morocco

June 2008 - Minerals of Cripple Creek, Colorado

July - August 2008 - Summer Vacation - no meetings

September 2008 - Agates from around the World DVD

NOVEMBER 8,  2008     MINERALOGY/MICROMOUNT STUDY GROUP 
"Rock hounding for Agates and thundereggs around Deming, New Mexico" by author and collector Jeff Anderson.  Bring your agates for identification from all over the world. Jeff Anderson will identify type and location. 

December 2008 - Mineral Identification Contest

Past General Meetings

As we move content from the previous ESCONI web site to the new site, we want to keep information about some past general meetings. We look forward to more General Meetings like these:

"Ice Age Paleo Indian Cultures of the Great Lakes" by Scott Demel, Field Museum of Natural History, December 2008 General Meeting. In this presentation, Scott provided an overview and insights into parts of the new permanent exhibit, The Ancient Americas. We learned how the views about these Americans are changing what we thought we knew! Field Museum photo Geo-CK-46.1T, by John Weinstein.

"New Gem Exhibit at Field Museum of Natural History" by Fred Holstein, Exhibit Developer, Field Museum of Natural History.  November 2008 General Meeting.

Joel Palka, ESCONI member, presented "The Archeology of Unconquered Maya Territory and Sacred Geography.", October 2008.  Joel is the author of Unconquered Lacandon Maya.

September 2008, Ancient Historical Sites of Great Britain by Don Cronauer

July - August 2008 - Vacation - no meeting

"Saber-tooth Cats" by Dr. Virginia Staples, Professor in Biology Studies at Northern Illinois University. June 2008 General Meeting. In the presentation, Virginia explained she is studying Smilodon fatalis from Rancho La Brea, the most famous of the  saber-tooths. She explained how she is not only comparing this animal to modern cats, but is also working with actual specimens, restoring the size, shape and position of the  muscles as a means of building a portrait of the animals. To do this work, she examines the skeletons of the fossil and living species, studies the soft tissue anatomy of living species, particularly the musculature. Once she understands how each muscle group contributes to the shape and movement  capabilities of the animal, she can compare those results to the same skeletal elements in the fossils. To represent Smilodon in three dimensions, Dr. Staples models the muscles using clay and sculpt the previously unknown face of a saber-tooth. 

May, 2008 - A Selection of My Favorites by Dan Behnke (Micromount Hall of Fame Photographer and ESCONI member)

 April 2008 - The Hundred Million Year Old Pennsylvanian Fossil Forest Near Danville, Illinois by Scott Elrick and John Nelson of the Illinois State Geological Survey

March 2008 - ESCONI Gem, Mineral and Fossil Show

"Fossil Insects of Mazon Creek" by Cary Easterday, Instructor and Assistant Curator, Northeastern Illinois University, February 2008 General Meeting.  Fossil insects have been reported at Mazon Creek for 143 years.  In fact, the first fossil animal described at Mazon Creek was an insect - Miamia bronsoni Dana, 1864.  Mazon Creek insects have been reported in dozens (hundreds?) of papers, journals, and books ever since then. Unfortunately, these papers are scattered, hard to find, and frequently confusing.  'The Richardson's Guide to the Fossil Fauna of Mazon Creek (1997) provided some clarity; however, it focused on the more common insect groups and did not discuss most species.  Richardson (1953) provided the last detailed review of Mazon Creek insects, but many of the old species have been updated since then and many new species have been found.  The main purpose of the current research is to provide a clear picture of Mazon Creek insect diversity and abundance.  These data have been compiled from multiple sources in the past three years.  This is an ongoing project, but Cary will provide the most recent information, including a few surprises!

"Burpee Museum Discoveries" by Scot Williams, Collections Manager for Burpee Museum of Natural HIstory, January 2008 General Meeting. Scot entertained us with interesting stories and photographs on the museum's latest additions to their collection, including Jane, the new 21-foot restored dinosaur.

"Iron Country Microminerals" by Dan Behnke, author and micro-mount photographer, June 2007. Wherever mineral deposits are found, mineral collectors are not far behind. As micro mineral collectors know the specimen material available from the Copper Country is well documented, but little has been written about the availability and variety of specimens found as micro crystals in the iron belts. Dan's presentation sparked interest in the micro minerals from the Iron Country and explained that the variety of forms makes searching for them worthwhile.

Tyler Keillor, the paleo-artist who created the reconstruction of Tiktaalik, the transitional fish/amphibian fossil, which was found recently in the Canadian Arctic, spoke at the May, 2007 General Meeting.

“Dinosaur Fossil Preparation Techniques” by Bob Masek, April 2007 General Meeting. Bob is head fossil preparator at University of Chicago under Paul Sereno and former lead preparator of SUE. (Copyright photograph courtesy of Field Museum of Natural History.) 

 

"Trace Fossils and the Evolution of Animals" by Dr. Roy Plotnick who currently teaches geology and invertebrate paleontology at the University of Illinois at Chicago, February 2007. Dr. Plotnick will present a slide program about trace fossils.

"Pearls" by Jodie Diegel, Certified gemologist, January 2007.