Earth Science Club of Northern Illinois - ESCONI

ESCONI Events October, 2014

Oct 3rd, 2014	ESCONI Field Trip: St. Paul Quarry, To sign up, contact John at [email protected]. You may also sign up at the September General and Paleo meetings.
Fri, Oct 10, 2014	ESCONI General Meeting 8:00 p.m. College of Dupage,  - Tech Ed (TEC) Building, Room 1038B (Map) Topic: Chris Widga, Assistant Curator of Geology, Illinois State Museum, Last of the American Elephants: The Midwestern Mammoth and Mastodon Project The Midwest has one of the richest records of Ice Age proboscideans on the continent. The Midwestern Mammoth and Mastodon project (aka, the M-cubed project) is a multi-year effort to 1) inventory proboscidean collections across the region, 2) tighten up the chronology of mammoth and mastodon extinctions, and 3) explore the paleoecology of these animals through high-resolution stable isotope studies (i.e., chemical signatures of diet and mobility). Collectively, these studies suggest a more nuanced story of mammoth and mastodon extinction in the Midwest. This presentation will focus on our evolving understanding of proboscidean ecology and extinction in the region.
Sat., Oct 11, 2014	ESCONI Mineralogy Meeting 7:30 p.m. College of Dupage, - Tech Ed (TEC) Building, Room 1038B (Map) - Topic: Minerals of Pennsylvania
Sat, Oct 11, 2014	National Fossil Day!  http://nature.nps.gov/geology/nationalfossilday/index.cfm Burpee Museum of Natural History -
Sat, Oct 18, 2014	ESCONI Paleontology Meeting 7:30 p.m. College of Dupage, - Tech Ed Building (TEC), Room 1038B (Map) Topic: Celebrating National Fossil Day - Bring your favorite fossil!
Fri, Oct 25, 2014	ESCONI Board Meeting. 7:30 p.m. Telephone Conference Call - contact Karen Norquist or the web site admin to attend - we can give you the phone number to call and conference call number.
Sat. Oct. 25, 2014	Archaeology Study Group Meeting. 7:30 p.m. College of Dupage, - Tech Ed Building (TEC), Room 1038B (Map) Topic: The Archaeology and history of King Richard III of England-presented by Eric Schmidt. Into 2012, archaeologists unearthed the remains of Richard the Third of England. This find is not only archaeologically significant, it is also historically remarkable. What made King Richard the third so famous? How were Archaeologists able to prove that the bones were actually his? Where was his grave actually found?Attend this study group meeting and find out the answers to these interesting questions. You will learn a little bit about the king, and why historians are attracted to his legacy. In addition, Eric will be raffling off a few medieval coins minted in the 1400s and 1500s. There is no charge for the raffle. All you need to do is attend this meeting.

A Mosasaur With a Few Clues

 

Mosasaurs have long been determined to be apex predators in the Cretateous oceans.   But still, there has been questions as to what they ate.  But now, from a mosasaur fossil found in 2008 in Alberta, Canada’s Korite International Ammolite Mine, there are some tantalizing clues.  It is summarized nicely by Brian Switek in he Phenomena blog over at National Geographic story.  The actual specimen is described in a paper in the Journal of Vertabrate Palaeontology.  

Enjoy!

 

Mick Jagger is Namesake for Extinct Pig

The name of the extinct mammal is Jaggermeryx naida, or Jagger’s water nymph.  It was sort of a mix between a slender hippo and a long legged pig.  It lived about 19 million years ago in Egypt.  After scientists studied the bone structure of the skull, it was determined to have a large tongue and lips. They considered naming it after Angelina Jolie, but thought she wouldn't be pleased, so they switched to Mick Jagger. Link

This is the 3rd extinct animal for which Mick Jagger is the namesake.  

- Aegrotocatellus jaggeri, a trilobite

- Anomphalus jaggerius, a snail

- Jaggermeryx naida, a mammal

 

ESCONI Field Trip: Oct 3rd, 2014, St. Paul Quarry

ESCONI Field Trip to St. Paul quarry in St. Paul, IN. We will meet at the quarry office between 7:45 AM and 8:00 AM Eastern Time to sign waivers and receive instructions.  As always, the trip is tentative based on quarry activity.  Map

Trip rules:

• You must be 18 years of age (Indiana State law)
• We are going to be enforcing strict safety requirements: everyone must wear a hard hat and hard shoes construction-type at all times. No open toed sandals, tennis shoes, or casual/street shoes will be allowed. Also, long pants are required, no shorts will be allowed.

 

To sign up, contact John at [email protected].  You may also sign up at the September General and Paleo meetings.

NOTE: participants must be ESCONI members by September 20, 2014.

 

Braceville, IL Field Trip - September 27th and 28th, 2014

Meet at 8:00 A.M. Saturday at the BP Amoco in Coal City. No Age Limit.  Hard Hats not required. 

Take I-55 to Exit 236 (Coal City).  Take a right onto Highway 113 (Division Street).  Go west to Broadway Street and Division in Coal City.

We will be collecting Mazon Creek concretions from an old spoil pile on private property.  Hard hats are not required.  Boots are recommended.  An Estwing rock hammer is the best tool.  A small shovel or pick is helpful.  Knee pads, backpacks, fanny packs, extra clothes (you will get wet and muddy) are also a plus.  Bring a bucket for the fossils. Also bring insect repellant.

Contact John Good at 630-303-2352 for reservations or e-mail at [email protected]. 

Note: John needs help for this trip because he is unable to attend - Please contact him if you can be the ESCONI representative at the site.