Earth Science Club of Northern Illinois - ESCONI

The FOSSIL Project eNewsletter Volume 1, Issue 4

The next issue of the FOSSIL Project eNewsletter is here.  Get it (or subscribe) here.  Their website is at http://www.myfossil.org/, find them on Facebook at TheFossilProject, or on Twitter at @projectFOSSIL.

 

Jack Horner's Chickenosaurus

Back in 2009 Jack Horner said in a 60 Minutes interview that he wanted to make a "chickenosaurus" within 5 years (a chickenosaurus being a chicken which has been genetically manipulated to express dormant genes related to its ancestry as a dinosaur). Below is a link (also in the FOSSIL Project newsletter) to an article that gives an update on Horner's dinochicken project:

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/paleontologist-jack-horner-is-hard-at-work-trying-to-turn-a-chicken-into-a-dinosaur/ar-AA7v2jb

His book is very good, highly recommended.  In addition to the "chickenosaurus", he also discusses evo-devo, Mary Schweitzer, who discovered collagen proteins and (perhaps) red blood cells in a 68-million year old T-rex, and Hans Larson, who is investigating ancestral genes in chicken embryos.

 

ESCONI Events January 2015

Fri, Jan. 9	ESCONI General Meeting 8:00 p.m. College of Dupage,  - Tech Ed (TEC) Building, Room 1038B (Map) - Topic: Spinel group minerals in unequilibrated ordinary chondrites:  How oxide minerals can aid in the understanding of the flux of extraterrestrial materials in Earth's history, Jim Holstein, Robert A. Pritzker Center for Meteoritics and Polar Studies, The Field Museum
Sat, Jan. 10	ESCONI Mineralogy Meeting 7:30 p.m. College of Dupage, - Tech Ed (TEC) Building, Room 1038B (Map) - Topic: Mineral Video
Sat, Jan. 17	ESCONI Paleontology Meeting 7:30 p.m. College of Dupage, - Tech Ed Building (TEC), Room 1038B (Map) - Topic: Lower Permian Fossils of Kansas, ESCONI member Rich Holm
	ESCONI Archaeology Study Group Meeting. 7:30 p.m. College of Dupage, - Tech Ed Building (TEC), Room 1038B (Map) -Topic: Canceled

Jim Holstein to Speak on Fossil Meteorites at the January, 2015 General Meeting

Spinel group minerals in unequilibrated ordinary chondrites:  How oxide minerals can aid in the understanding of the flux of extraterrestrial materials in Earth's history.

Fossils found in sediments have long been used to piece together the evolution of life on Earth.  However, extraterrestrial materials are also found in sedimentary deposits.  Fossil meteorites that date back to 450 million years along with sediment dispersed grains are found in sediments and can be used to give us a better understanding of the type and the amount of material that was delivered in Earth's history.  Come learn how a targeted search for oxide minerals in modern meteorites can help piece together the history of our solar system.

Chicago Rocks & Minerals Society - 66th Annual Silent Auction

Chicago Rocks & Minerals Society

Announces

66th Annual Silent Auction of

Rocks, Minerals, Fossils and Lapidary Treasures

 

Saturday, March 14, 2015

6 to 9 p.m.

 

St. Peter’s United Church of Christ gymnasium

8013 Laramie Ave., Skokie

(across the street from the public library on Oakton)

 

Bid on rocks, crystals, minerals, fossils, geodes, handmade jewelry, lapidary materials, books, magazines and much more! Families with children are welcome. First table closes at 6:30 p.m. Free admission and parking. Children must be accompanied by an adult. For more information, call Jeanine N. Mielecki at (773) 774-2054 or email [email protected]. Visit www.chicagorocks.org.

Atlas of a Geologist's Brain

Early Cambrian Fossil from China

A rare 520-million-year-old fossil shaped like a 'squashed bird's nest' that will help to shed new light on life within Earth's ancient seas has been discovered in China by an international research team. The fossil is of a probable ‘chancelloriid’, a group of bizarre, balloon-shaped animals with an outer skeleton of defensive spines.

 

Summary in Science Daily at: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/12/141209081644.htm

Full online article at: http://www.nature.com/srep/2014/141209/srep07340/full/srep07340.html

 

Dinosaur 13 on CNN Dec 11th and 14th at 8 and 11 PM

Dinosaur 13 is going to be on CNN on Thursday, December 11th, 2015 at 8 and 11 PM EST and an encore presentation on Sunday, December 14th, also at 8 and 11 PM EST.   It's gotten good reviews.  More information is at this website.

 

Field Museum - Biomechanics Exhibit

If you haven't seen the Biomechanics Exhibit at the Field Museum, your time is running out.  It closes on January 4th 2015.  It's a great display, very educational.  It shows how we (and the diverse life around us) are biological machines.  There are sections on teeth, bones, senses, flight, etc.  It compares and contrasts the various methods that evolution has developed over the years.  Here's the online link.  Don't miss it in person.

While you're there, don't forget to say hello to our friend Sue!