Earth Science Club of Northern Illinois - ESCONI

ESCONI Paleontology Meeting: Saturday, October 20th, 2018 - Show and Tell

The October Paleontology Meeting will be "Show and Tell".  Reminder: Wednesday, October 17th is National Fossil Day, so bring in some specimens and tell us some stories!

 

ScienceFriday: A Day With Fossil Hunters

Randall Irmis, paleontologist and curator at the Natural History Museum of Utah. Credit: Lauren J. Young

Science Friday has a post about fossil hunting in Utah.  Here is the related audio for the story.  A team from Science Friday ventured out into the dusty canyons of Utah to see what it's like to hunt for fossils.

Out in the canyons of southeastern Utah, the arid August heat pricks at your skin. It’s a toasty 90 degrees Fahrenheit. When the wind picks up it only leaves you covered in a thin layer of fine dust. The loose rubble, fallen from the 200-million-year-old sandstone cliffs above crunch beneath your boots. And if you’re not careful with your steps, your walk can turn into a slide down the steep slopes.

But for fossil hunters, it’s worth it to unearth prehistoric gold.

 

ESCONI Field Trip: Sunday, October 7th, 2018 to the Airport Quarry in Rockford, IL 10 AM to 1 PM

There will be a joint field trip with the Rock River Valley Gem & Mineral Society RRVGMS on October 7th, 2018. There is room 15 ESCONI members.  The trip will be from 10 AM to 1 PM.  There is no age limit.  You will need to be a member of ESCONI or RRVGMS.  Hard hats are required!  You will need to complete an ESCONI field trip form which will be provided on site.

 

Note: this is a sand and gravel quarry, not the usual hard rock quarry in Rockford.  There are fossils, but they come from the glacial till.  So, if you are in the mood for a general rock collecting trip, this is for you!

 

Please email Duane and Therese Cushing at [email protected] to reserve a spot.  Happy rock hounding!

 

 

Palaeocast Episode 94: Joggins Fossil Cliffs

Palaeocast has a new episode.  The topic is the Joggins Fossil Cliffs, which is a rich fossil deposit from the Carboniferous Period.  The locality is in Nova Scotia, Canada and dates to about 300 million years ago, which makes it contemporary in time with Mazon Creek.  There is a wide variety of fossils, both plants and animals (vertebrates and invertebrates).  Basically, a whole ecosystem was preserved.

The Carboniferous was a time of huge swampy forests, big trees, and lots of life both on land and in the ocean. One world-renowned fossil site from approximately 300 million years ago is the Joggins Fossil Cliffs, located on the Bay of Fundy in Nova Scotia Canada. Joggins is one of Canada’s five palaeontology-based UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and is one of the best places in this world to find fossils from this time period.

Earth Science Week - October 14th - 20th, 2018

Earth Science Week is from October 14th to 20th, 2018.  All the details can be found here.  There are materials for teachers, events in your area, and much, much more!  Remember, Wednesday, October 17th, 2018 is National Fossil Day.  There are ESCONI meetings bracketing this week... the General Meeting is October 12th and the Paleontology Study Group Meeting is October 20th.  Come on out and get your earth science on!

 

YouTube Channel: PBS Eons - Did Raptorex Really Exist?

 

PBS Eons has a new video... Did Raptorex Really Exist?  It discusses the controversy over when, where, and did Raptorex live.

 

National Fossil Day is Wednesday, October 17th 2019

National Fossil Day is Wednesday, October 17th 2019.  The official website is by the National Park Service.  ESCONI will be having the Paleontology Meeting on Saturday, October 20th, 2019.  The topic is still to be announced.  There's many events listed on the website.  Check them out!

Reminder: September 2018 General Meeting is "The Origin of Crinoids" by Dr. Tom Guensburg of the Field Museum

The speaker at our September meeting will be Dr. Tom Guensburg, Research Associate at the Field Museum. The title of his program is "The Origin of Crinoids".  Don't miss it!

Rock River Valley Gem & Mineral Society: Rock Swap on Saturday, September 15th, 2018

The Rock River Valley Gem & Mineral Society his holding a Rock Swap on Saturday, September 15th, 2018. 

Show Flyer

Saturday September 17, 2016

6219 Forest Hills Road, Rockford, Illinois

ODD FELLOWS HALL

Bring it, Swap it, Buy it, and Sell it

9:30 am to 4:00 pm

$20 space donation for 10ft by 10ft

Rain or Shine Public Admission Free

Sponsored by the Rock River Valley Gem & Mineral Society

Contact Duane at 815-218-5011, rrvgms@gmail.com

The Rock River Valley Gem & Mineral Society his holding a Rock Swap on Saturday, September 15th, 2018. 

Show Flyer

Saturday September 17, 2016

6219 Forest Hills Road, Rockford, Illinois

ODD FELLOWS HALL

Bring it, Swap it, Buy it, and Sell it

9:30 am to 4:00 pm

$20 space donation for 10ft by 10ft

Rain or Shine Public Admission Free

Sponsored by the Rock River Valley Gem & Mineral Society

Contact Duane at 815-218-5011, rrvgms@gmail.com

ESCONI Field Trip: Sunday, September 30th, 2018 to Irene Quarry near Belvidere, Illinois 10 AM to 1 PM

There will be a field trip to the Irene Quarry near Belvidere, Illinois on Sunday, Sept 30, 2018, from 10AM to 1 PM.

The rock is Ordovician, Galena Group. This is a "hard-rock" quarry (dolomite). If you like Hormotoma or Receptaculites, this is the place for you! The quarry has been active so there is new rock exposed.
 
Rules:

1. Everyone in your group MUST be an ESCONI member as of Sept 27, 2018.
2. Everyone in your group MUST be at least 18 years of age.
3. Everyone MUST have and wear a hard hat, safety vest, and sturdy boots while in the quarry. No sandals, tennis shoes, and the like. No claw hammers, roofing hammers - use only rock hammers. If you plan on hammering then bring eye protection and wear it. 
4. Sign up by sending me (Dave) an email with the number of members attending and their names. My email is [email protected]. No phone calls please. Do not call the quarry.
5. I will acknowledge by return email. If you don't get a reply in 24 hours, send it again!
6. Maximum attendance by ESCONI members is 15. This is a combined trip with the Rockford club. I will keep a “Waiting List” if more spots open up.
7. Please review the Code of Ethics and Conduct on the ESCONI website. You will be expected to sign-in at the quarry. By signing you agree to follow the Code of Ethics and the conditions on the ESCONI Liability and Waiver form (sent by email to those that sign up). You do not need to print out the waiver form, just know what you’re agreeing to.

The address of the quarry is 4525 Irene Road, Belvidere, Illinois.  I will distribute the waiver forms by email to those signed up just before the trip.
Questions?  Send me ([email protected]) an email ...