Earth Science Club of Northern Illinois - ESCONI

Notebaert Art Exhibit by ESCONI Member Andrew Young "All This Land" October 27th, 2018 through February 3rd, 2019

ESCONI member Andrew Young has an art show currently up at the Notebaert Nature Museum in Chicago. Twenty-four new paintings and sculptures will be on view from October 27th, 2018 to February 3rd, 2019.

Andrew Young: All This Land

October 27th, 2018 through February 3^rd, 2019  

For over three decades, Andrew Young has created art that presents nature as a reference point for human aspirations, worldly and spiritual. His earlier tempera works grappled with our natural desire for ethereal and transcendent experience, yet constrained by such temporal matters as history and mortality. The next phase in Young’s work more clearly reflected his background in science. Carefully constructed collages explored how we observe and catalog our surroundings, defining us through the models and language we use. A new direction here goes further into the physical aspect of art making; specific sources of pigments, their collection and processing, carry as much meaning as any imagery found or invented. The material itself grounds us to a living or geological occurrence, and to a place. 

Today, we are at an inflection point in our relationship to the landscape. No matter if one’s perception of nature is romantic, aesthetic, or purely utilitarian, dramatic change is underway. All This Land is a paradoxical title for a show that uses a little humor, theater, abstraction, and a ton of recovered objects to address a more somber awareness that the Earth’s fragile systems and resources, despite some current beliefs and tendencies, are not inexhaustible.

For more information about Andrew Young’s work, visit andrewyoungart.com

The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum
2430 Cannon Drive
Chicago, IL 60614
(773) 755-5100
naturemuseum.org

Horizons (Boundaries) 2 – found pigments (from Utah and Kansas) on incised and stained museum board: 22.25 x 22.25 in.

Coal Drawing 2 – ground coal, rust, and freshwater mussel shells in gum arabic, zinc white, on soot-stained paper: 21.5 x 15.25 in.

Work Clothes – decayed late-1800s coal-mining artifacts (Braceville, Illinois), folded cotton shirt and pants soaked in burnt, oxidized shale overburden: 31 x 20.5 x 10 in.

Dates for artist gallery talks will be forthcoming.

Happy Halloween 2018!

ESCONI November Junior Meeting, Friday 9th, 2018 at 7:00 PM - Topic "Crystals"

Is your child interested in crystals?

Join us at our junior meeting!

Friday November 9th 7pm

College of DuPage

Technical Education Center West side room 1038B

Contact [email protected] with questions

facebook.com/ESCONI.fb

 

Intriguing German Fossil Could Be an Entirely New Species of Archaeopteryx

Gizmodo has a story about a new study which proposes a new species of Archaeopteryx.  The 8th specimen, discovered in 2009, is described as Archaeopterxy albersdoerferi, separate from the other two Archaeopteryx species - Archaeopteryx lithographica or Archaeopteryx siemensii.  The study was published in Historical Biology.

Archaeopteryx is one of the most intriguing dinosaurs in the paleontological record. Discovered back in the 1860s, this Jurassic-era dinosaur was celebrated as being a conspicuous demonstration of evolution in action. Not quite lizard and not quite bird, it seemed to show, almost literally, lizards evolving into birds. Archaeopteryx was thus branded a “transitionary” species—a so-called missing link between extinct dinosaurs and modern birds.

Over the years, however, paleontologists have struggled to place Archaeopteryx in the family tree that leads to modern birds. The discovery of other dinosaur-era bird-like creatures, with sizes and characteristics more in keeping with the appearance of modern birds, led some scientists to conclude that Archaeopteryx was an evolutionary dead end, and that modern birds have a different common ancestor. Archaeopteryx was dubbed a “convergently bird-like non-avialan theropod,” which means a non-avian feathered dinosaur that acquired bird-like characteristics through the processes of convergent evolution.

End-Permian extinction, which wiped out most of Earth's species, was instantaneous in geological time

Sam Bowring (front) and former graduate student Seth Burgess inspecting the End-Permian extinction horizon at Penglaitan. Credit: Shuzhong Shen

Phys.org has a story about new research into the Permian Mass Extinction.  The research was detailed in a paper in the GSA Bulletin.  The study was a collaboration between scientists at MIT, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the National Museum of Natural History, and the University of Calgary.

For over two decades, scientists have tried to pin down the timing and duration of the end-Permian mass extinction to gain insights into its possible causes. Most attention has been devoted to well-preserved layers of fossil-rich rocks in eastern China, in a place known to geologists as the Meishan section. Scientists have determined that this section of sedimentary rocks was deposited in an ancient ocean basin, just before and slightly after the end-Permian extinction. As such, the Meishan section is thought to preserve signs of how Earth's life and climate fared leading up to the calamitous event.

"However, the Meishan section was deposited in a deep water setting and is highly condensed," says Shuzhong Shen of the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology in China, who led the study. "The rock record may be incomplete." The whole extinction interval at Meishan comprises just 30 centimeters of ancient sedimentary layers, and he says it's likely that there were periods in this particular ocean setting when sediments did not settle, creating "depositional gaps" during which any evidence of life or environmental conditions may not have been recorded.

In 1994, Shen took Bowring, along with paleobiologist Doug Erwin, now curator of paleozoic invertebrates at the National Museum of Natural History and a co-author of the paper, looking for a more complete extinction record in Penglaitan, a much less-studied section of rock in southern China's Guangxi province. The Penglaitan section is what geologists consider "highly expanded." Compared with Meishan's 30 centimeters of sediments, Penglaitan's sedimentary layers make up a much more expanded 27 meters that were deposited over the same period of time, just before the main extinction event occurred.

Lizzardro Museum: The Science of Jurassic Park - Saturday, October 27th, 2018

The Lizzardro Museum in Elmhurst, IL has a program entitled "The Science of Jurassic Park" this Saturday, October 27th, 2018 at 2 PM.  Details are on their website calendar of events.

This unique presentation by Donald Baumgartner, M.S. examines the science facts and myths behind the movies. For optimum experience, watch the movies before coming and bring your fossils for identification after the show. Real dinosaur fossils will be available for sale.

Lecture – 2 p.m. – 75 minutes – Ages 10 and Up
Fee: $8.00 per person; Museum Members Free
Reservations Recommended

 

FOSSIL Project Newsletter for Fall 2018

Volume 5, Issue 3, Fall 2018 |FOSSIL Project Newsletter Fall 2018

• Featured Professional: Emily Lindsey
• Amateur Spotlight: Steve Vanlandingham
• Club Corner: The Knoxville Gem & Mineral Society by David Liles
• Featured Fossil: Ichthyornis dispar by Christina Byrd
• Research: Evolution of Metazoan Disparity by Bradley Deline
• Education: 3D Foraminifera by Jennifer Bauer, Maggie Limbeck, & Audrey Parker
• Paleoart: Franz Anthony
• FOSSIL Project Updates Fall 2018 by Sadie Mills
• Upcoming Events

 

Happy National Fossil Day! - October 17th, 2018

There is a bunch of details on the official website.  A bunch of events are scheduled.  ESCONI has a "Show and Tell" day on Saturday, October 20th, 2018.  Hug your favorite fossil today!

National Fossil Day was first held on October 13, 2010, during Earth Science Week. National Fossil Day was established to promote the scientific and educational values of fossils. This nationwide celebration was first held on October 13, 2010, during Earth Science Week. The National Park Service and over 270 partners, including museums, institutions, organizations and other groups hosted events across the United States allowing the public opportunities to learn more about the world’s fossil heritage.

Each year a new National Fossil Day logo is created depicting a prehistoric organism. The logos help to promote National Fossil Day and provide educational opportunities to share more information about fossils. The original National Fossil Day logo was created in 2010 and featured a fossil mammal known as the titanothere. In 2011, the marine reptile known as the mosasaur was used in the National Fossil Day logo. During 2012, the mammoth was featured in the annual logo. For 2013, a Paleozoic invertebrate known as the eurypterid is highlighted in the annual logo.

Happy Earth Science Week 2018!

Earth Science Week is from October 14th to October 20th, 2018.  Each day has a different theme.  For classroom activities see here.  There is an online toolkit.  

• Sunday, October 14th is International Earthcache Day
• Monday, October 15th is Earth Science Literacy Day
• Tuesday, October 16th is Earth Observation Day and No Child Left Inside Day
• Wednesday, October 17th is National Fossil Day
• Thursday, October 18th is Geoscience for Everyone Day
• Friday, October 19th is Geologic Map Day
• Saturday, October 20th is International Archaeology Day

Enjoy and Learn about the Earth!  Have fun, learn, promote, and appreciate the Earth... It's the only planet we've got!

 

Chinese Cretaceous fossil highlights avian evolution

A 127-million-year-old fossil bird, Jinguofortis perplexus (reconstruction on the right, artwork by Chung-Tat Cheung), second earliest member of the short-tailed birds Pygostylia. Credit: WANG Min

Phys.org has a story about a newly identified extinct bird species.  The 127 million year old bird lived in what is now northeastern China.  Its name is Jinguoforis perplexus and it provides new information about avian development during the early evolution of flight.  Details are provided in a paper published in PNAS.

Drs. Wang Min, Thomas Stidham, and Zhou Zhonghe from the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology (IVPP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences reported their study of the well-preserved complete skeleton and feathers of this early bird in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

The analysis of this early Cretaceous fossil shows it is from a pivotal point in the evolution of flight—after birds lost their long bony tail, but before they evolved a fan of flight feathers on their shortened tail.

The scientists named this extinct species Jinguofortis perplexus. The genus name "Jinguofortis" honors women scientists around the world. It derives from the Chinese word "jinguo," meaning female warrior, and the Latin word "fortis" meaning brave.

Jinguofortis perplexus has a unique combination of traits, including a jaw with small teeth like its theropod dinosaur relatives; a short bony tail ending in a compound bone called a pygostyle; gizzard stones showing that it mostly ate plants; and a third finger with only two bones, unlike other early birds.

The Story of Tiny, Thornton Colorado's Torosaurus

The city of Thornton in Colorado, just north of Denver, has a website about their very own Torosaurus.  The website details the whole story, from discovery, to extraction, to display in the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, concluding with the legacy of the affair.  There's even a YouTube video with more explanation.

Newly Discovered Tyrant Dinosaur Stalked Ancient New Mexico

Dynamoterror was about 30 feet long, hunting prey during the Late Cretaceous. (Western Science Center)

The Smithsonian has a post about a new tyrannosaur.  Its name is Dynamoterror and it lived about 80 million years ago in what is now New Mexico.  The paper, published in PeerJ, describes the 30 foot long meat eater, which probably snacked on hadrosaurs, armored dinosaurs, and ceratopsians that lived in the hot, humid, and lush forests and swamps that covered the southwestern U.S. at that time.

The remains of Dynamoterror were found in New Mexico’s Menefee Formation in 2012 during an expedition led by Western Science Center paleontologist Andrew McDonald and CEO of the Zuni Dinosaur Institute for Geosciences, Douglas Wolfe. During that year’s field season, expedition volunteer Eric Gutierrez found fragmented bones spilling out of the sandstone.* Dinosaurs are hard to find in this part of the San Juan Basin, making almost any find worth noting, but initial clues indicated that this find was something special.

“We could tell that it was a large theropod from the large fragments of hollow limb bones,” McDonald says, referring to the broader family that tyrannosaurs, ostrich mimic dinosaurs, raptors, birds and others belong to.

 

 

Reminder: ESCONI General Meeting on October 12th, 2018

The October General Meeting will be held on October 12th, 2018 at the College of Dupage, Room 1038B TEC in the Tech Ed building.  The topic is "The Mazon Creek Cnidarian Essexella: The World Turned Upside Down" by Dr. Roy Plotnick from the University of Illinois – Chicago.  See you all there!

 

October 2018 Junior Meeting is Friday, October 12th, 2018 at 7:00 PM

The October 2018 Junior Meeting will be held on Friday, October 12th, 2018 at 7:00 PM, just before the General Meeting in TEC room 1038B at the College of DuPage.  Here is a map.

 

Save the Date: ESCONI Holiday Party will be held on December 7th, 2018 5:30 to 7:30 PM

The ESCONI Holiday Dinner has been scheduled at Cozymel's in Wheaton for December 7, 2018 from 5:30 to 7:30 PM.  The speaker for the meeting after dinner in Peter Makovicky of the Field Museum.

 

The LOESS Gem, Mineral, and Fossil Show is October 6th and 7th, 2018

The Lincoln Orbit Earth Science Society in Springfield, IL will hold its annual show on October 6th and 7th, 2018.  Show times are 10 AM - 6 PM on Saturday and 10 AM - 5 PM on Sunday.  They always put on a great show!

Orr Building
   *Please note the new location*
State Fairgrounds
Springfield, Illinois

Admission
   Adults                     $2.00
   Seniors (65+)        $1.00
  FREE Admission for scouts in uniforms, 4-H groups, and Children 12 & under when accompanied by an adult.
Below is a flier with a coupon for adults to get in free with a child.

Featuring
FREE Parking
Great food
Free fossil, mineral, & artifact identification
Mineral & Fossil Dealers
Demonstrations
Springfield Maker Space
Fluorescent Display
Kid's Fossil Dig & Activities
Silversmithing
Flint Knapping
Bead Making
Lapidary
Geode Cracking
Jewelry
Carvings

ESCONI Events October 2018

Field trips require membership, but visitors are welcome at all meetings!

Sun, Oct 7th	ESCONI Field Trip, 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM Airport Quarry in Rockford, IL - See details here
Fri, Oct 12th	ESCONI Junior Meeting, 7:00 PM College of Dupage - Tech Ed (TEC) Building, Room 1038B (Map) - Topic: TBA
Fri, Oct 12th	ESCONI General Meeting, 8:00 PM College of Dupage - Tech Ed (TEC) Building, Room 1038B (Map) - Topic: "The Mazon Creek Cnidarian Essexella: The World Turned Upside Down" by Dr. Roy Plotnick from the University of Illinois – Chicago
Wed, Oct 17th	National Fossil Day - Details here
Sat, Oct 20th	ESCONI Paleontology Study Group Meeting, 7:30 PM College of Dupage - Tech Ed (TEC) Building, Room 1038B (Map) - Topic: "Show and Tell"