Earth Science Club of Northern Illinois - ESCONI

Living fast may have helped mammals like ‘ManBearPig’ dominate #fossil #paleontology #mammal #fossils

The ancient mammal Pantolambda bathmodon (illustrated) looked something like a jumbo red panda, with a bearlike head, stocky build and long tail. Despite its fearsome appearance, P. bathmodon was a gentle, plant-eating giant in its ecosystem. H. SHARPE

Science News has a story about early mammals.  A mammal nicknamed the ManBearPig" that emerged after the K-Pg mass extinction may help explain how mammals came do dominate the world when the dinosaurs disappeared.   The animal was described in a recent paper in the journal Nature.

During the age of the dinosaurs, mammals “only got as large as a domestic cat, maybe, or a badger,” says Gregory Funston, a paleontologist at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto. But after an asteroid wiped out all nonbird dinosaurs about 66 million years ago, “we see this huge explosion in mammal diversity, where mammals start to get really big,” Funston says.

In particular, placental mammals got really big. Those are mammals whose babies develop mainly in the womb while fed by a placenta — unlike egg-laying platypuses or marsupials, whose tiny newborns do much of their development in their mother’s pouch. Today, placentals are the most diverse group of mammals and include some of the world’s largest animals such as whales, elephants and giraffes.

Paleontologists have long wondered why placentals rose to dominance. Researchers suspected that the long gestation period of this mammal lineage was an important factor. But it was unclear how long ago such long gestation evolved.

Canceled: ESCONI Field Trip to a Belvidere Quarry Saturday, October 8th, 2022, 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM #ordovician #quarry #fossil #fieldtrip #illinois #rockford #limestone

Sorry, Canceled by Quarry!

Belvidere Quarry Field Trip

There will be a field trip to a quarry near Belvidere, Illinois on Saturday, Oct 8th, 2022, from 9AM to 12 noon.
 
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.

If you are sick, have symptoms of covid or have tested positive recently, DON”T COME.
 
Rules

1. Everyone in your group MUST be an ESCONI member when you register for this trip. Max attendance is 25
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 or 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.
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 18. This is a shared trip with the Rock River Valley Gem and Mineral Society.
7. Please review the Code of Ethics and Conduct on the ESCONI website. You will be expected to check-in at the quarry. By doing so 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 ESCONI waiver form, just know what you’re agreeing to. There may be an additional waiver from the quarry.

The address of the quarry will be sent to those that sign up.

I will distribute the waiver forms by email to those signed up just before the trip.
 
Questions? Send me an email...

Fossil Friday #125: Neuropteris vermicularis #fossil #paleontology #MazonCreek #FossilFriday #illinois #pennsylvanian #fern #fossils #seedfern

This is "Fossil Friday" post #125.  Expect this to be a somewhat regular feature of the website.  We will post any fossil pictures you send in to [email protected].  Please include a short description or story.  Check the #FossilFriday Twitter hash tag for contributions from around the world!

-----------------------------------------------------

Today's Fossil Friday photo comes from ESCONI member George Witaszek.  It's an absolutely gorgeous Neuropteris vermicularis from the Mazon Creek fossil deposit.  This one measures about 7 inches and has a good portion of the terminal pinnule.  George said he found it opened and couldn't believe what he was seeing.  It's a beautiful specimen, certainly one of the most striking fossils found this year.  It has great color contrast and a 3-dimensional feel to the individual pinnnules.  Thanks for sharing, George!

Throwback Thursday #127: Piano Hill on Route 66 #TBT #history #ThrowbackThursday #Wilmington #illinois #route66 #piano #pianohill #coalcity #braidwood

This is Throwback Thursday #127.  In these, we look back into the past at ESCONI specifically and Earth Science in general.  If you have any contributions, (science, pictures, stories, etc ...), please sent them to [email protected].  Thanks!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Route 66, or the "Mother Road" as it was sometimes called, was in operation from November 26th, 1926 until June 26th, 1985.   It connected Chicago, IL to Santa Monica, CA through the states of Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona.  It passed just west of Wilmington, IL and through the middle of Braidwood, IL along what is now IL 129.  On the corner of Route 66 and Coal City Road, there once stood a sign in the form of a piano on the top of the hill to the northwest of the intersection.   This hill was a spoil pile from what was Pit 3 of the Northern Illinois Coal Corporation, which later became Peabody Coal Company.  The sign was built in the shape of a grand piano.  For many years, the sign stood on the hill, which was referred to as Piano Hill by locals and the Mazon Creek fossil collectors that passed it by.

The sign advertised a local orchestra called Faletti's Orchestra, which was located in Coal City, IL. and was named for its founder Barney Faletti.  This photograph from the early 1930's shows Barney on the far left.

The orchestra was based in a music shop on Broadway Street in Coal City, IL.  This photo shows the building in the 1920's along with the orchestra's tour bus.

The building is still there today along with Barney's house, which is next door with the green roof.

He later sold his business to Rogers Cumming.   The shop became the Cumming Music Center, which has caused some confusion as to which business the sign originally referred to.

Interesting story about Barney Faletti... it seems that he was offered a big "gig" far from Coal City.  He didn't want to be away from home, so he recommended his friend Lawrence Welk and his band to the agent.  Welk took the job and became "TV Famous".  Barney and Lawrence remained friends for the rest of their lives.  Here is a photo signed to Beverly Faletti from Lawrence Welk.

As for Piano Hill, in 2006, the piano was still there or at least the frame was.  This photo comes from a Route 66 website.

Earlier this year, we were curious about what was left of the piano... Hint, it's in bad shape.  Jeremy Zimmerman and I visited it in April.  And, there isn't much left of the it, just a portion of the outer frame.  And, that has a large tree growing up through the middle.  Note: this is on private property, so please don't visit without permission.

If you have any photos of Piano Hill back in the day, please pass it along.  We'd love to see it as there doesn't seem to be any photos in existence.

References

• The Carbon Hill School Museum.  We've mentioned this place previously.  The curator Michele Micetich did a presentation for ESCONI about the Diamond Mine Disaster back in June 2019.  She is very knowledgeable about the surrounding area.  If she doesn't know the answer or where to find it, no one knows!  Visit this museum to learn of the rich history of the area.
• Route 66 website, especially the page about Illinois.

ESCONI September 2022 General Meeting - Friday, September 9th, 2022 at 8:00 PM via Zoom - "Paleozoic fishes of the Illinois Basin” #fossil #paleontology #paleozoic #fish #fossils #illinois

The September 2022 General Meeting will be held on Friday, September 9th, 2022 at 8:00 PM via Zoom.  The presenter is Dr. Ryan Shell of the Cincinnati Museum Center.  The title of his talk is "Paleozoic fishes of the Illinois Basin”.  Dr. Shell is a research associate in the department of vertebrate paleontology at the Cincinnati Museum Center and a Paleontological Resources Assistant at the United States Forest Service. He does research in paleontology, systematics, taxonomy, biostratigraphy and biogeography.

Topic: Paleozoic fishes of the Illinois Basin
Presented By: Dr. Ryan Shell
Time: Sep 9, 2022 08:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81606927085?pwd=N2E3aHNndmxmQUVRTlJJVUdqMzI0Zz09

Meeting ID: 816 0692 7085
Passcode: 792272
One tap mobile
+13126266799,,81606927085#,,,,*792272# US (Chicago)
+13092053325,,81606927085#,,,,*792272# US

Dial by your location
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
+1 309 205 3325 US
+1 929 205 6099 US (New York)
+1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)
+1 646 931 3860 US
+1 386 347 5053 US
+1 564 217 2000 US
+1 669 444 9171 US
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
+1 719 359 4580 US
+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
Meeting ID: 816 0692 7085
Passcode: 792272
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kREMcJVDf

CBC News: Rare dinosaur skin fossil discovered in Alberta #fossil #paleontology #dinosaur #canada #hadrosaur #fossils #skinfossil

CBC News has a story about the discovery of fossilized dinosaur skin.

A dinosaur fossil recently discovered in Alberta’s badlands was so well preserved its skin was still in tact. The rare find is spreading excitement among paleontologists.

Mazon Monday #128: Biomarkers Found in Mazon Creek Coprolites #fossil #paleontology #MazonMonday #MazonCreek #pennsylvanian #coprolite #fossils #coprolites @FieldMuseum @madison_tripp_ @curtainuni

This is Mazon Monday post #128.  What's your favorite Mazon Creek fossil?  Tell us at email:[email protected].

-----------------------------------------------------

Fossils are often found in concretions, which form within sediment as a local accumulation of matter.  In the case of Mazon Creek, these concretions consist of Iron Carbonate and quite often form around some central organic material.  The typical ovoid shape has an aesthetic all its own.  Inside these concretions, one can find fossils of anything from plant material, to various fauna like shrimp, fish, insects, and even jellyfish.  As you are probably aware, these fossils can be stunningly beautiful.  One fairly common fossil, which isn't mentioned often, is a type of trace fossil called a coprolite.  Coprolites are fossilized feces AKA dung.   They were first described by William Buckland in 1829, which seems fitting as he claimed he wanted to "eat his way through the animal kingdom".  Noting at some point that "the most distasteful items were mole and bluebottle flies".

Recently, some researchers from Curtain University in Perth, Western Australia published a paper called "Fossil Biomarkers and Biosignatures Preserved in Coprolites Reveal Carnivorous Diets in the Carboniferous Mazon Creek Ecosystem" in the journal Biology.  Interestingly, Amy Elson, who works with the lead author Madison Tripp, visited the Field Museum back in August 2022 and ESCONI took her to visit the Pit 11 and Braceville Spoil Pile localities.  Amy is on the right collecting from the Braceville Spoil Pile.  She collected concretions and surrounding shale for further research.

ESCONI members Rich Holm and Jeremy Zimmerman were part of the Field Museum field trip that included Amy Elson, Paul Mayer Field Museum Collections Manager of Fossil Invertebrates, and a few of his interns.

The coprolite sample used in the study.

A summary of the paper can be found on Phys.org.

Curtin researchers have analyzed organic molecules preserved within 306-million-year-old fossilized animal feces (coprolite) and unlocked a wealth of information about the diets of long-extinct animals and prehistoric ecosystems. Their study is published in Biology.

Lead author Ph.D. student Madison Tripp from Curtin's WA-Organic and Isotope Geochemistry Center (WA-OIGC) said the research had revealed important biomolecular information that, despite being millions of years old, remained intact at a well-preserved fossil site.

"The samples, collected from Mazon Creek in Illinois and supplied by Field Museum Chicago, are the first coprolites of the 60-million-year-spanning Carboniferous age to be studied for organic molecules," Tripp said.

"By studying these molecules preserved inside the fossilized feces samples, we found fascinating dietary information about an unidentifiable extinct animal from Earth's distant past—showing that the animal was a meat-eater or on a predominantly carnivorous diet.

"Molecular analysis of the feces or coprolites showed two clear indicators the animal was carnivorous. One was the high proportion of a variety of molecules derived from cholesterol, which is present in most animals, and the other is a distinct lack of plant-derived biomarkers."

"Interpreting the diets of extinct animals through the biomolecular analysis of coprolites is important for studying ancient environments and ecosystems, which may have implications for understanding, our current ecosystems."

Research co-author ARC Laureate Fellow, John Curtin Distinguished Professor Kliti Grice, Director of WA-OIGC, who was this week named Scientist of the Year at the 2022 Premier's Science Awards, said the research highlighted the significance of exceptionally preserved fossil sites, such as Mazon Creek.

Neanderthals died out 40,000 years ago, but there has never been more of their DNA on Earth #fossil #paleontology #neanderthal #dna #evolution

99.7% human. Artist: Tom Björklund / Moesgård Museum, Author provided

The Conversation has an interesting article about the Neanderthals.  First discovered in 1856, Neanderthals are known to have been very similar to us.  We knew them and even interbred.  They were successful for many years even along side us, so why did they go extinct?

Neanderthals have served as a reflection of our own humanity since they were first discovered in 1856. What we think we know about them has been shaped and moulded to fit our cultural trends, social norms and scientific standards. They have changed from diseased specimens to primitive sub-human lumbering cousins to advanced humans.

We now know Homo neanderthalensis were very similar to ourselves and we even met them and frequently interbred. But why did they go extinct, while we survived, flourished and ended up taking over the planet?

Neanderthals evolved over 400,000 years ago, most likely from an earlier ancestor Homo heidelbergensis. They were extremely successful and spread across an area from the Mediterranean to Siberia. They were highly intelligent, with brains on average bigger than Homo sapiens‘s.

They hunted for big game, collected plants, fungi, and seafood, controlled fire to cook, made composite tools, made clothes from animal skins, made beads from shells, and were able to carve symbols on to cave walls. They took care of their young, old and weak, created shelters for protection, lived through harsh winters and warm summers, and they buried their dead.

The Latest Find as Water Levels Fall: Dinosaur Tracks in Texas #fossil #paleontology #texas #footprints #tracefossil

Severe drought conditions at Dinosaur Valley State Park exposed dinosaur tracks that were previously hidden underneath the Paluxy River.Credit...Paul Baker/Friends of Dinosaur Valley

The New York Times has a story about the discovery of dinosaur footprints.  Severe drought conditions across the world are revealing secrets long covered by water.  Just outside of Fort Worth, Texas lies Dinosaur Valley State Park, where dinosaur footprints were recently found after the Paluxy River dried up.  The footprints date to about 113 million years ago and were made by a meat eating dinosaur called Acrocanthosaurus.

“Due to the excessive drought conditions this past summer, the river dried up completely in most locations, allowing for more tracks to be uncovered here in the park,” Ms. Garcia said in a statement. “Under normal river conditions, these newer tracks are under water and are commonly filled in with sediment, making them buried and not as visible.”

The tracks are likely to be buried again by rain this week. But the finding — even if for a brief moment — excited researchers and the public.

“Tracks being buried under layers of sediment do help protect them from natural weathering and erosion,” Ms. Garcia said.

Other tracks at Dinosaur Valley State Park belong to a sauropod, or long-necked, small-headed dinosaur, called Sauroposeidon proteles. This species would have stood 60 feet tall and weighed 44 tons as an adult.

Fossil Friday #124: Mazon Creek Lungfish Scale #fossil #paleontology #MazonCreek #FossilFriday #fish #fishfossil #lungfish

This is "Fossil Friday" post #124.  Expect this to be a somewhat regular feature of the website.  We will post any fossil pictures you send in to [email protected].  Please include a short description or story.  Check the #FossilFriday Twitter hash tag for contributions from around the world!

-----------------------------------------------------

Saturday, August 27th and Sunday August 28th were the annual I&M Canal Corridor's Fossil Trip .  This event benefits the I&M Canal Corridor and helps support its upkeep.  Mazon Creek fossils from the Kodat (nee Benson) farm are the target for this field trip.  The Kodat farm was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1997.  There is a report with photos of the event over on the Fossil Forum.

There were many fossils and even more concretions found on both days.  Probably, the most memorable find was by Gary Riegler, who has encouraged his son Ben's interest in paleontology over his decades of collecting.  Gary found a stunningly, huge, lungfish scale.  Despite being found open, it has great detail and measures 2.5 inches wide!  Here is Ben's description.

He found it already split, but it is only slightly river-worn. When he showed it to me I could hardly believe it and I assured him that if he showed it to anyone else with a some familiarity with Mazon Creek fossils that they would be gobsmacked. I’m happy to say I was not wrong- I wish I would have recorded all of the superlatives that sprung from people’s mouths the rest of the evening when they saw it. 

Gobsmacked!?!  How about amazed, shocked, flabbergasted, astonished, and just plain dumbfounded!  Thanks for sharing this gorgeous fossil, Gary!  It must have come from a truly enormous lungfish!

Throwback Thursday #126: Looking Back at ESCONI for September 2022 #history #TBT #ThrowbackThursday

This is Throwback Thursday #126.  In these, we look back into the past at ESCONI specifically and Earth Science in general.  If you have any contributions, (science, pictures, stories, etc ...), please sent them to [email protected].  Thanks!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Pliny the Elder

25 Years Ago - September 1997

• The General Meeting topic was "The Age of Reptiles on the Great Red Island".  It was given by Dr. Greg Buckley of the Field Museum.  The Great Red Island is Madagascar.
• Dave Bergman had organized a Maple Leaf Field Trip to Ontario Canada for fossils for August 23rd through the 31st.  Wow, a whole week of fossils!
• Archaeology was discussing the "Dawn of Humans".
• The Paleontology study groups did the traditional "Brag Night".
• The Field Museum had a special exhibit called "Archaeopteryx: The Bird That Rocked the World!" from October 4th - 19th, 1997..  It included a real Archaeopteryx fossil.

50 Years Ago - September 1972

• The General Meeting was "Brag Night".  There were tables, a projector, and an attentive audience.
• There was a three day field trip over Labor Day.
•     Saturday's stop was at Gray's Quarry in Hamilton, IL for geodes and minerals.
•     Sunday the target was for trilobites and micro-geodes in Iowa. 
•     Monday, they went to Astoria for concretions.
• Sylvia Konecny reported on the May 20th field trip to the Dickson Mounds.

70 Years Ago - September 1952

• Dr. George Otto conducted a field trip to Galena, IL for minerals.
• ESCONI had an exhibit in the annual Downers Grove Woman's Club "Hobby Show" at the Fall Festival.
• The Babbitts brought back 1200 lbs of specimens from their vacation to California.  They talked about expanding their basement.
• Jay Farr, Chairman of ESCONI, wrote an article in the newsletter about Caius Plinius Secundus AKA Pliny the Elder.
• Bill Kelly, Corresponding Secretary, reported on the ESCONI presence at the Twelfth Annual Convention of the Midwest Federation of Mineralogical and Geological Societies at McAlester College in St. Paul, MN.  William Allaway, first chairman of ESCONI, was voted Midwest Federation President for 1953.