The flyby of the New Horizons spacecraft reached Pluto in July of 2015. It was a culmination of over ten years of mission planning, testing and flight to that far away world. This presentation will discuss the mission design for getting a spacecraft to survive such a long journey as well as the incredible images and science results so far. The future of New Horizons will also be discussed – there is still more to come!
A fun and informative examination of what the dinosaurs were really like. Our movies, internet and text books are all out of date. Today, we can know what they looked like, how they lived and perhaps what they were like emotionally! We will look at their eyes, their size, their colors and their living relatives. Dinosaurs are more than bones, they were (and are) real animals that lived in an ecosystem as dynamic and as beautiful as our own!
“20 Years of Collecting Dinosaurs in South Dakota” will be presented at 7:00 PM in the Gateway Executive Office auditorium on March 16, 2016. Glen LaPlaca, owner of Past & Present Science and Nature Store, will give this presentation on his experiences collecting late Cretaceous dinosaur fossils in the badlands of South Dakota over the past 20 years. His talk will feature a presentation with slides and actual fossils he has collected and will explain what might have happened at this site 66 million years ago.
Yellowstone. The Grand Canyon. Arches. You’ve seen the photos, but do you know the history of our western National Parks? We’ll talk about geological features, ecological environments, and the people who had an important role in the development of the parks. If you’re considering visiting some of these parks, we’ll talk about how you can maximize the experience while avoiding long lines and crowded attractions. And, we’ll discuss Phil’s favorite parks from off the beaten path: Canyonlands, Natural Bridges, Mesa Verde, Dinosaur, and others. Get ready to rock out!
50 Million Years ago an ancient Lost Lake existed in what is now Southwestern Wyoming. The fish of Lost Lake as well as other fossilized creatures make this area the world’s best Paleogene record of a freshwater lake ecosystem. Since it’s discovery in the 1870’s more that one million perfectly preserved fish have been recovered. Preserved with the fish in laminated limestone is a complete aquatic ecosystem including plants, insects, crustaceans (shrimp and crayfish) amphibians (frogs and a primitive salamander) Some of the more recent and spectacular discoveries include a fossil horse, fossil snakes, and fossil alligators. There has even been a bat found preserved in the remnants of the Lost Lake. Come see actual fossil fish from PaleoJoe’s collection, and hear the story of the Lost Fossil Lake.
All lectures for the Penn Dixie 2016 Winter/Spring illustrated presentations are held at 7pm in the auditorium of the Gateway Executive Office Building.
