Page 159 - Gary Greaser

For a long time, people were confused between Mastodons and Mammoths, and understandably so, because they looked quite similar. They were both huge and hairy, had a long nose and tusks. These pre-historic elephants belong to the order Proboscidea, which is a named derived from the Greek word for “nose.”

If you go by their name, you may think Velociraptor dinosaurs must have been quite fast in their time. This actually isn’t true as even a human child could have outrun most Velociraptors. Their name ‘Velociraptor’ means ‘swift robber’ and was given by American paleontologist Henry Osborn.

The Megalodon also called ‘Carcharocles Megalodon’ was the largest known shark to ever rule the ocean waters. The scientific name ‘Carcharocles Megalodon’ stands for ‘giant tooth’ and there is a good reason for that! Not only is the Megalodon the largest fish on record, but it is also popular for its massive teeth

Fossils offer us a glimpse into a fascinating past. The remains of historic and pre-historic living organisms have captivated scientists for their ability to tell the story of times that existed a long time ago. But today, fossils have also become a collector’s delight

Most dinosaur fossils, or many prehistoric shark fossils for that matter, may be way out of reach of some people. But fossils from prehistoric fish called Knightia are quite reasonably priced. These 50 thousand year old fish are discovered in Wyoming as one of the Green River Formation fossils

Some millions of years ago, different species of dinosaurs roamed around the earth that is today home to homo sapiens and thousands of other creatures. Dinosaurs may have been wiped off of the earth’s surface, but we still know a lot about these wondrous creatures, all thanks to fossils and science! If you have watched ‘Jurassic Park’ you must know about the Velociraptor dinosaur or raptor as it is the first dinosaur seen in the movie! These creatures lived and breathed during the end of the Cretaceous Period about 75 to 70 million years ago.

Velociraptor is among the most bird-like creatures ever discovered when it comes to dinosaurs. It was surprisingly small but very fast and vicious. The creature had a sickle-shaped claw on one toe on both feet which played a significant role in making the Velociraptor dinosaur a formidable predator! It also had a special bone in the wrist area allowing it to swivel the wrists sideways in what may be called a flapping motion. It was also capable

Choosing the right gift items for a fossil hunter or a future or practicing paleontologist can be no simple feat. Since they like to discover and collect fossils for research, hobby, or profit, you may probably think of gifting a fossil to make them feel special. While a fossil is a good idea, it should be authentic and rare like a Megalodontooth. If you can lay your hands on such pieces, things would work wonder for you; however, if not, here are the top three gifts you can gift to a fossil hunter:

Funny Paleontologist Apparel
Today, many apparel stores provide customized printed t-shirts designed specifically for fossil collectors or paleontologists. They generally have a wide selection of apparel with funny and witty quotes dedicated to fossil hunters. But if you don’t find the t-shirt you are looking for, you also have the option of customizing your t-shirt by placing a special order. However, you may have to spend some time finding a reliable and trusted store, which is why many people

While trilobite preparatorsand seasoned collectors can skillfully observe and identify fake trilobites, displayed in numerous fossil shows, new trilobite enthusiasts and collectors, who are unfamiliar with how fossils are fabricated, often fail to recognize faked specimens. This lack of knowledge and experience is tremendously increasing the market of fake fossils traders.

But if you don’t want to fall for such fake, take note of mentioned clues below that help you identify fake trilobite in no time. 

Air bubbles are signs on resins

The presence of tiny holes, not bigger than a half-millimeter in diameter in exoskeleton or matrix, should ring the bells. The curing of casting resin creates the formation of bubbles that often create small holes when they burst. 

Differences in matrix color

The difference in matrix color indicates a fake cast and those two different specimens have been fixed together. Closely observe the matrix and look for fine lines that separate two colors. For instance,

The late Miocene / early Pliocene fossils of the Caldera region of Chile are very special. The preservation of these fossils is incredible with great color and size. Many folks remember the big, top quality Megalodon teeth the emerged in the late 1990s and early 2000s, and then the Great White shark and the rare Great White transition teeth which were finally named as a species in 2012 (C. hubbelli). But there are many other rare, well preserved shark species that were found in the Chilean Bahia Iglesa Fm. deposits. Many Chilean fossil shark teeth represent the best available specimens for their species, and many these species are still available today in small numbers sourced from old hoards or collections. Unfortunately, the export of all Chilean fossils stopped in 2006 and nearly all of the Bahia Iglesa Fm. collecting area is now a national preserve that can only be accessed by universities or museums. Below are my top 10 Chilean fossil shark teeth for every rare fossil shark tooth collection.

Are you a budding paleontologist? Or do you just love reading interesting facts about the prehistoric era and the creatures that roamed around before humankind came to dominate the earth and its resources? Either way, planning museum visits with friends and family sounds like something that you may be doing regularly! After all, it is the one place where you get to see and admire all the relics from the past. Talking about museums, coming across fossils and bones of creatures that are now extinct is pretty exciting. Fossils of dinosaurs are the most sought after. These wondrous creatures were wiped off the earth about 65 million years ago at the end of the Cretaceous period. Today dinosaur bones and teeth have been dug out from around the globe. While about 700 species of dinosaurs have been discovered, Tyrannosaurus Rex, popularly referred to as T-Rex, is considered to be one among the most massive carnivores to have ever walked the earth during the late Cretaceous period! Tyrannosaurus