Tag Archives: fossils

Putting donated fossils to work

mwilson November 5, 2010 10:52 am

WOOSTER, OHIO — Last month we began integrating a large collection of rocks, minerals and fossils into our teaching program in the Department of Geology. These specimens were donated by an Ohio family who lovingly gathered them over decades. They … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

It is not just fossils in a paleontology lab

mwilson November 4, 2010 2:50 pm

WOOSTER, OHIO — To understand ancient life a paleontology student must also know a considerable amount about modern life. In our Invertebrate Paleontology course this means that students study, for example, modern clams to provide a context for the fossil … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Anomalocaris now not so scary

mwilson November 1, 2010 4:18 pm

DENVER, COLORADO — I very much enjoyed a talk this afternoon by Whitey Hagadorn (a Wooster favorite since his Osgood lecture last year) entitled: “Putting Anomalocaris on a soft-food diet?” Even though Whitey says Anomalocaris “may still have been a … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Thoroughly bored at GSA: A Wooster Geologist Faculty Talk

mwilson October 31, 2010 5:12 pm

DENVER, COLORADO — How I very much enjoy those few minutes AFTER giving a presentation, especially a Geological Society of America talk. That sense of renewed life, the rush of completing a task which was months in preparation, and the … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Teaching Paleontology in the 21st Century

mwilson October 31, 2010 12:28 pm

DENVER, COLORADO — The teaching of paleontology has changed dramatically over the course of my teaching career, and this excellent topical session at the Geological Society of America Annual Meeting was designed for direct conversations about paleontological pedagogy. It was … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | Leave a comment

And some useful donations are very small

mwilson October 24, 2010 5:50 pm

WOOSTER, OHIO — The Wooster Geology Department is in the process of receiving a very large gift of geological specimens described in the last post. It is also worth noting that some small gifts can be very interesting as well. … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Gifts for generations of geology students

mwilson October 24, 2010 5:30 pm

WOOSTER, OHIO — The Geology Department at Wooster has received many donations of rocks, minerals and fossils over the years. Collectors are always passionate about their specimens, so when they decide to donate their treasures they want them to go … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Wooster celebrates National Fossil Day

mwilson October 13, 2010 8:28 am

WOOSTER, OHIO–Today we are celebrating the first annual National Fossil Day (or at least I am!). Be sure to check out that link from the National Park Service — it contains the official National Fossil Day song! My recognition of … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

The value of amateur paleontology

mwilson October 10, 2010 1:27 pm

SULLIVAN, OHIO–Last month I gave a talk to the North Coast Fossil Club about an obscure fossil group, the hederelloids. My purpose, besides simply enjoying the good company of fossil enthusiasts, was to show the audience a type of small … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 6 Comments

New polychaete tubeworm fauna from the Jurassic of Israel

mwilson September 21, 2010 9:20 pm

WOOSTER, OHIO–That may not be the most exciting title I could choose, but it was a fun project nonetheless. My Estonian colleague Olev Vinn and I have a paper in the latest issue of  Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment