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Tag: palaeontology

“Struck by Lightning”, The amazing true life story about Mary Anning: March 24, 2 pm

You are invited to join the VIPS link for the presentation, The Mary Anning Story “Struck by Lightning”, the amazing true life story about Mary Anning, fossil huntress and first woman of science.

On Sunday, March 24th at 2:00 pm PDT, the virtual meeting link will be posted to the page linked here http://www.fossiltalksandfieldtrips.com/.

This story occurs about 200 years ago at the time of the birth of paleontology, 1799-1847. 

The scene is along the rugged south west coast of England in the little town of Lyme Regis in the 1800s. This area is possibly the most popular area in England to collect fossils. Today this 95 mile long stretch of coastline, which is now referred to as the “Jurassic Coast”,  has over one million visitors each year.

The cliffs erode at a very rapid rate and every year expose literally tens of thousands of fossils. This is a fossil hunter’s dream.

Image courtesy https://lovelymeregis.co.uk/fossils

VicPS presents Wednesday, April 12th 7:30pm: “Exploring Paleontology: From Finding a Dinosaur to Seeing it on Display”

VicPS members will have received an email that invites them to join our monthly online presentation, compliments of the UVic Speaker’s Bureau. On Wednesday, April 12th at 7:30pm, please welcome:

Ms. Emily Cross, Graduate Student, School of Earth & Ocean Sciences, as she presents

Exploring Paleontology:
From Finding a Dinosaur to Seeing it on Display

This presentation covers the steps from finding a fossil to seeing it on display. It delves into what kinds of tools paleontologists use and examples of interesting research. It also examines what museum collections are like and the work needed to get exhibits ready for display. The presentation also covers different fossilization environments and different types of fossil preservation.

VicPS members should reference the aforementioned email for instructions and links to join this April 12th Zoom presentation.

Prof. Shahin Dashtgard blogs on geology

Professor Shahin Dashtgard, P. Geo of SFU now has a blog at www.whattherock.ca to make geology more accessible to those who are interested in it. This was undertaken in response to his recent talk to the VPS and several emails he’s received recently asking geological and palaeontological questions.

With only three posts so far, he’s just getting started. With two of those posts about Vancouver Island, and plans to add a few on the Nanaimo Group, his writings should be of interest and instruction to our VicPS members.

CANCELLED: Canadian Society of Vertebrate Palaeontology 2020 Meeting

COVID-19 update: Meeting Cancelled. This June’s meeting at the RBCM has been cancelled because of Covid-19. We hope to have an update in the fall about next year’s symposium, and people should check https://csvp.ca/ or follow our CSVP’s social media channels for updates.

The 2020 meeting of the Canadian Society of Vertebrate Palaeontology will be hosted by the Royal BC Museum (RBCM), located in downtown Victoria, BC. This event will take place June 6-8, 2020. Please see this circular for details about the event.

Please note that student registration costs have been reduced since the first circular was published.

Oral presentations will be held in the museum’s Newcombe Conference Hall, with poster sessions and breaks in the newly renovated Learning Centre.

Registration deadline is March 15, 2020. You must be registered to submit a presentation or a poster abstract. Full details are in the circular linked above.

October 28 2018 field trip

When: Sunday, October 28th, 2018, 8:00 am

Directions: Meet at the Helmcken Road Park and Ride at 8:00 am to arrange carpooling.

This field trip is suitable for collectors of all ages and activity levels. Fossils are found in the rock and concretions at the site, so a good hammer or sledge, chisel, and protective eyewear are required.

Clothing: Footwear should be appropriate for rocky and sometimes muddy conditions. Dress in layers to adapt to sun, clouds or wind. Rain gear packed and ready is always smart. As we post this notice, the long range forecast for the site is 90% POP and windy, although the geography should abate some of the winds. Bring water and snacks or a bag lunch.

Contact: RSVP Jerri Wilkins via the VicPS Facebook page or via email at jlwilkins2-at-hotmail.com and for more specific details about our planned fossil hunting location.