Who said you needed fancy tools or far-flung sites to go fossil hunting? Some of the most fascinating fossils are just waiting to be spotted in rock formations while you’re outdoors hiking and enjoying nature. For amateur collectors, keeping an eye out for these common rock fossils adds an exciting new dimension to any trail. In this blog, we discuss some easily identifiable fossils to look for on your next hike that will leave your inner paleontologist thrilled. Petrified Wood Petrified wood is created when plant debris gets buried, and minerals slowly replace the organic matter, transforming it into stone...

North America’s fossil record chronicles over 3 billion years of dramatic prehistoric life. Spanning extinct marine reptiles to Ice Age saber-tooths, North American strata have yielded some of paleontology’s most storied discoveries. In this blog, we highlight the most common fossils buried within the rocky layers of this fossil-rich continent. Ammonoids These extinct cephalopods dominated Mesozoic marine ecosystems for over 340 million years. Ammonoids left behind abundantly fossilized coiled shells. Their intricately ribbed and sutured shells adorn many rock faces, from New Mexico’s Jurassic outcrops to Cretaceous Pierre Shale formations across the Western Interior Seaway. These marine mollusk fossils are...

One mystery that continues to intrigue paleontologists is – what did dinosaurs look like... and were they covered in? feathers or scales? Recent fossil evidence has dramatically changed theories on dinosaur skin coverings and appearances. In this blog, we analyze integument differences across different kinds of dinosaurs. The Feathered Dinosaurs of China The discovery of feathered dinosaurs in China during the 1990s upended traditional perceptions of dinosaurs being giant scaly reptiles. Spectacular fossils like Sinosauropteryx revealed an early cousin of Velociraptor covered in primitive feathers called protofeathers. Since then, over 50 dinosaur species sporting plumage have been found across China...

For fossil lovers, few joys compare to finding well-preserved specimens still encased within their original mineral matrix. Limestone formations dating back millions of years are one of the richest sources of diverse marine and terrestrial fossils spanning trilobites, ammonites, shark teeth and more. In this blog, we explore some of the most prolific fossil limestone sites across the world to find exciting fossil treasures. Solnhofen Plattenkalk – Germany The Jurassic Solnhofen limestone near Solnhofen, Germany, has achieved celebrity status as the site that yielded the iconic ‘Archaeopteryx’ fossil documenting the evolutionary transition of feathered dinosaurs into early birds. Besides bird...

When we think of dinosaurs, massive creatures like the Brachiosaurus and Tyrannosaurus towering over puny humans easily come to mind. However, fossil discoveries in the last three decades have uncovered a surprising number of pint-sized dinosaurs that would barely reach your knee. In this blog, we explore some of the tiniest dinosaur species ever found and the big insights these little marvels have given scientists about the dinosaur world. Microraptors - The Tiny Feathered Predators In 2000, paleontologists discovered the Microraptor - a crow-sized feathered dinosaur in China dating back 125 million years. Subsequent findings revealed nearly a dozen Microraptor...