I love nature I was collecting insects because I thought that was just
because I thought that was just
because I thought that was just wonderful then I started collecting
wonderful then I started collecting
wonderful then I started collecting leaves I didn’t think too much about
leaves I didn’t think too much about
leaves I didn’t think too much about dinosaurs and fossils but I loved nature
dinosaurs and fossils but I loved nature
dinosaurs and fossils but I loved nature and I love biology on the side in the
and I love biology on the side in the
and I love biology on the side in the summer out of the classroom and when the
summer out of the classroom and when the
summer out of the classroom and when the time came and the time was right I made
time came and the time was right I made
time came and the time was right I made it to college and I meant the college as
it to college and I meant the college as
it to college and I meant the college as an artist and when the time was right
an artist and when the time was right
an artist and when the time was right I started to understand that this
I started to understand that this
I started to understand that this biology stuff was pretty interesting and
biology stuff was pretty interesting and
biology stuff was pretty interesting and evolution was pretty interesting and
evolution was pretty interesting and
evolution was pretty interesting and fossils was pretty interesting I wasn’t
fossils was pretty interesting I wasn’t
fossils was pretty interesting I wasn’t sure what I wanted to be artists
sure what I wanted to be artists
sure what I wanted to be artists paleontologists they didn’t know but one
paleontologists they didn’t know but one
paleontologists they didn’t know but one day I walked into a museum in New York
day I walked into a museum in New York
day I walked into a museum in New York and it all came before my eyes I saw
and it all came before my eyes I saw
and it all came before my eyes I saw that the adventure that I used to love
that the adventure that I used to love
that the adventure that I used to love so much as a kid over the summer
so much as a kid over the summer
so much as a kid over the summer imagining myself going down to
imagining myself going down to
imagining myself going down to Mississippi River traveling the art that
Mississippi River traveling the art that
Mississippi River traveling the art that I so much loved in school and the
I so much loved in school and the
I so much loved in school and the science of discovery of discovery of old
science of discovery of discovery of old
science of discovery of discovery of old things and bringing their lives back was
things and bringing their lives back was
things and bringing their lives back was what I wanted to do and I wanted to do
what I wanted to do and I wanted to do
what I wanted to do and I wanted to do it now and I became a paleontologist at
it now and I became a paleontologist at
it now and I became a paleontologist at that very moment and I’ll never forget
that very moment and I’ll never forget
that very moment and I’ll never forget that first trip you know I was a
that first trip you know I was a
that first trip you know I was a greenhorn at this University and as an
greenhorn at this University and as an
greenhorn at this University and as an explorer the greatest places to explore
explorer the greatest places to explore
explorer the greatest places to explore are places you haven’t been the greatest
are places you haven’t been the greatest
are places you haven’t been the greatest places to explore are places where
places to explore are places where
places to explore are places where enough discovery hasn’t happened and as
enough discovery hasn’t happened and as
enough discovery hasn’t happened and as a person you got to convince somebody of
a person you got to convince somebody of
a person you got to convince somebody of the impossible that you’re going to go
the impossible that you’re going to go
the impossible that you’re going to go to someplace you’ve never been and
to someplace you’ve never been and
to someplace you’ve never been and you’re gonna do something that no one
you’re gonna do something that no one
you’re gonna do something that no one has ever done and considers unlikely but
has ever done and considers unlikely but
has ever done and considers unlikely but they got to trust you that you’re going
they got to trust you that you’re going
they got to trust you that you’re going to do it and so they gave me a small
to do it and so they gave me a small
to do it and so they gave me a small amount of money I went down to Argentina
amount of money I went down to Argentina
amount of money I went down to Argentina ran into some Argentinian students and
ran into some Argentinian students and
ran into some Argentinian students and formed a team and we were given no
formed a team and we were given no
formed a team and we were given no chance even by the Argentinians were
chance even by the Argentinians were
chance even by the Argentinians were given no chance we all thought we could
given no chance we all thought we could
given no chance we all thought we could do something they thought it was going
do something they thought it was going
do something they thought it was going to be a hopeless disaster we didn’t even
to be a hopeless disaster we didn’t even
to be a hopeless disaster we didn’t even speak each other’s language
speak each other’s language
speak each other’s language I was just learning Spanish and we went
I was just learning Spanish and we went
I was just learning Spanish and we went out and we found 300 fossils a couple of
out and we found 300 fossils a couple of
out and we found 300 fossils a couple of those included the first skull and
those included the first skull and
those included the first skull and skeleton of a nerdy dinosaur and that
skeleton of a nerdy dinosaur and that
skeleton of a nerdy dinosaur and that was the beginning of a long series of
was the beginning of a long series of
was the beginning of a long series of discoveries but that’s really what
discoveries but that’s really what
discoveries but that’s really what discovery is about it’s about doing
discovery is about it’s about doing
discovery is about it’s about doing things that other people think are
things that other people think are
things that other people think are unlikely it’s about going places where
unlikely it’s about going places where
unlikely it’s about going places where people haven’t been there’s usually some
people haven’t been there’s usually some
people haven’t been there’s usually some reason for it
reason for it
reason for it the reason is usually that it’s hard to
the reason is usually that it’s hard to
the reason is usually that it’s hard to exist out there it’s hard to do those
exist out there it’s hard to do those
exist out there it’s hard to do those things there’s the hard things that
things there’s the hard things that
things there’s the hard things that haven’t been done but if you really
haven’t been done but if you really
haven’t been done but if you really enjoyed venture and you enjoy camping
enjoyed venture and you enjoy camping
enjoyed venture and you enjoy camping out of the Stars and you enjoy meeting
out of the Stars and you enjoy meeting
out of the Stars and you enjoy meeting new people and discovering things that
new people and discovering things that
new people and discovering things that no one has ever seen
no one has ever seen
no one has ever seen then that’s the life for you
then that’s the life for you
then that’s the life for you paleontology it’s a great discipline
I’ll never forget how it happened we had
I’ll never forget how it happened we had found a lot of bones but we hadn’t found
found a lot of bones but we hadn’t found
found a lot of bones but we hadn’t found a complete skull or skeleton of an early
a complete skull or skeleton of an early
a complete skull or skeleton of an early dinosaur there was one area of the
dinosaur there was one area of the
dinosaur there was one area of the valley that we were slowly marching our
valley that we were slowly marching our
valley that we were slowly marching our way down that we had just about to leave
way down that we had just about to leave
way down that we had just about to leave and I didn’t see any footprints I didn’t
and I didn’t see any footprints I didn’t
and I didn’t see any footprints I didn’t seen anybody that had seen this little
seen anybody that had seen this little
seen anybody that had seen this little corner and it bugged me and as we march
corner and it bugged me and as we march
corner and it bugged me and as we march down the valley we were now half a mile
down the valley we were now half a mile
down the valley we were now half a mile away from this place and I said on a
away from this place and I said on a
away from this place and I said on a Sunday it was our day off I said last
Sunday it was our day off I said last
Sunday it was our day off I said last night
night
night it’s the Bermuda Triangle back day I
it’s the Bermuda Triangle back day I
it’s the Bermuda Triangle back day I feel there’s something in it I’ll take
feel there’s something in it I’ll take
feel there’s something in it I’ll take anybody that wants to take a good part
anybody that wants to take a good part
anybody that wants to take a good part of their day off and come with me but
of their day off and come with me but
of their day off and come with me but you know I got to go back I can’t I
you know I got to go back I can’t I
you know I got to go back I can’t I can’t sleep at night we drove back to
can’t sleep at night we drove back to
can’t sleep at night we drove back to this area I put down my my bag and I
this area I put down my my bag and I
this area I put down my my bag and I walked up we’d all just burst
walked up we’d all just burst
walked up we’d all just burst I walked up
I walked up
I walked up and I saw this fossil on an edge of rock
and I saw this fossil on an edge of rock
and I saw this fossil on an edge of rock and I walked up to it and I could see in
and I walked up to it and I could see in
and I walked up to it and I could see in front of my eyes the skull of the surly
front of my eyes the skull of the surly
front of my eyes the skull of the surly dinosaur the first one that had ever
dinosaur the first one that had ever
dinosaur the first one that had ever been found
been found
been found diving into the rock there was a piece
diving into the rock there was a piece
diving into the rock there was a piece of its neck was just out of place I
of its neck was just out of place I
of its neck was just out of place I probably would have washed away the next
probably would have washed away the next
probably would have washed away the next year I rolled it back into place and we
year I rolled it back into place and we
year I rolled it back into place and we dated those rocks the animals rocks are
dated those rocks the animals rocks are
dated those rocks the animals rocks are a quarter of a billion years old 228
a quarter of a billion years old 228
a quarter of a billion years old 228 million years old this fossil had
million years old this fossil had
million years old this fossil had existed and was about to wash away and I
existed and was about to wash away and I
existed and was about to wash away and I come up and find it and I came out of
come up and find it and I came out of
come up and find it and I came out of Yale and people thought either I fell
Yale and people thought either I fell
Yale and people thought either I fell over and died or I had found it and that
over and died or I had found it and that
over and died or I had found it and that was a glorious moment and we all grouped
was a glorious moment and we all grouped
was a glorious moment and we all grouped around I walked away actually while the
around I walked away actually while the
around I walked away actually while the people were gathering around the fossil
people were gathering around the fossil
people were gathering around the fossil and just in utter amazement because it
and just in utter amazement because it
and just in utter amazement because it could have been found in many other ways
could have been found in many other ways
could have been found in many other ways could have had the tail sticking out but
could have had the tail sticking out but
could have had the tail sticking out but you’re gonna the way it was preserved
you’re gonna the way it was preserved
you’re gonna the way it was preserved was just so glorious it was such a
was just so glorious it was such a
was just so glorious it was such a moment to remember that I just sat down
moment to remember that I just sat down
moment to remember that I just sat down and cried and they all came around and
and cried and they all came around and
and cried and they all came around and they had said they said they’d never
they had said they said they’d never
they had said they said they’d never seen a scientist react like that to a
seen a scientist react like that to a
seen a scientist react like that to a fossil but at that point you realized
fossil but at that point you realized
fossil but at that point you realized that that was was the beginning of a
that that was was the beginning of a
that that was was the beginning of a career it was the beginning of something
career it was the beginning of something
career it was the beginning of something that was going to be truly great and it
that was going to be truly great and it
that was going to be truly great and it was just a great moment I’ll never
was just a great moment I’ll never
was just a great moment I’ll never forget it
we found
we found and interesting site in western China
and interesting site in western China
and interesting site in western China that we’re going to be describing in a
that we’re going to be describing in a
that we’re going to be describing in a few months it was a site where we had
few months it was a site where we had
few months it was a site where we had not one not ten but more than 20
not one not ten but more than 20
not one not ten but more than 20 individuals of an ornithomimus dinosaur
individuals of an ornithomimus dinosaur
individuals of an ornithomimus dinosaur anism avid dinosaur they look like
anism avid dinosaur they look like
anism avid dinosaur they look like ostriches piled up on top of each other
ostriches piled up on top of each other
ostriches piled up on top of each other as we dug in further and further more
as we dug in further and further more
as we dug in further and further more and more of them now the super
and more of them now the super
and more of them now the super interesting thing about these dinosaurs
interesting thing about these dinosaurs
interesting thing about these dinosaurs is that they seem to be buried all at
is that they seem to be buried all at
is that they seem to be buried all at once for that story we had to read it
once for that story we had to read it
once for that story we had to read it carefully at the mud that’s around them
carefully at the mud that’s around them
carefully at the mud that’s around them they were trapped in mud suddenly it
they were trapped in mud suddenly it
they were trapped in mud suddenly it seems as though we found the first
seems as though we found the first
seems as though we found the first population of dinosaurs
population of dinosaurs
population of dinosaurs what’s even greater is that when we age
what’s even greater is that when we age
what’s even greater is that when we age them we found that they were no
them we found that they were no
them we found that they were no hatchlings and no adults they were all
hatchlings and no adults they were all
hatchlings and no adults they were all teenagers there were all six seven eight
teenagers there were all six seven eight
teenagers there were all six seven eight years old forming a herd that wouldn’t
years old forming a herd that wouldn’t
years old forming a herd that wouldn’t you know it without any adult
you know it without any adult
you know it without any adult supervision got stuck in the margins of
supervision got stuck in the margins of
supervision got stuck in the margins of a lake and gave us really the first
a lake and gave us really the first
a lake and gave us really the first population of dinosaurs the first
population of dinosaurs the first
population of dinosaurs the first natural herd of dinosaurs that has ever
natural herd of dinosaurs that has ever
natural herd of dinosaurs that has ever been recovered but snapshots like this
been recovered but snapshots like this
been recovered but snapshots like this from the fossil record I would help us
from the fossil record I would help us
from the fossil record I would help us understand the biology of dinosaurs we
understand the biology of dinosaurs we
understand the biology of dinosaurs we understand now that well we should have
understand now that well we should have
understand now that well we should have predicted that we’d find herds of
predicted that we’d find herds of
predicted that we’d find herds of teenagers because dinosaurs are very
teenagers because dinosaurs are very
teenagers because dinosaurs are very much like birds but they they don’t grow
much like birds but they they don’t grow
much like birds but they they don’t grow in one year like birds they grow fast
in one year like birds they grow fast
in one year like birds they grow fast but it takes them five six seven years
but it takes them five six seven years
but it takes them five six seven years so while momma and daddy dinosaur are
so while momma and daddy dinosaur are
so while momma and daddy dinosaur are sitting on the nest once or twice a year
sitting on the nest once or twice a year
sitting on the nest once or twice a year where are all the four and five year
where are all the four and five year
where are all the four and five year olds and the six year olds and seven
olds and the six year olds and seven
olds and the six year olds and seven year olds well we think we found the
year olds well we think we found the
year olds well we think we found the smoking gun
smoking gun
smoking gun they were probably roaming around in
they were probably roaming around in
they were probably roaming around in herds unchaperoned and looking for
herds unchaperoned and looking for
herds unchaperoned and looking for trouble
I think dinosaurs and fossils in general
I think dinosaurs and fossils in general but dinosaurs more than anything they
but dinosaurs more than anything they
but dinosaurs more than anything they are the icons for the past we live in
are the icons for the past we live in
are the icons for the past we live in the present everything we see in sense
the present everything we see in sense
the present everything we see in sense is today and yesterday and it takes us
is today and yesterday and it takes us
is today and yesterday and it takes us on a time travel time trip back in time
on a time travel time trip back in time
on a time travel time trip back in time to a world that we can only imagine
to a world that we can only imagine
to a world that we can only imagine there’s nothing more that kids like to
there’s nothing more that kids like to
there’s nothing more that kids like to do that it’s a human human basic human
do that it’s a human human basic human
do that it’s a human human basic human talent which is imagination to imagine
talent which is imagination to imagine
talent which is imagination to imagine past worlds dinosaurs do that more than
past worlds dinosaurs do that more than
past worlds dinosaurs do that more than anything they have personalities they
anything they have personalities they
anything they have personalities they have habits they have lives and and kids
have habits they have lives and and kids
have habits they have lives and and kids love to imagine a life far gone in the
love to imagine a life far gone in the
love to imagine a life far gone in the past where animals bizarre animals
past where animals bizarre animals
past where animals bizarre animals fearsome and an imaginary existed and
fearsome and an imaginary existed and
fearsome and an imaginary existed and you know and as a scientist I’m lost in
you know and as a scientist I’m lost in
you know and as a scientist I’m lost in that world and I’m just trying to bring
that world and I’m just trying to bring
that world and I’m just trying to bring it back and I’m wandering around
it back and I’m wandering around
it back and I’m wandering around discovering new things but but kids love
discovering new things but but kids love
discovering new things but but kids love that too it’s a basic human human
that too it’s a basic human human
that too it’s a basic human human occupation imagination
I like to bring everybody on board and
I like to bring everybody on board and especially kids and and the effect is
especially kids and and the effect is
especially kids and and the effect is that they tell other kids and those kids
that they tell other kids and those kids
that they tell other kids and those kids tell other kids I was there and Baba and
tell other kids I was there and Baba and
tell other kids I was there and Baba and an excitement has generated over
an excitement has generated over
an excitement has generated over discovery I like to to have that that
discovery I like to to have that that
discovery I like to to have that that inclusiveness at the time you really
inclusiveness at the time you really
inclusiveness at the time you really announced the big findings because it
announced the big findings because it
announced the big findings because it then has a relevance for society and we
then has a relevance for society and we
then has a relevance for society and we we ultimately need rational thought we
we ultimately need rational thought we
we ultimately need rational thought we need science literacy if we’re going to
need science literacy if we’re going to
need science literacy if we’re going to survive as a species more so now than
survive as a species more so now than
survive as a species more so now than ever before it was a Sputnik in the
ever before it was a Sputnik in the
ever before it was a Sputnik in the 1950s that generated sort of an
1950s that generated sort of an
1950s that generated sort of an emergency feeling about science and how
emergency feeling about science and how
emergency feeling about science and how we need to train more scientists and
we need to train more scientists and
we need to train more scientists and we’ve lulled ourselves into into
we’ve lulled ourselves into into
we’ve lulled ourselves into into complacency in the years since that time
complacency in the years since that time
complacency in the years since that time and and what’s really really is now is
and and what’s really really is now is
and and what’s really really is now is is our changing world and we’ve got to
is our changing world and we’ve got to
is our changing world and we’ve got to have the engineers and the scientists in
have the engineers and the scientists in
have the engineers and the scientists in the generation to come if we are
the generation to come if we are
the generation to come if we are actually going to survive as a species
actually going to survive as a species
actually going to survive as a species we need them and so when we have a
we need them and so when we have a
we need them and so when we have a science discovery a dinosaur a molecule
science discovery a dinosaur a molecule
science discovery a dinosaur a molecule I don’t care it can be anything we
I don’t care it can be anything we
I don’t care it can be anything we really need to bring it to the public in
really need to bring it to the public in
really need to bring it to the public in a bigger way than we we have been doing
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