Journey Into Unexplored Dinosaur Country | National Geographic

grand staircase-escalante national

grand staircase-escalante national monument is this 2 million acre area in

monument is this 2 million acre area in

monument is this 2 million acre area in southern Utah and it represents one of

southern Utah and it represents one of

southern Utah and it represents one of the last great unexplored regions for

the last great unexplored regions for

the last great unexplored regions for dinosaurs in North America the thing

dinosaurs in North America the thing

dinosaurs in North America the thing that I enjoy most about being a

that I enjoy most about being a

that I enjoy most about being a paleontologist is just being out there

paleontologist is just being out there

paleontologist is just being out there walking around and never knowing whether

walking around and never knowing whether

walking around and never knowing whether you might find the equivalent of a

you might find the equivalent of a

you might find the equivalent of a prehistoric Picasso well a typical day

prehistoric Picasso well a typical day

prehistoric Picasso well a typical day in the field starts with getting up when

in the field starts with getting up when

in the field starts with getting up when the Sun comes up get all the tools in

the Sun comes up get all the tools in

the Sun comes up get all the tools in our bags and food all the lunch ready

our bags and food all the lunch ready

our bags and food all the lunch ready and then we head out you can be almost

and then we head out you can be almost

and then we head out you can be almost guaranteed of a lot of walking every

guaranteed of a lot of walking every

guaranteed of a lot of walking every single day the terrain is extremely

single day the terrain is extremely

single day the terrain is extremely rugged the hills are very steep in some

rugged the hills are very steep in some

rugged the hills are very steep in some cases we can only even walk on the

cases we can only even walk on the

cases we can only even walk on the ridges and in the valleys the hardest

ridges and in the valleys the hardest

ridges and in the valleys the hardest thing about dinosaur paleontology is not

thing about dinosaur paleontology is not

thing about dinosaur paleontology is not finding the dinosaurs it’s not removing

finding the dinosaurs it’s not removing

finding the dinosaurs it’s not removing the fossils from the ground it’s

the fossils from the ground it’s

the fossils from the ground it’s actually removing the rock that covers

actually removing the rock that covers

actually removing the rock that covers the layers where the fossils are

well after we find the specimen we have

well after we find the specimen we have to protect it somehow when it comes to

to protect it somehow when it comes to

to protect it somehow when it comes to leaves we typically wrap these leaves up

leaves we typically wrap these leaves up

leaves we typically wrap these leaves up with lots and lots of toilet paper and

with lots and lots of toilet paper and

with lots and lots of toilet paper and that can protect the leaf from being

that can protect the leaf from being

that can protect the leaf from being damaged and we try and do that pretty

damaged and we try and do that pretty

damaged and we try and do that pretty soon after it’s exposed with dinosaur

soon after it’s exposed with dinosaur

soon after it’s exposed with dinosaur bones it’s another story we first cover

bones it’s another story we first cover

bones it’s another story we first cover the boat in some kind of tissue paper

the boat in some kind of tissue paper

the boat in some kind of tissue paper towel or something so the plaster

towel or something so the plaster

towel or something so the plaster doesn’t stick to the fossil but

doesn’t stick to the fossil but

doesn’t stick to the fossil but ultimately the entire fossil ends up

ultimately the entire fossil ends up

ultimately the entire fossil ends up jacketed as we call it in this coating

jacketed as we call it in this coating

jacketed as we call it in this coating of plaster and burlap and that’s what

of plaster and burlap and that’s what

of plaster and burlap and that’s what protects it to get it out of the field

we typically work until it gets dark we

we typically work until it gets dark we wander back to camp occasionally people

wander back to camp occasionally people

wander back to camp occasionally people get really excited out prospect and they

get really excited out prospect and they

get really excited out prospect and they don’t come back until after dark we come

don’t come back until after dark we come

don’t come back until after dark we come back to camp we do the same kind of

back to camp we do the same kind of

back to camp we do the same kind of communal sitting around eating and

communal sitting around eating and

communal sitting around eating and chatting around the campfire and then

chatting around the campfire and then

chatting around the campfire and then most of us heard a bed pretty early

most of us heard a bed pretty early

most of us heard a bed pretty early because we know we got to get up the

because we know we got to get up the

because we know we got to get up the next day and do the same thing all over

next day and do the same thing all over

next day and do the same thing all over again