Utah Dinos | National Geographic

perhaps at first glance you wouldn’t

perhaps at first glance you wouldn’t expect to find evidence of marine

expect to find evidence of marine

expect to find evidence of marine animals in the arid deserts and canyons

animals in the arid deserts and canyons

animals in the arid deserts and canyons of southern Utah but a team of

of southern Utah but a team of

of southern Utah but a team of paleontologists believe it’s the perfect

paleontologists believe it’s the perfect

paleontologists believe it’s the perfect spot led by National Geographic grantee

spot led by National Geographic grantee

spot led by National Geographic grantee Barry Albright they’re searching the

Barry Albright they’re searching the

Barry Albright they’re searching the remote sections of Grand

remote sections of Grand

remote sections of Grand staircase-escalante national monument

staircase-escalante national monument

staircase-escalante national monument for the fossilized remains of

for the fossilized remains of

for the fossilized remains of Plesiosaurus a large marine reptile that

Plesiosaurus a large marine reptile that

Plesiosaurus a large marine reptile that swam here 93 million years ago I think

swam here 93 million years ago I think

swam here 93 million years ago I think one of the biggest questions people ask

one of the biggest questions people ask

one of the biggest questions people ask is why are we looking for large marine

is why are we looking for large marine

is why are we looking for large marine predatory reptiles in southern Utah you

predatory reptiles in southern Utah you

predatory reptiles in southern Utah you know we’re not over on the coast of

know we’re not over on the coast of

know we’re not over on the coast of California though the eastern coast were

California though the eastern coast were

California though the eastern coast were not anywhere near an ocean 93 million

not anywhere near an ocean 93 million

not anywhere near an ocean 93 million years ago the world was an entirely

years ago the world was an entirely

years ago the world was an entirely different place during the age of the

different place during the age of the

different place during the age of the dinosaurs this barren desert was covered

dinosaurs this barren desert was covered

dinosaurs this barren desert was covered by a vast Inland Sea it stretched all

by a vast Inland Sea it stretched all

by a vast Inland Sea it stretched all the way from the Gulf of Mexico to the

the way from the Gulf of Mexico to the

the way from the Gulf of Mexico to the Arctic Ocean basically cutting what’s

Arctic Ocean basically cutting what’s

Arctic Ocean basically cutting what’s now America into this area Utah was once

now America into this area Utah was once

now America into this area Utah was once the coastline of the shallow sea

the coastline of the shallow sea

the coastline of the shallow sea something experts can tell by the

something experts can tell by the

something experts can tell by the exposed rock

they’re particularly interested in a

they’re particularly interested in a gray layer known as tropic shave which

gray layer known as tropic shave which

gray layer known as tropic shave which holds fossils of ancient sea life this

holds fossils of ancient sea life this

holds fossils of ancient sea life this area is so inaccessible that a

area is so inaccessible that a

area is so inaccessible that a helicopter had to drop the team here

helicopter had to drop the team here

helicopter had to drop the team here with enough supplies to last several

with enough supplies to last several

with enough supplies to last several days all right here we go here’s a

days all right here we go here’s a

days all right here we go here’s a here’s a fossil not a plesiosaur but

here’s a fossil not a plesiosaur but

here’s a fossil not a plesiosaur but we’ve got a fossil here Alan here’s a

we’ve got a fossil here Alan here’s a

we’ve got a fossil here Alan here’s a nice oyster check that out yeah I’m a

nice oyster check that out yeah I’m a

nice oyster check that out yeah I’m a ceramide yeah yeah team member Alan

ceramide yeah yeah team member Alan

ceramide yeah yeah team member Alan Titus has the ability to date layers of

Titus has the ability to date layers of

Titus has the ability to date layers of rock by examining fossilized

rock by examining fossilized

rock by examining fossilized invertebrates in the shale called

invertebrates in the shale called

invertebrates in the shale called ammonites these ammonites are great

ammonites these ammonites are great

ammonites these ammonites are great because we call them guide fossils and

because we call them guide fossils and

because we call them guide fossils and they do just that they guide us to the

they do just that they guide us to the

they do just that they guide us to the right layers that we need to be looking

right layers that we need to be looking

right layers that we need to be looking at and in fact this one tells us that

at and in fact this one tells us that

at and in fact this one tells us that I’m in a layer that’s just a little

I’m in a layer that’s just a little

I’m in a layer that’s just a little below where we should be focusing our

below where we should be focusing our

below where we should be focusing our efforts to find Plesiosaurus the team

efforts to find Plesiosaurus the team

efforts to find Plesiosaurus the team must hike four miles up and down ridges

must hike four miles up and down ridges

must hike four miles up and down ridges and valleys looking for exposed shale

and valleys looking for exposed shale

and valleys looking for exposed shale here we go again today’s the day the

here we go again today’s the day the

here we go again today’s the day the traffic shale doesn’t reveal it’s it’s

traffic shale doesn’t reveal it’s it’s

traffic shale doesn’t reveal it’s it’s fossils readily it’s not highly

fossils readily it’s not highly

fossils readily it’s not highly fossiliferous but you can go literally

fossiliferous but you can go literally

fossiliferous but you can go literally for days I’ve spent days and weeks out

for days I’ve spent days and weeks out

for days I’ve spent days and weeks out here with a crew of six or seven or

here with a crew of six or seven or

here with a crew of six or seven or eight people and we’ve walked the

eight people and we’ve walked the

eight people and we’ve walked the tropics yelled eight nine ten hours a

tropics yelled eight nine ten hours a

tropics yelled eight nine ten hours a day and not found anything more than a

day and not found anything more than a

day and not found anything more than a couple of shark’s teeth so it’s not as

couple of shark’s teeth so it’s not as

couple of shark’s teeth so it’s not as though these please these ores are just

though these please these ores are just

though these please these ores are just laying around everywhere after searching

laying around everywhere after searching

laying around everywhere after searching for days over rugged terrain something

for days over rugged terrain something

for days over rugged terrain something catches the eye of one of the team

catches the eye of one of the team

catches the eye of one of the team members

what do you think huh I think we got

what do you think huh I think we got some vote I think so too

some vote I think so too

some vote I think so too elbowing maybe tell you about listless

elbowing maybe tell you about listless

elbowing maybe tell you about listless there’s more oh here’s a fragment

there’s more oh here’s a fragment

there’s more oh here’s a fragment there’s a fragment get all over in here

there’s a fragment get all over in here

there’s a fragment get all over in here okay we’ve got a we’ve got a site here

okay we’ve got a we’ve got a site here

okay we’ve got a we’ve got a site here ah whoa here’s a nice

ah whoa here’s a nice

ah whoa here’s a nice here’s a nice fragment this stuff is

here’s a nice fragment this stuff is

here’s a nice fragment this stuff is just eroding out at last they have found

just eroding out at last they have found

just eroding out at last they have found the remains of an ancient Plesiosaurus

the remains of an ancient Plesiosaurus

the remains of an ancient Plesiosaurus and the search is on for bones and clues

and the search is on for bones and clues

and the search is on for bones and clues oh hey Merle I got a shark’s tooth

oh hey Merle I got a shark’s tooth

oh hey Merle I got a shark’s tooth finally I got a shark suit right on the

finally I got a shark suit right on the

finally I got a shark suit right on the surface

surface

surface nice one look at that it’s quality core

nice one look at that it’s quality core

nice one look at that it’s quality core axe looks like we’re in a let’s say we

axe looks like we’re in a let’s say we

axe looks like we’re in a let’s say we found a little zone here that we can

found a little zone here that we can

found a little zone here that we can spend some time and we’ve got bone

spend some time and we’ve got bone

spend some time and we’ve got bone fragments we’ve got shark’s teeth this

fragments we’ve got shark’s teeth this

fragments we’ve got shark’s teeth this is really encouraging the team gathers

is really encouraging the team gathers

is really encouraging the team gathers enough fossilized bone fragments to

enough fossilized bone fragments to

enough fossilized bone fragments to determine that they’re from a small

determine that they’re from a small

determine that they’re from a small species or possibly a juvenile pleasee

species or possibly a juvenile pleasee

species or possibly a juvenile pleasee asuras were not dinosaurs although they

asuras were not dinosaurs although they

asuras were not dinosaurs although they live during the same time period they

live during the same time period they

live during the same time period they were coniferous reptiles that thrived

were coniferous reptiles that thrived

were coniferous reptiles that thrived under water they had the upper part of

under water they had the upper part of

under water they had the upper part of the paddle essentially so just imagine

the paddle essentially so just imagine

the paddle essentially so just imagine the shaft of the limb bone coming down

the shaft of the limb bone coming down

the shaft of the limb bone coming down broadening out in this way and also

broadening out in this way and also

broadening out in this way and also going from round to flat again along

going from round to flat again along

going from round to flat again along along the end of this bone would have

along the end of this bone would have

along the end of this bone would have been what are equivalent to our wrist

been what are equivalent to our wrist

been what are equivalent to our wrist bones and then beyond that extending out

bones and then beyond that extending out

bones and then beyond that extending out would have been what are equivalent to

would have been what are equivalent to

would have been what are equivalent to our finger bones just like in a in a sea

our finger bones just like in a in a sea

our finger bones just like in a in a sea turtle today or in a dolphin today the

turtle today or in a dolphin today the

turtle today or in a dolphin today the finger bones have been elongated and

finger bones have been elongated and

finger bones have been elongated and there’s many more than just the three

there’s many more than just the three

there’s many more than just the three finger bones and each of our fingers

because are out here yes the discoveries

because are out here yes the discoveries by Albright and his team will help us

by Albright and his team will help us

by Albright and his team will help us better understand what life was like in

better understand what life was like in

better understand what life was like in our world some 93 million years ago when

our world some 93 million years ago when

our world some 93 million years ago when dinosaurs ruled the earth and

dinosaurs ruled the earth and

dinosaurs ruled the earth and Plesiosaurus swam a vast Inland Sea

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