14TH BC PALAEONTOLOGICAL SYMPOSIUM

You will be delighted to know that it is time for the next BCPA Symposium, June 9th - 12th, 2023. 

This is the 14th BC Palaeontological Symposium and it will be hosted by the Victoria Palaeontology Society along with the School of Earth and Ocean Sciences (SEOS), University of Victoria (UVic); Royal British Columbia Museum (RBCM); and, BC Fossil Management Office.

The 2023 BCPA conference is being held at the Bob Wright Centre, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC. I'll post a wee map here to make finding all this goodness a wee bit easier. The Bob Wright Centre (BWC) is just a short walk from Bento Sushi and SciCafé near UVic Parking Lot B.

Keynote Speakers: Dr. Jean-Bernard Caron & Dr. Charles Helm

The Burgess Shale Fossil Deposit of Marble Canyon in Kootenay National Park: Retrospective of the Last 10 Years of Research. In Southeastern BC, the Burgess Shale is the internationally renowned site that keeps on giving.  Symposium 2023 welcomes you on a journey through the past decade, featuring the field research and expertise of:

Dr. Jean-Bernard Caron, Richard M. Ivey Curator of Invertebrate Palaeontology at the Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto.

Dr. Caron leads regular fieldwork activities to the Canadian Rockies primarily to study how the Burgess Shale biota changed through space and time in response to ecological, evolutionary and environmental factors. Field-based research is an important aspect of his work and his research lab primarily focuses on fossilization processes, ecology, phylogeny, and diversity of Burgess Shale animals.

Tracking vertebrates from two eras on two continents—Northern BC is home to our second keynote speaker, Dr. Charles Helm, who is trekking two continents in search of tracks. 

Dr. Charles Helm, Research Associate at the Tumbler Ridge Museum and at the African Centre for Coastal Palaeoscience, Nelson Mandela University, South Africa is currently pursuing his PhD in paleontology in the Department of Geoscience, Nelson Mandela University, South Africa.

His paleontological research interests are in Pleistocene vertebrate tracks in South Africa (including hominin tracks and traces) and Cretaceous vertebrate tracks in northern British Columbia.  

Many of you will know Dr. Helm as founder of the Tumbler Ridge Museum Foundation in 2002. He developed the proposal that led to the creation of the Tumbler Ridge UNESCO Global Geopark in 2014, and was its first President.

BCPA Conference Link: https://vicpalaeo.org/.../14th-bc-palaeontological.../...

BCPA Website: www.bcfossils.ca

Here is a handy dandy map for easy reference:

A LUCKY PALEONTOLOGIST & THE TALE OF THREE SPLENDID CANADIAN FOSSILS

Palaeontology Lecture Series — March 20, 2022

Join us for an exciting talk with Kirk Johnson — A Lucky Paleontologist & the Tale of Three Splendid Canadian Fossils. 

In this lecture, Kirk draws on his experience as a working paleontologist who has led expeditions in eighteen US states and eleven countries.

Kirk is a geologist, paleobotanist, and the Sant Director of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History. His research focuses on fossil plants and the extinction of the dinosaurs, and he is known for his scientific articles, popular books, museum exhibitions, documentaries, and collaborations with artists. 

His recent documentaries include “Making North America” (2015) and “Polar Extremes” (2019). His recent books include “Cruisin’ the Fossil Coastline: The Travels of an Artist and a Scientist along the Shores of the Prehistoric Pacific” (2018); “Visions of Lost Worlds, the Paleoart of Jay Matternes” (2019); and “Trees are made of Gas, The Story of Carbon and Climate” (2021). Johnson is originally from Bellevue, Washington. 

Fossil Road Trip? Heck, Yeah!

Cruisin' the Fossil Coastline

Who's up for a fossil road trip? Paleoartist Ray Troll and paleobotanist Kirk Johnson published a travelogue of their journey to check out the fossils of the American west called Cruisin' the Fossil Freeway. 

It is not your average paleo book. Filled with Troll's whimsical pop-art illustrations — how many dinosaur books feature sauropods crossing the road? — and Johnson's entertaining descriptions of their journey, the book is simultaneously entertaining and informative. 

The equally entertaining Cruisin' the Fossil Coastline is a must-read and will do you proud as an addition to your library.

To read Riley Black's article for the Smithsonian on Cruisin' the Fossil Freeway, visit: 

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/cruisin-the-fossil-freeway-59717763/

Fossil Talks & Field Trips — Palaeontology Lecture Series

To get the live Zoom link to Kirk Johnson's Free Lecture as part of the 2022 Palaeontology Lecture Series, visit: www.fossiltalksandfieldtrips.com

2022 PALAEONTOLOGY LECTURE SERIES — DANNA STAAF — CEPHALOPODS ARE THE NEW DINOSAURS

Join us this afternoon to hear from Danna Staaf, the Cephalopodiatrist to hear her lecture, Cephalopods are the New Dinosaurs.

Cephalopods, Earth's first truly substantial animals, are still among us. Their fascinating family tree is a whose-who of squid, octopus, cuttlefish, nautilus, ammonites and their brethren. They number more than 800 species with new species still being found.

As the inventors of swimming, cephalopods presided over the sea for millions of years. When fish eventually evolved jaws, a marine superpower, the cephalopods had to up their game.  

​Some cephalopods evolved defensive spikes. Others abandoned their shells entirely, opening the floodgates for a tidal wave of innovation — masterful camouflage, fin-supplemented jet propulsion, ink-spraying and intelligence we have yet to fully understand. 

How did this Apex Predator of our ancient seas become the world's tastiest snack? We'll talk through the science of these wonderful adaptations then open up the floor to questions.

Danna is a wealth of knowledge with a strong sense of curiosity and play. If you have a pressing question on Lovecraft’s Cthulhu Mythos, what was going on with the heteromorphs or if squid originated from space (gosh, are they aliens?) then this is your chance to satisfy your curiosity.

Danna's talk will be recorded and uploaded to YouTube for all to re-watch at their leisure. We are super excited to kick-off the 2022 Palaeontological Lecture Series with Danna. Her talk is sure to delight. 

Join us this afternoon, Sunday, February 13, 2022, at 2PM PST. Visit www.fossiltalksandfieldtrips.com to see the full 2022 Lecture Season and access the free Zoom link to her talk.

ABOUT DANNA STAAF

For her PhD, Danna studied baby squid at Hopkins Marine Station of Stanford University. She is a delightful science educator who writes about science, with a particular penchant for marine biology. She also writes science fiction and fantasy. Sometimes writes for grown-ups and sometimes for kids. 

She is a talented artist who draws comics, technical illustrations, calligraphy, and origami. She lives in San Jose, California, with her husband, kids, cats, plants and likely a lot of art supplies. You can find her on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. I have added all her social links and links to her books and newsletter on the Fossil Talks & Field Trips site. Enjoy!