in the Manti-La Sal National Forest, Utah County Geologic Information: Approximately 58 to 66 million years ago (Paleocene epoch), a large body of water known as Lake Flagstaff covered parts of northeastern and central Utah. This lake deposited a sequence of sediments that formed rocks known as the Flagstaff Formation. Although these rocks are technically a
Cedar City ~ Scientists have discovered rare fossilized handprints of a meat-eating dinosaur that 198 million years ago roamed the shores of a prehistoric lake in today’s southwestern Utah. As the dinosaur sat along the ancient shoreline, it pressed its hands on the muddy shoreline. Left for humans to discover is a pair that is
Giant creature lived 2 million to 4 million years ago in South America Eeek! Imagine a rodent that weighed a ton and was as big as a bull. Uruguayan scientists say they have uncovered fossil evidence of the biggest species of rodent ever found, one that scurried across wooded areas of South America about 4
University of Utah paleontologists this morning announced the discovery of a new dinosaur species, a creature with a duck-like bill and a hatchet-shaped head. This development stems from the discovery of a 72 million-year-old specimen, in the early 1990s in the northcentral Mexican state of Coahuila. The discovery helps reveal what Mexico was like in
The process of petrification of wood is still not well understood by scientists. In spite of many attempts, man has not been able to duplicate this process in the laboratory. HOW DOES WOOD PETRIFY? Wood (or other plant parts) must first be covered with such agents as ash from erupting volcanos, by volcanic mud flows,
New York ~ A bit of the Jurassic era will go on sale this weekend when a gallery auctions off a rare, 150-million-year-old complete skeleton of a dinosaur. The fossil of the 9-foot-long dryosaurus could bring up to $500,000, according to Josh Chait, who runs the I.M. Chait Gallery in Manhattan. The skeleton is being
by Geologic Information and Outreach Staff Utah Geological Survey Utah’s rock, mineral, and fossil collectors must adhere to rules and regulations established by owners or managing agencies of the lands on which they wish to collect. Prior to collecting, rockhounds should determine ownership of the lands they intend to visit and familiarize themselves with the