Over the course of the last seven weeks, we have studied many aspects of dinosaur paleontology including basic scientific methodologies and "game-changing" exciting new discoveries. But a textbook and news reports can only tell us so much!
I am hoping we can now use this public blog to gain a glimpse into what it is really like to be a field paleontologist first-hand! This week's blog is an opportunity for you to ask a question about different aspects of life as a field paleontologist. Many excellent questions, practical and hypothetical, have already been posed in our class communication room (and can be repeated here). What would we like to know about prospecting for and reporting on dinosaur discoveries or about any other aspect of being a paleontologist not "revealed" in our textbook?
The goal is for each of us to ask one question only (for now) so everyone has a chance to ask something different. After we have posted our questions over the next several days, I'll ask a number of research scientists if they would be able and willing to answer some of our questions posted here.
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19 comments:
I am curious how long it really takes to go from finding the fossil in the ground to plastering the jacket and getting it back to the lab? Say, a dilophosaurus femur bone.
I would like to ask about your funding sources: In general where do you seek it, how much do you expect from a grant---because there are different experts needed on a site---are there multiple grants at work on any given expedition? Does money come in from private sources as well---and how do you allocate funds---are the funds earmarked by the source for certain projects?
Funding has already come up but I want to ask is their any money in the dinosaur discovery business other than royalties from publishing book or less ethical pursuits (such as diverting funding or working as a mercenary for a "if it its not mine no one can have it" type paleontologist.)
A question I'd like to ask is how does making a discovery impact a paleontologist's personal life? For example, if they had to travel a lot for long periods of time, would it be tough on their family life? Also, while working in the lab, what kind of hours are put in? Is it a 9 to 5 job or more random hours?
I was wondering if you have ever been part of a find that has challenged existing hypothoses of the times.
Is it likely that a Paleontologist will find one big discovery in their lifetime? Or, I guess what my question should be is: What is considered to be a "big" discovery, in terms of a fossil? Also, what is the best and worst past about being a paleontologist?
If I were to ask a paleontologist any question I would ask them.. Is it discouraging going a long period of time not finding any fossils or evidence of dinosaurs because they are so old and how do you deal with this great amount of stress each day?
I know Victoria already asked about how long it takes to get a fossil taken care of and back to the lab...but I am wondering how long it takes to identify the fossil. More specifically, for any individual paleontologist answering this question, what is the longest amount of time you've taken trying to properly identify a dinosaur fossil?
What was your greatest find? Was it your first discovery? when did it happen?
What was your greatest find? Was it your first discovery? when did it happen?
Ok....So, I'm totally going to "go there" but, I wonder if a Jurassic Park type thing is really possible or if one is even being tried. Where does the line get drawn between the searching for answers about the past through finding the fossils and searching for answers by recreating those dinosaurs in the present, and how do those that decide to dedicate their life to this field feel about those possibilities?
When did you first become interested in paleontology, and what led you in that direction? How did it turn from the fairly normal "Oo, dinosaurs are cool" stage to an actual career plan?
I was wondering, on average how long does it usually take for a full skeleton to be exhumed? I figure the size of a dinosaur would have an effect, so what about a mid size dinosaur?
I am wondering how a Paleontologist gets the opportunity to go out in the field? I know some are professors and some research, and/or both but how do you decide?
I would like to ask a paleontologist what part of paleontology do you prefer to work in such as working in the field or in the lab? I know they both probably have teir pros and cons but which one would you prefer doing.
What is the comparison of time a paleontologist spends in the field versus the time spent in an office or lab? Is the majority of your time really spent going over fossils and documenting and writing letters for grants, or do paleontologists get to spent quite a bit of their time doing fieldwork?
What are some of the places that you have been able to travel to for your work, and were there any specific challenges and/ or benefits to working in any of these locales?
What are travel conditions like for paleontologists? Going out of country is it easy to get a visa for paleontology? What do you do if you want to do a dig in a country that wont let you in?
How are the names for every new dinosaur species chosen? It seems that the minute a newsfeed releases the information on a new species of dinosaur being found, a name is already picked. How does that happen so quickly, what is the process, and does the palentologist get a say?
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