Putting a reluctant end to the posts about the “Valley of the Mastodons,” below are articles related to the initial fossil discoveries by Kathleen Springer, Eric Scott and team, as well as the innovative museum- and exhibit-work done by those currently at the Western Science Center, headed by the remarkable Dr. Alton Dooley, jr.
(There are more articles in the works as I post this; I’ll add them after they’ve been published.)
Late Pleistocene large mammal fauna dynamics from inland Southern California: The Diamond Valley Lake local fauna, Kathleen Springer, Eric Scott, J. Christopher Sagebiel, Lyndon K. Murray, Quaternary International, 15 April 2010, Pages 256-265
Paper published after 7 years of excavation in the Diamond Valley Lake area and 3 years of research.
The SoCal Ice Age Fossil Treasure Trove You’ve Never Heard Of, by Brian Switek, KCET (kcet.org), May 11, 2016
An excellent introduction to the Western Science Center Museum, its fossils and a little of the history behind it.
Education and Outreach: Exhibiting the Scientific Process, by Brittney Stoneburg, Palaeontology Online, July 1, 2017
A fantastic behind-the-scenes look at the unique exhibit work done by those at the Western Science Center by Brittney Stoneburg, whose title doesn’t accurately cover the enormous work she contributes to the museum (much like everyone on staff there!)
Exploring the Valley of the Mastodon, by Jeanne Timmons, PLOS Paleo Community Blog, July 30, 2017
An introduction to the “Valley of the Mastodons” event, organizers and those attending.
Engaging the Public: The Experiment of the “Valley of the Mastodons” Workshop & Exhibit, by Jeanne Timmons, PLOS Paleo Community Blog, October 4, 2017
How one young visitor (Anja) was both impacted by and impacted those attending the “Valley of the Mastodons” workshop, as well as a look into how this workshop/exhibit worked to shorten the walls between researchers and the public.
Anja showing Dr. Ashley Leger her field notebook, in which she draws and records the fossils she finds!
Printing the Past:3D Printed Artifact Replicas Aid in Research, Education, by Dr. Bernard K. Means, 10 October 2017, R&D Magazine
A great look into how 3D printing broadens science and its applications to so many more people. Digitizing fossils was done at “Valley of the Mastodons” by Dr. Bernard Means and Dr. Chris Widga.
How a newly-discovered mastodon jaw became a mammoth mystery, by Jeanne Timmons, The Guardian, Notes & Theories Blog, 13 September 2017
More information about the as-yet-unknown type of mastodon excavated at the Gray Fossil Site in Gray, Tennessee. Dr. Chris Widga presented this mastodon at a talk during the “Valley of the Mastodons” workshop. Comments in the post by Dr. Chris Widga, Rachel Silverstein, and Michael Pasenko.
Screenshots from The Guardian post
Megafuana mega-find: the extraordinary discoveries at Diamond Valley Lake, by Jeanne Timmons, The Guardian, Notes & Theories Blog, 21 November 2017
The story behind the remarkable treasure trove of fossils found at Diamond Valley Lake during the late 1990s by Kathleen Springer, Eric Scott and their team. About 150,000 fossils now reside in the collections of the Western Science Center, Hemet, CA. Comments by Kathleen Springer and Eric Scott.
Screenshots from The Guardian post
A simple ‘thank you’ isn’t enough to the amazing staff at the Western Science Center and those behind the event itself. The “Valley of the Mastodons” workshop/exhibit was not only a remarkable experience, it was a dream come true for me. If you are ever in Southern California, stop by the Western Science Center; meet the people there. You won’t regret it!
You can check out the museum here.
You can follow Dr. Alton Dooley, jr’s blog here.
You can follow any of these amazing people on Twitter:
- @MaxMastodon
- @WesternCenter
- @AltonDooley
- @BrittandBone
- @DarlaRadford
You can follow the original discoverers of the Diamond Valley Lake Local Fauna on Twitter:
- @kathspringer (Kathleen Springer)
- @captainfossil (Eric Scott)
