Gray Fossil Site & Museum (@grayfossilsite) 's Twitter Profile
Gray Fossil Site & Museum

@grayfossilsite

Formerly home to 5-million-year-old tapirs, red pandas, mastodons, and more! Now home to the ETSU Natural History Museum and Hands On! Discovery Center.

ID: 618270039

linkhttp://gfs.visithandson.org calendar_today25-06-2012 15:35:00

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Gray Fossil Site & Museum (@grayfossilsite) 's Twitter Profile Photo

There's more than one rhino in the works these days! When she's not outside excavating the new juvenile rhino, Laura has been in the lab reassembling the lower jaw of our older rhino, Papaw, excavated in 2021. #FossilFriday

There's more than one rhino in the works these days! When she's not outside excavating the new juvenile rhino, Laura has been in the lab reassembling the lower jaw of our older rhino, Papaw, excavated in 2021.
#FossilFriday
Gray Fossil Site & Museum (@grayfossilsite) 's Twitter Profile Photo

We have a foot! Laura has found several pieces of the right hind foot of our new juvenile rhino, Puddin! That makes one hind foot, both front limbs, and a skull. Hopefully we'll end up with most of the skeleton!

We have a foot!

Laura has found several pieces of the right hind foot of our new juvenile rhino, Puddin!

That makes one hind foot, both front limbs, and a skull. Hopefully we'll end up with most of the skeleton!
Gray Fossil Site & Museum (@grayfossilsite) 's Twitter Profile Photo

Gator research in progress! Undergraduate student Maddie and Dr. Schubert are measuring modern alligator leg bones as part of research that will help scientists to better interpret alligator fossils, especially when only certain bones are preserved.

Gator research in progress!

Undergraduate student Maddie and Dr. Schubert are measuring modern alligator leg bones as part of research that will help scientists to better interpret alligator fossils, especially when only certain bones are preserved.
Gray Fossil Site & Museum (@grayfossilsite) 's Twitter Profile Photo

A lovely rhino tooth for #FossilFriday! This is a tooth from our young rhino, Puddin', who is currently being excavated! The cusps on this tooth show basically no wear - this little rhino had not done very much chewing yet!

A lovely rhino tooth for #FossilFriday!

This is a tooth from our young rhino, Puddin', who is currently being excavated! The cusps on this tooth show basically no wear - this little rhino had not done very much chewing yet!
Gray Fossil Site & Museum (@grayfossilsite) 's Twitter Profile Photo

Mastodon on the move! This is a small piece of our mastodon's hip. It was recently finished in the prep lab and ready to move over to collections. Moving mastodon bones is a group effort!

Mastodon on the move!

This is a small piece of our mastodon's hip. It was recently finished in the prep lab and ready to move over to collections. Moving mastodon bones is a group effort!
Gray Fossil Site & Museum (@grayfossilsite) 's Twitter Profile Photo

The prep lab is where fossils are cleaned, consolidated, reassembled, and sorted. It's an essential part of the paleo-process, and we owe a huge thanks to our dedicated crew of students and volunteers who put in the effort week after week!

The prep lab is where fossils are cleaned, consolidated, reassembled, and sorted. It's an essential part of the paleo-process, and we owe a huge thanks to our dedicated crew of students and volunteers who put in the effort week after week!
Gray Fossil Site & Museum (@grayfossilsite) 's Twitter Profile Photo

Happening now! Laura and Ray are creating a field jacket around the torso of our juvenile rhino, Puddin'! Once the jacket is done, it'll be ready to be carried inside to the lab!

Gray Fossil Site & Museum (@grayfossilsite) 's Twitter Profile Photo

Yesterday, Laura and Ray created this jacket over the torso of our rhino, Puddin' The jacket has been flipped over, and now Ray is clearing away as much sediment as possible. Once he's done, the jacket will move inside to the lab.

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Beavers have been shaping North American ecosystems for 7 million years, according to new research by ETSU alum Kelly Lubbers and ETSU professor Dr. Josh Samuels. Read more here: etmnh.org/about/newsdesk…

Gray Fossil Site & Museum (@grayfossilsite) 's Twitter Profile Photo

When an important new find comes inside, the crew makes a plan for how it will be treated in the preparation lab and later stored in collections. In this photo, staff and students are assessing the field jacket containing the recently-excavated skull of our new rhino, Puddin'.

When an important new find comes inside, the crew makes a plan for how it will be treated in the preparation lab and later stored in collections.

In this photo, staff and students are assessing the field jacket containing the recently-excavated skull of our new rhino, Puddin'.
Gray Fossil Site & Museum (@grayfossilsite) 's Twitter Profile Photo

Now in progress in the prep lab - it's the skull of our new rhino, Puddin'! Right now, it's in pieces, but there's enough well-preserved material to eventually come together into an excellent specimen. #FossilFriday

Now in progress in the prep lab - it's the skull of our new rhino, Puddin'!

Right now, it's in pieces, but there's enough well-preserved material to eventually come together into an excellent specimen.
#FossilFriday
Gray Fossil Site & Museum (@grayfossilsite) 's Twitter Profile Photo

Research in progress! Graduate student Johannah is measuring and photographing fossil tapir skulls as part of a study into the growth and development of this ancient species (Tapirus polkensis).

Research in progress!

Graduate student Johannah is measuring and photographing fossil tapir skulls as part of a study into the growth and development of this ancient species (Tapirus polkensis).
Gray Fossil Site & Museum (@grayfossilsite) 's Twitter Profile Photo

These are the tips of Puddin's tiny tusks! Puddin' - our first juvenile rhino - was the big find from this year's dig season. Being a juvenile, Puddin' is smaller than our adult rhino specimens. See how these tusks compare to those of Papaw, an adult male! #FossilFriday

These are the tips of Puddin's tiny tusks!

Puddin' - our first juvenile rhino - was the big find from this year's dig season.

Being a juvenile, Puddin' is  smaller than our adult rhino specimens. See how these tusks compare to those of Papaw, an adult male!
#FossilFriday
Llama eLab (@llama_elab) 's Twitter Profile Photo

Thank you so much to the Gray Fossil Site & Museum for Zooming in with our Developing Fabricators! The students left excited and energized to start their own 3D design. #VWeLabs

Gray Fossil Site & Museum (@grayfossilsite) 's Twitter Profile Photo

Most of our fossils aren't whole skulls and skeletons. The collections crew spends a lot of time diligently sorting and labeling many small fragments of bone (it's mostly tapir bits).

Most of our fossils aren't whole skulls and skeletons. The collections crew spends a lot of time diligently sorting and labeling many small fragments of bone (it's mostly tapir bits).
Gray Fossil Site & Museum (@grayfossilsite) 's Twitter Profile Photo

This year's major find was our new rhino, but there were some smaller and rarer discoveries excavated as well! Pictured here: the end of an arm bone (radioulna) of our camel, and part of the underside of a tortoise shell, both rare finds at Gray! #FossilFriday

This year's major find was our new rhino, but there were some smaller and rarer discoveries excavated as well!

Pictured here: the end of an arm bone (radioulna) of our camel, and part of the underside of a tortoise shell, both rare finds at Gray!
#FossilFriday
Llama eLab (@llama_elab) 's Twitter Profile Photo

After an AMAZINGLY educational Zoom with the @grayfossilsite, our Developing Fabricators 3D designed their own fossils. Some even had the opportunity to 3D print their designs! #VWeLabs

After an AMAZINGLY educational Zoom with the @grayfossilsite, our Developing Fabricators 3D designed their own fossils. Some even had the opportunity to 3D print their designs! 

#VWeLabs
Gray Fossil Site & Museum (@grayfossilsite) 's Twitter Profile Photo

Excavation is done for the year, but there's lots of work to be done in the lab, cleaning and sorting and reassembling fossils. In the cold months, the crew will get through as much as they can to make room for new fossils before we start digging again in the Spring!

Excavation is done for the year, but there's lots of work to be done in the lab, cleaning and sorting and reassembling fossils. In the cold months, the crew will get through as much as they can to make room for new fossils before we start digging again in the Spring!
Gray Fossil Site & Museum (@grayfossilsite) 's Twitter Profile Photo

It's not always easy to identify a small fragment of fossil bone. Fortunately, there are plenty of more complete fossils in our collection for comparison! Here, Connor is comparing a bone fragment with more complete fossil tapir hip bones (we have LOTS of tapir fossils).

It's not always easy to identify a small fragment of fossil bone. Fortunately, there are plenty of more complete fossils in our collection for comparison!

Here, Connor is comparing a bone fragment with more complete fossil tapir hip bones (we have LOTS of tapir fossils).
Gray Fossil Site & Museum (@grayfossilsite) 's Twitter Profile Photo

Recently, Maddie has been working on part of the forearm of our rhino, Papaw, slowly excavating this block of sediment. Papaw's skull and body were excavated in 2021-2022, and the lab crew will be working on these bones for years to come. Rhinos are a lot of work! #FossilFriday

Recently, Maddie has been working on part of the forearm of our rhino, Papaw, slowly excavating this block of sediment.

Papaw's skull and body were excavated in 2021-2022, and the lab crew will be working on these bones for years to come. Rhinos are a lot of work!
#FossilFriday