Friday, August 29, 2008

Work - Update

Just an update on what I've been doing at work!

(Above) A crocodile relative from the Jurassic Period (older than T. rex), found in Fruita, Colorado. I have to use a microscope and small tools to expose the bone from the dirt. This specimen will be pedastalled (bones exposed but left in the matrix)

This is a caudal (tail) vertebra from Thomas the T. rex which I completely prepared in the lab. Fossils go through a process of being removed from matrix with dental tools and small hand drills, then cleaning with fine sand blasting, filling cracks in with a putty/resin, then gluing and stabilizing.