Ep #81 Paleo Nerds at Nebraska's Prairie Pompeii

Ray and Dave explore jaws, fins and fossil fish while tracing the deep origins of vertebrate life with Dr. Michael Coates, Vertebrate Paleontologist and Chair of Organismal Biology and Anatomy Professor at the University of Chicago.

Ray and Dave talk Sauropods, Smilodons, and Spielberg with artist and paleo visionary Mark Hallett, whose decades of work bring ancient worlds to life.

Ray and Dave explore the history of all things Elephantidae, including Mammoths, Mastodons, and Gomphotheres, with Advait Jukar, delving into their shovels, tusks, and trunks.

Ray and Dave go rock hunting through billions of years of Earth's history with Marcia Bjornerud, a structural geologist, inspirational author, and Professor of Geosciences at Lawrence University in Wisconsin.

Ray and Dave talk about the amazing fossils and strata found in Badlands National Park, South Dakota, where park ranger Mattison Shreero explains how it all got there and why she absolutely loves her job.  

Ray and Dave discuss the wide-reaching influence of one of YouTube's paleo stars, Lindsay Nikole, who has millions of followers and incredible outreach with her remarkable video series, The History of Life on Earth, as we know it.

Ray takes a road trip with fellow Paleo Nerds to visit the great death assemblage, the "Rhino Pompeii", at the Nebraska Ashfall Fossil Beds State Historical Park

Dave travels to Cairo, Egypt, for a fascinating interview with Dr. Hesham Sallam, Egypt's leading paleontologist and founder of the country's first Vertebrate Paleontology Center. As a fellow Paleo Nerd, Dr. Sallam shares insights into his groundbreaking work, his efforts to bring more women into the field, and the thrilling discoveries shaping Egypt's prehistoric story.

Ray and Dave come out of there shells to talk Turtles and the latest T-Rex discovery with Vertebrate Paleontologist Tyler Lyson.

Ray and Dave unearth the past with paleontologist Pete Larson, discussing Pete's paleo-nerd journey, his early discoveries, his commercial fossil enterprise, and his insights into controversial dinosaur debates.