Paleontology (the study of dinosaurs)
is a very complex subject. I used to think that paleontology
was very easy; all you had to do was find a bone and turn
it in. Now I know that there is so much to it. Paleontology
includes a lot of research, patience, and time. Paleontologist
Paul Sereno and his squad worked on the new sauropod Nigersaurus a
long time. It took ten years in total to get the elephant-sized Nigersaurus together
and ready for publication. The bones were so fragile that
brushing or putting wax on for casting could easily fracture
them. Uncovering Nigersaurus makes you wonder how
something like Nigersaurus once lived on Earth and
how many dinosaurs are still undiscovered. I believe that
there are many dinosaurs that haven’t been discovered
yet. I think there was a dinosaur that was bigger than the T.
rex and a dinosaur that was the size of a cat or dog.
What inspires me the most is how a paleontologist or any
scientist could dedicate their lives and so much time to
their work. This teaches you that when you’re really
dedicated to something and you put all your effort into it,
it comes out just the way you want it to and it all pays
off in the end. Everyone is interested and concerned about
where their ancestors came from and who they are. They want
to know their history. Science is the history of the Earth
and it’s important because it is history shared by
everyone.
Kassandra learns about pitch,
roll, and yaw
at the National Air and Space Museum.
Photo E. Schroeter
REFLECTIONS OF A DELEGATE
11/14/07
I told my friend that I was
going to the unveiling of a new dinosaur species and she
asked, “Why should I care?” What should I tell
her?
I would tell my friend that she should care because it’s
history in the making. You should care because it’s
not every day that someone comes out with a new dinosaur
species that once lived. Think about it—the unveiling
of this dinosaur makes you wonder how many dinosaurs there
were and how many fossils are still out there. Why wouldn’t
you be interested in something that is up to 110 million
years old? This could also bring us closer to why dinosaurs
went extinct. That’s why you should care.
11/15/07
I used to think…But now I know…
I used to believe that if one dinosaur bone is found, you
go public with it, and get rich for finding a new dinosaur
bone that is a new species. I also thought that the dinosaur Nigersaurus was
not fully put together. Now I know that once a dinosaur bone
is found, you have to find the rest of it. It took ten years
for this dinosaur to be put together. After ten years, 80%
of the dinosaur was found, not all. I also know that a complete Nigersaurus is
together at National Geographic.
Kassandra takes notes in her journal during
the Nigersaurus Delegation Pre-trip Training.
Photo M. E. Perez
11/15/07
The most valuable thing from this experience that I will take with me back to Chicago is…
When I went on this trip, I wanted to take everything with me. I want to take back the Nigersaurus tour, seeing Nigersaurus up close, the free museums, seeing the nation’s Capitol building, the White House, my dog tags, the soap, the jambalaya, and the scenery. But I really want to bring back what I know, my knowledge.
Kassandra touches a piece of the moon at the
National Air and Space Museum.
Photo K. Atman
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