After enjoying @Joel_Duff and @RyanBebej’s "My Favorite Fossil"series, I wondered if we could set up a “show and tell” of our own, perhaps less cerebral, experiences with science. Does anyone have an interesting terrain showing strata, hills or valleys, fossils, rivers, trees, cultural centers, or even a science center near them that exemplifies for them a cool thing about learning about God’s world and science?
Here are photos from Hoffmaster Park in Norton Shores, MI last wee
When I lived in Niger, much of the land was covered in reddish volcanic basalt that a geologist told us had erupted under the sea. On hillsides, white limestone gullies had sea fossils that my brother and I would bring home after excursions. We identified them as sea urchins, clams, and two of what we thought were nautiluses. (I believe my mom has some of the fossils; I’ll try to scan a photo in). Here is a picture of the type of rock one would find (this is from the desert, with carvings).
We thought that the sea fossils, hundreds of miles from the ocean and in very dry area, were proof of the Flood. However, they were from plate tectonics–and likely from things that others on this site can tell us more about than I. http://www.geekfill.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/1158.jpg
Below are examples of what our fossils were like (urchin and clam; unfortunately, while this is almost exactly what we found, I took this from the Internet. I will try to post a real example when I find it later this week):
That is beautiful art on those rocks. My daughter also brought some shells back from the Sahara desert from the time they lived there and I have them around somewhere. I posted on the fossil thread a pic of my Petoskey stone. It not only represents age, but also the migration of the continents, as it was once a coral in a tropical reef when Michigan was located nearer the equator.
Can you link that thread? I don’t remember where it was (I’ll find it if not). Thanks. Yes, they’re beautiful-we are about an hour south of Petoskey in West Michigan, and I know folks who prospect for those stones and sell them after tumbling them. It is truly amazing to think of corals here when Lake Michigan freezes over sometimes.
I love the national parks, especially Olympic National Park and Glacier National Park. And I loved Alaska. My favorite science place is The American Museum of Natural History. It’s so big and it’s stuffed with cool stuff–everything from fossils to huge meteorites. It’s just a 50-minute train ride away. I’ll be going back in December to see Ross MacPhee in a SciCafe talking about his new book “End of the Megafauna.” He’ll discuss what might have caused the demise of the huge animals that roamed earth, including gorilla-sized lemurs, 500-pound birds, and crocodiles that weighed a ton or more.
If you get a chance, I’d like to see your impression of that. It sounds great! That looks like a really good museum to take my kids to sometime.
The Olympic National Park, with the Hoh River Rainforest, has got to be one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen–along with Alaska. Did you go to Denali? I think it’s an extinct volcano?
Hurricane Ridge:
Didn’t go to Denali, but agree that the Rain Forest (which is temperate rather than tropical) is indeed very beautiful. And the miles of protected coastline are absolutely gorgeous.
(Big smile!) I was just thinking wishfully. I live in West Michigan, actually, about an hour from Grand Rapids. Someday I’d like to take my kids to NYC. We’ve talked about the Statue of Liberty, and as they get bigger (they are 10, 8 and 5), we think bigger about where we can travel by van. We did go to the Chicago Museum of Natural History last year.
Millions of tourists visit the American Museum of Natural History. Would be glad to show you around. Like Disney World, the size of the place is daunting. And they’re expanding it.
Yes, that’s it! The Field Museum :). Sorry. Yes, I looked at your website link and found it very interesting. I’d introduce you to my family–it would be fun!. You have good links.
If you ever have a chance to visit the Royal Tyrrell Museum in Drumheller, Alberta, they have amazing exhibits about evolution, fossils, and so on. My son, who’s had a lifetime fascination with dinosaurs, took me there when I visited Alberta a few years ago. A big bonus to visiting Drumheller is seeing the Badlands that surround the town and the museum. The Alberta Badlands probably wouldn’t be very exciting if you’re used to seeing the American southwest, but they’re a very un-Canadian ecosystem, so it was fun to visit. (Some very cool fossils have been excavated near Drumheller.)
My kids loved Dino Dan a year or so ago, and as my wife’s uncle and family live out in Pincher Creek and Edmonton/Calgary, we’ve considered going there this next summer! Looks very neat. Isn’t that where they found Albertasaurus too? Thanks.
