Denver Museum of Nature & Science

• Scientists Add Camel to List of Ice Age Animals
• Museum Crews to Return in May
• Museum Unveils Mastodon Specimens at the Capitol
• The Paleontology Certification Program
• Crews Pull More Than 100 Bones From Dig Site
• Ice Age Site Yields Five Mastodon Pelvises, Plus Two Tusks, Two Skulls
• Bone Count Reaches 546 at Ice Age Dig Site
• Museum Uncovers Mastodons of all Ages
• Today marks halfway point in seven-week dig
• National Geographic Follows Ice Age Dig
• Team Finds Evidence of Ice Age Horse
• Museum Finds Record Number of Fossils at Ice Age Site
• 27 Experts Dig into Science, Bone Count Tops 4,000
• Ice Age Site Yields 4,517 Bones from 20 Different Animals
• Museum Concludes Ice Age Fossil Excavation
• Science Updates and Landscape Paintings of the Dig Site
• Giant Bison on Display
• National Geographic and NOVA feature Ice Age fossil find in early 2012
• Museum Announces Plans for Digging Snowmastodon Book
• Snowmastodon Science Continues

Museum Finds Record Number of Fossils at Ice Age Site

Crews from the Denver Museum of Nature & Science are working with increased efficiency and setting new records for the number of fossils uncovered each day. The total bone count has reached 3,253 with an average of 247 fossils found per day on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday of this week. With just over two weeks remaining in the seven-week dig at Ziegler Reservoir, the team is preparing for the arrival of 27 scientists to study the findings. Additionally, the Museum is offering free activities in Snowmass Village this weekend to highlight this incredible Ice Age discovery.

SCIENTISTS
This weekend marks the arrival of many of the 37 scientific experts from 15 institutions in the United States, Canada, Spain, and England who will visit the site and study the discoveries. The age of the site is of particular interest to scientists. Initial radiocarbon dating indicates that the Ziegler Reservoir site is more than 45,000 years old, and geologists estimate the site could be as old as 130,000 to 150,000 years. Discovery of such a unique Ice Age site will provide scientists with an opportunity to learn about the Ice Age history of the Rocky Mountains.

"So far we've been focused on the salvage of fossils, and now our team of scientists is arriving to collect data for all sorts of scientific analysis, which will take months and even years to complete," said Dr. Kirk Johnson, the leader of the excavation team and vice president of the Research and Collections Division at the Museum. "With 27 scientists we will have a huge Ice Age brain trust on the site."

ICE AGE SPECTACULAR
The Museum and Snowmass Tourism are hosting an Ice Age Spectacular this weekend in Snowmass Village. Participants will see real fossils discovered less than a mile away; watch live broadcasts of Museum scientists at the dig site; play Ice Age games, puzzles and crafts; meet Snowy the mascot; and enjoy activities for the whole family. This free event will be held at the Silvertree Conference Center on Saturday, June 18, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, June 19, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

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  Museum Finds Record Number of Fossils at Ice Age Site

  June 17, 2011
  Crews from the Museum are setting new records for the number of fossils uncovered each day. The total bone count has reached 3,253 with an average of 247 fossils found per day on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday of this week.

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