For Islanders, at least, fossils never get old. The sixth annual National Fossil Day Thursday drew all ages to the Oak Bluffs library to marvel at ancient plants and animals preserved for millions of years in stone.
Quick response by volunteer firefighters on Barnes Road in Oak Bluffs Wednesday night saved both a summer home and a seven and a half foot triceratops skull. The skull is owned by Dr. Henry Kriegstein, a collector of rare fossils.
Mr. Barnes, along with an assortment of local builders, contractors
and heavy machinery, helped place a 1,000-pound, seven-and-a-half-foot
fossilized Triceratops skull atop a metal pedestal in the specially
renovated hallway of a Vineyard Haven home.
One of the most accomplished paleoanthropologists of our time, Donald C. Johanson, will give a talk called What’s New in the Last Few Million Years tomorrow, July 9, at 7:30 p.m. at the Martha’s Vineyard Hebrew Center on Centre street in Vineyard Haven.
Dr. Johanson has produced some of the field’s groundbreaking discoveries, including the most widely known and thoroughly studied fossil find of the 20th century — the Lucy skeleton.
His program is appropriate for children as young as fifth or sixth grade, and the cost is $15.
Dr. Fred Hotchkiss is giving a free talk, Connecting with Fossils, at the Chilmark library on Wednesday, Dec. 2 at 5:30 p.m. Connecting with fossils has many dimensions — including artistic inspiration and personal wonderment. No prior experience is necessary. Known to many young students as Fossil Fred, Dr. Hotchkiss will bring an assortment of fossils he has collected, and encourages attendees to bring any fossils that they would like to share or to ask about. For details, call 508-645-3360.
The Vineyard Haven Public Library presents Connecting with Fossils, an interactive and illustrative talk to be given by Fred Hotchkiss on Tuesday, March 23, beginning at 7 p.m. Connecting with fossils has many dimensions including artistic inspiration and personal wonderment. No prior experience is necessary. Dr. Hotchkiss will bring an assortment of fossils he usually takes to Vineyard classrooms. Feel free to bring fossils of your own for identification.
