Dr. Kirk R. Johnson Comes to Carbondale

When: Saturday May 21, 2011

Time: 7:30 PM

Place:

Thunder River Theatre

67 PromenadeCarbondale, Co 81623

Tickets: $15

Dr. Johnson is overseeing the dig in Snowmass which has resulted in the identification of 22 prehistoric species including the skeletons of mastodons, mammoths, and Ice Age bison.  It is reported as the highest Ice Age site.

Here’s more on Dr. Johnson’s work in Snowmass provided by the Denver Museum of Nature & Science:

"SnowMastodon"

The Snowmastodon Project™On October 14, 2010, bulldozer operator Jesse Steele was excavating a reservoir near Snowmass Village when he saw bones coming over the top of his bulldozer blade. Within two days, scientists from the Denver Museum of Nature & Science were on site, and within two weeks a Museum team was excavating what has become one of the most significant scientific discoveries in Colorado history.

The find is an exceptionally preserved Ice Age ecosystem. As of December 2010, the site had produced the remains of eight to 10 American mastodons, four Columbian mammoths, a Jefferson’s ground sloth, four gigantic bison, two Ice Age deer, snails, iridescent insects, and plant matter that is still green after more than 45,000 years.

News of the once-in-a-lifetime discovery spread like wildfire throughout Colorado, generating enormous public interest. In the Roaring Fork Valley, 8,500 school children lined up to see the bones and learn about the discovery from Museum educators. During two days in November, more than 3,500 people in Snowmass Village and 2,500 people in Denver attended Mammoth and Mastodon Madness Days to see the fossils and learn more about the Ice Age in Colorado.

For the next six months, the Museum is focusing on preserving the bones from this Ice Age treasure trove and planning next steps. Museum scientists have assembled a team of more than two dozen scientific experts who will gather in Snowmass Village in May 2011 to continue this amazing excavation.

Get Involved

Click here to get caught up on everything that happened in the field, learn what scientists are doing now to preserve the bones, and find out the latest discoveries from our team of experts.

Format: For the first hour, moderator Jim Calaway will pose questions and then questions will be taken from the audience.

Dialogue is a key element for this event and upcoming events planned by the council. Calaway emphasizes the presenters “will not make speeches.” Calaway has been involved with the Aspen Institute for 30 years and is a strong proponent of how they conduct dialogue in their events. The Roaring Fork Cultural Council events will follow that model.

Comments are closed.