Image: A look inside the Museum Demonstration Lab where fossil projects are worked on by paleontologists.
Discover something new!
This is an official EarthCache placed by the management of Petrified Forest National Park. The cache is within the boundary of Petrified Forest National Park and is only accessible during park operating hours, but is accessible without having to pay the park entrance fee. The cache is near the Visitor Center at the Museum Demonstration Lab. Park in the main parking area, and proceed through the courtyard, past the Visitor Center, and through the breezeway to the south side of the building. Check the park website for up-to-date park operating hours (www.nps.gov/pefo) .
See fossils, learn about paleontology and geology.
Here, you can log your cache and take a few minutes to look at the displays in the window, learn about geology and ongoing paleontological research happening at the park, see real fossils, and talk to the paleontologist via a two-way radio. The lab itself is staffed by a paleontologist Wednesdays through Saturdays from 9am to 3pm. Check our park website before your visit www.nps.gov/pefo/learn/demo-lab.
To log this cache, take a look at the geologic column showing park stratigraphy. Notice how much geologic time is represented in the rocks. Describe any observations you see that tells you what types of changes occured during that time (for example changes in fossils, environment, rock color, etc). What can the fossils tell us about what is different about the Triassic than today?
Learn more:
https://www.nps.gov/pefo/learn/demo-lab.htm
https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/tetrapod-evolution-at-petrified-forest.htm
Image: Collection of notable fossil projects worked on in the Museum Demonstration Lab. Clockwise from top left: Puercosuchus dentary (PEFO 38606); Revueltosaurus field jacket (PEFO 42442); Skybalonyx skapter claw (PEFO 43703); Kataigidodon venetus dentary (PEFO 43755); and the most complete (right, PEFO 47877) and world’s largest (left, PEFO 50050) Anaschisma browni skulls.