“Paleo Sleuths” premieres at 7 p.m. Nov. 16 on NET. The documentary takes viewers to explore fossil sites such as Toadstool Park near Harrison; the Norden Bridge along the Niobrara River; and Ashfall Fossil Beds.
This documentary follows paleontologists as they unearth fossils that show how wildlife in North America evolved as climate transformed the landscape from hot, wet forests to Ice Age grasslands.
Much of what the world knows about the Age of Mammals is found beneath America’s vast Great Plains. In Nebraska, layers of sand, gravel, silt and volcanic ash preserve an epic 40-million-year prehistoric record. Experts cite Nebraska as one of only six places in the world that contain a rich concentration of fossils that challenge the understanding of origins during the Age of Mammals.
The documentary follows Nebraska paleontologist Mike Voorhies, exploring how his discovery of a skull in a ravine in Royal, Nebraska, was a clue that helped reveal what is now known as Ashfall Fossil Beds. This documentary also features Voorhies’ mentor, Ainsworth, Nebraska native Morris Skinner, who became one of the most prolific fossil collectors in North America during his tenure with the American Museum of Natural History.
The documentary also follows modern-day paleontologists such as University of Nebraska State Museum paleontologist Ross Secord, and highway paleontologist Shane Tucker, who works with Nebraska Department of Roads crews to uncover fossils during highway construction.
Nebraska’s rich fossil record has been revealed in finds across the state – in farm fields, river gullies, gravel pits and rock outcrops. The interactive “Paleo Sleuths” website uses the same photogrammetry technology, work done by jack Wood, as in the documentary.
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