The theme of this year's event was DINOSAURS!!!
The Alabama Museum of Natural History (ALMNH) on the University of Alabama Campus held their annual National Fossil Day celebration on Saturday, November 2. The event started off with the presentation of the amateur/advocational paleontologist of the year award presented by Adiel Klompmaker, Curator of Paleontology at the ALMNH. This was followed by a screening of the award- winning documentary feature film, "Why Dinosaurs?" Following the movie there was a brief Q&A panel made up of the following people associated with the film and from left to right in the above pictures: Tony Pinto, the film's Creator and Director; Jessica Lippincott, featured Paleontologist and Executive Producer; Skye Walker, featured Field Paleontologist and Science Communicator; and Jim Braswell, APS President and Associate Producer.
Following the movie the activities moved to the Main Hall of the Museum for activities and tabling event where multiple groups set up displays of many fossils. The APS had several members displaying fossils at our three tables as well as many other members in attendance. Carl and Greg are pictured below at the APS table.
There was a very special fossil at the event. It was the only dinosaur egg ever found in the state of Alabama and it contains the tiny bones of the baby dinosaur inside. This egg is on permanent display at Auburn University. In the picture below, Skye Walker, as the custodian of the egg for the day, is holding the fossil egg while the original discoverer, Prescott Atkinson of the APS, looks it over.
It was truly an incredible event hosted by the ALMNH. The APS always has a great time supporting and this year was extra special!
It seems fitting to close with the following quote from Paleontologist, Scott Sampson: "Get outside, get into nature, and make your own discoveries.”
Jim Braswell, APS President