New Members CrinoidConnoisseur Posted November 14, 2023 New Members Share Posted November 14, 2023 (edited) Hi everyone! Longtime human recently turned into amateur fossil hunter. I currently am in the Twin Cities in Minnesota, and have been for the past 5 years. I've been enjoying lots of the beautiful nature the state has had to offer in my downtime, even during the winters which are not as bad anymore. I will say that I have always loved paleontology! That, marine biology and astronomy are what propelled my love for science, and what have pushed me to pursue a PhD in Chemistry. I never knew fossil hunting was an activity anyone can do, or even possible to do, until earlier this past summer. I had an awesome trip to the beach with family, and while everyone swam, I would walk the shoreline for hours looking for shells of different sizes, colors and species for almost a whole week. Toward the end of my trip, I went to a marine biology museum and talked to some of the curators and learned that fossil shark teeth are a usual find by beachcombers, but usually you had to have an idea of the shape or accidentally bump into it. I was so thrilled to learn that was possible, so I made it my objective to at least find one tooth by the end of the trip! And I am glad to say that I found quite a few in a couple of hours of trying! I even found a few other fossils (a small piece of soft shell turtle carapace, a crab claw, not shown) Since then, I've been trying to do some research when I can (again, graduate student so I have other research duties!) and try to explore the natural history of Minnesota. I've found the broken up pieces of braciopods shells everywhere on the Platteville limestone on the Mississippi River, as well as bryozoans, a few gastropods and cephalopods, and, as my username implies, a whole slew of crinoid segment and columnals! Crinoids just speak to me, and I find those circular wonders everywhere! Most recently, I recently went to a trip to SE Minnesota and met up with a well known Forum member and went hunting for giant gastropods. It was a super success! Even if there was certain fossils we couldn't remove. That's a little about me, and I'm looking forward to learning more from everyone around here! I'm hoping to get help with FossilID for some things that I have found, and maybe connecting with others that know the area or neighboring states like Iowa! I would love to get a general idea of where to hunt, and go on more adventures and make some friends! If you'd like to see some of my finds, I'm more than happy to post some of those here as well Edited November 14, 2023 by CrinoidConnoisseur 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grandpa Posted November 14, 2023 Share Posted November 14, 2023 Welcome to the forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New Members CrinoidConnoisseur Posted November 14, 2023 Author New Members Share Posted November 14, 2023 Thank you @grandpa 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tidgy's Dad Posted November 14, 2023 Share Posted November 14, 2023 Hello, and a very warm welcome to TFF from Morocco. Life's Good! Tortoise Friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New Members CrinoidConnoisseur Posted November 14, 2023 Author New Members Share Posted November 14, 2023 Whoo! Some of my images failed to upload. I finally got them to work. These are the teeth I found on my family trip to the beach. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New Members CrinoidConnoisseur Posted November 14, 2023 Author New Members Share Posted November 14, 2023 And here is the gastropod I saw and left for the world to see. It's just so beautiful in its natural environment. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New Members CrinoidConnoisseur Posted November 14, 2023 Author New Members Share Posted November 14, 2023 Thanks for the warm welcome @Tigdy's Dad 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fin Lover Posted November 14, 2023 Share Posted November 14, 2023 Welcome from South Carolina! Fin Lover Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New Members CrinoidConnoisseur Posted November 14, 2023 Author New Members Share Posted November 14, 2023 Thank you @Fin Lover ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThePhysicist Posted November 14, 2023 Share Posted November 14, 2023 Hello, and welcome to the forum! "Argumentation cannot suffice for the discovery of new work, since the subtlety of Nature is greater many times than the subtlety of argument." - Carl Sagan "I was born not knowing and have had only a little time to change that here and there." - Richard Feynman Collections: Hell Creek Microsite | Hell Creek/Lance | Dinosaurs | Sharks | Squamates | Post Oak Creek | North Sulphur River | Lee Creek | Aguja | Permian | Devonian | Triassic | Harding Sandstone Instagram: @thephysicist_tff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted November 14, 2023 Share Posted November 14, 2023 Welcome to the Forum. Tim - VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER VFOTM --- APRIL - 2015 __________________________________________________ "In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~ ><))))( *> About Me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lone Hunter Posted November 14, 2023 Share Posted November 14, 2023 Welcome from Texas! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elmo Posted November 14, 2023 Share Posted November 14, 2023 Welcome from Maryland! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denis Arcand Posted November 14, 2023 Share Posted November 14, 2023 Welcome from Canada! One fossil a day will keep you happy all day. Welcome to the FOSSIL ART Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Kmiecik Posted November 14, 2023 Share Posted November 14, 2023 Welcome from Illinois. Mark. Fossil hunting is easy -- they don't run away when you shoot at them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SawTooth Posted November 14, 2023 Share Posted November 14, 2023 Welcome! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New Members CrinoidConnoisseur Posted November 15, 2023 Author New Members Share Posted November 15, 2023 Wow! Thank you everyone for the warm welcome! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gizmo Posted November 15, 2023 Share Posted November 15, 2023 Welcome aboard! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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