Science Cafe: Digging for Dinosaurs in Maryland

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Paleontologist John-Paul Hodnett with the Department of Parks and Recreation, Prince George’s County, MD has found the largest dinosaur fossil in the Eastern US. According to Mr. Hodnet, “Finding a bonebed like this is a dream for many paleontologists as they can offer a wealth of information on the ancient environments that preserved the fossils and provide more details on the extinct animals that previously may have only been known from a handful of specimens.” Learn about the Laurel dinosaur site that is by far the most important dinosaur dig site in America east of the Mississippi. It is historically significant, as it was one of the first dinosaur fossil sites found in the U.S. More importantly, it gives us insights into the diversity of animals and plants at a critical period in Earth’s history.  Our speaker: John-Paul Hodnett Mr. Hodnett is the paleontologist and program coordinator for MNCPPC Dinosaur Park in Prince George's County, MD. His research interests are the trophic dynamics within predator guilds of the past, particularly seen in Paleozoic Chondrichthyians and Cenozoic Carnivora, the evolutionary history of those two groups, and faunal transitions over time. He also has started research on the paleoecology of the Potomac Group.