Bone Up for Fossil Day!

 

It’s National Fossil Day! The Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History (NMNH), in Washington, D.C., celebrated a little early: their Family Fossil and Dinosaur Festival took place this past Saturday, October 10. I was there. Thousands of kids—and many scientists—from across the United States joined me. The daylong event featured paleontologists and fossil experts, all of whom had come to the nation’s capital to teach young people about fossils and what they can tell us about the planet. Here’s what the day was like.
A Day at the Museum
My tour started in a room called Q?rius (pronounced curious), where there were lots of hands-on activities. One that I tried was called “Fossils in Resin and Rocks,” where I learned about amber, the gemstone that preserves plants and animals. Scientist Finnegan Marsh, from NMNH, taught me how to use a microscope to see what was inside the amber. I even put my finger under the microscope to see my fingerprint.
Other scientists brought in really rare fossils for kids and parents to touch and enjoy. Kate Lyons and Pete Wagner, from NMNH, brought in a sabretooth tiger’s skull, bones, and teeth. They also had a giant beaver’s two front teeth.
A “Sifting for Fossils” station was set up in the Q?rius Lab. Here, I was able to sift through sand to uncover small fossils. With the help of a key I was able to identify the fossils, some of which I was allowed to keep! They included coral, Astarte and cyclocardia clams, a turritella snail, and a Requiem shark tooth.
At the museum’s selfie station, I dressed up in a hat that paleontologists wear while working outdoors. I held a magnifying glass to my eye, and Lucas, one of the helpers at the station, held up a fake dinosaur bone right next to me. Snap!
Becoming a Paleontologist
At 12:00 PM, along with 30 other kids, I took the Junior Paleontologist Pledge. We all received a shiny gold paleontologist badge and a certificate. Then I met with Charlotte, a six-year-old Junior Paleontologist. She had a big job for a little kid. For the day, she was in charge of running the Smithsonian’s Instagram account. There, the first-grader posted lots of photos of herself standing next to fossils and scientists. “I started liking dinosaurs when I was 4, and my favorite dinosaur is the T-Rex,” Charlotte told me. She says she even has a T-Rex tooth at home. When she grows up, Charlotte added, she wants to be paleontologist and a scientist. 
Kate Lyons of NMNH told me that it wasn’t until college that she decided she wanted to be a paleontologist. A professor gave her the idea. What’s a typical day like for her on the job, I wondered. Is it spent outdoors, digging up dinosaur bones? Not quite. “On an average day of being a paleontologist I manipulate data in a computer,” Lyons told me. “I love it.” Note to kids: Pay attention in computer class!
A Time to Celebrate
The Smithsonian’s Fossil Day celebration is a day I will remember. I loved meeting the scientists at the event and talking to them about fossils and dinosaurs. The event was so much fun; kids and parents of all ages should come to Washington, D.C., next year to take part. Until then, make sure to celebrate National Fossil Day today. Special events are taking part in school and museums across the country, and there are lots of fun features online, too.