MISSISSIPPI MUSEUM OF NATURAL SCIENCE
MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE, FISHERIES AND PARKS
NATURALIST LECTURE SERIES
2148 RIVERSIDE DRIVE
JACKSON, MS
(This lecture is presented in conjunction with the exhibit TITANOBOA: MONSTER
SNAKE on display at MMNS (see below)).
MAR 7, 2017 Tuesday
12 Noon – 1pm
SPEAKER: Dr. Alex Hastings, Assistant Curator of Paleontology, Virginia
Museum of Natural History, Martinsville, VA.
TITLE: Titanoboa: The Science Behind the Fossil Discovery of the World's
Largest Snake
SUMMARY: In the aftermath of the extinction that ended the age of the
dinosaurs, reptiles began to fill new and incredible ecological roles. Fossil
remains from the warm ancient tropics of South America, roughly 60 million
years ago, were discovered in the Cerrejón coal mine of northern Colombia. The
past environment was dominated by massive reptiles, including giant crocodiles,
enormous turtles, and a titanic snake. Learn the science behind the discovery
and fascinating world of Titanoboa.
"TITANOBOA: MONSTER SNAKE" EXHIBIT
January 28, 2017 - April 23, 2017
Titanoboa Now Open
Can you imagine a snake that's longer than a school bus? Well, get ready!
Because, the "Titanoboa: Monster Snake" exhibition is coming to MDWFP's
Mississippi Museum of Natural Science from January 28, 2017 - April 23, 2017!
From a fossil bed deep within Colombia's Cerrejón coal mine emerges Titanoboa,
the largest snake ever found. This Paleocene reptile-from the epoch following
the dinosaurs' demise-stretches our concept of what a snake can be. At 48 feet,
this mega snake was longer than a school bus and was at the top of the
monster-eat-monster food chain.
For the team of paleontologists, finding Titanoboa is a once-in-a-lifetime
discovery. This reptile, along with other significant fossils unearthed in the
Cerrejón coal mine, provides the first glimpse of the earliest known rainforest.
"Titanoboa: Monster Snake" is an amazing look at a lost world and the
incredible creatures that inhabitated it! Featuring a full-scale model of
Titanoboa and clips from a Smithsonian Channel documentary, the exhibition
delves into the discovery, reconstruction, and implications of this enormous
reptile.
"Titanoboa: Monster Snake" is a collaboration of the Smithsonian Institution
Traveling Exhibition Service, the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, the
Florida Museum of Natural History, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and the
Smithsonian Channel. "Titanoboa" will travel to 15-cities on a national tour
organized by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service. The
exhibit is sponsored locally by the Mississippi Department of Wildlife,
Fisheries, and Parks, the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science Foundation,
Sanderson Farms, Inc., Feild Co-Operative Association, Inc., Walker Foundation,
Steve and Chris Zachow, Trustmark Bank, and other generous sponsors.
Mary Stripling, Retired
Museum Librarian
Museum Volunteer
Mississippi Museum of Natural Science
2148 Riverside Drive
Jackson, MS 39202
CELL: 601 832-6788
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