Ep #88 Unearthing Egg Mountain’s Dinosaur Nursery: Field Insights from Montana with John Scannella

Ep 88 Paleo Nerds with John Scannella

First Peoples Buffalo Jump
This site in Montana preserves one of the largest buffalo jump cliffs in North America, where Indigenous peoples drove herds of bison over the edge as a way to hunt on a massive scale. It is a remarkable place that blends archaeology, paleontology, and cultural history.

All about the American Bison and this magnificent animal's decline
The American Bison once numbered in the tens of millions, roaming the plains in colossal herds. This page traces the history of bison hunting, from Indigenous practices to the catastrophic overhunting of the 19th century that nearly drove them to extinction.

Beautiful and quaint Fort Benton, Montana
Fort Benton sits along the Missouri River and is one of Montana’s oldest settlements. Known as the birthplace of Montana, today it offers a mix of frontier history, small town charm, and access to fossil country.

Great article on John Scannella’s Paleo history
This article dives into John Scannella’s journey as a paleontologist, from his early digs to becoming Curator of Paleontology at the Museum of the Rockies. It highlights his passion for dinosaurs and the research that has shaped his career.

The discoverer of Egg Mountain, Marion Brandvold Obituary
Marion Brandvold was a fossil shop owner in Choteau, Montana, who discovered the first dinosaur eggs at what became known as Egg Mountain. This obituary celebrates her life and her role in one of paleontology’s landmark finds.

Jack Horner, (The real Dr. Alan Grant) Paleo Nerd’s episode
Jack Horner, one of the world’s most famous paleontologists, inspired the character of Dr. Alan Grant in Jurassic Park. In this Paleo Nerds episode he talks about his life, his discoveries, and how Maiasaura changed the way we think about dinosaur parenting.

Bob Makela, the co-discoverer of Egg Mountain
Bob Makela worked closely with Jack Horner and was part of the groundbreaking discovery of dinosaur nests and eggs at Egg Mountain. This New York Times article looks back at how their work revealed dinosaurs cared for their young.

Jack Horner on the Hell Creek Project
In this video, Jack Horner discusses the Hell Creek Project, a collaborative effort to study one of the richest late Cretaceous fossil sites in North America. It gives a glimpse into the scale and excitement of fieldwork on dinosaurs.

Troodon, a dog sized Raptor found at Egg Mountain
Troodon was a small, birdlike raptor with big eyes and sharp teeth, once thought to be among the smartest dinosaurs. Fossils of Troodon eggs and nests from Egg Mountain changed how we think about dinosaur reproduction and behavior.

Ontogeny: Changes through growth
Ontogeny is the study of how organisms change as they grow. This page explains how paleontologists study growth stages in dinosaurs to understand how species like Triceratops developed from juveniles to adults.

Paleontologist Denver Fowler
Denver Fowler is a paleontologist known for his work on dinosaur behavior and anatomy. This page introduces his role at the Dickinson Museum Center in North Dakota and his research contributions.

Triceratops Horridus
Triceratops horridus is one of the two main recognized species of Triceratops, the classic three-horned dinosaur of the late Cretaceous. This PDF provides detailed information about the species, including skeletal diagrams.

Triceratops Prorsus
Triceratops prorsus, closely related to T. horridus, is another species of this famous horned dinosaur. This iNaturalist entry shows images, fossil records, and observations of Triceratops fossils in the wild.

Occipital Condyles are HUGE on a Triceratops
Occipital condyles are the big knobs of bone at the base of the skull where the head connects to the neck. In Triceratops, they are massive, supporting the dinosaur’s giant skull and heavy frill.

Spiky Frill Styracosaurus
Styracosaurus is a ceratopsian dinosaur famous for its spectacular frill covered in long spikes. This page describes its anatomy, its relatives, and how it fits into the world of horned dinosaurs.

Good Mother Lizard, the Maiesaura-named by Jack Horner and Bob Makela
Maiasaura, whose name means “Good Mother Lizard,” was discovered at Egg Mountain and revealed evidence of dinosaur parenting. Jack Horner and Bob Makela named it after finding nests full of eggs, hatchlings, and juveniles.

The Mountain Runner, Orodromeus
Orodromeus was a small, fast plant-eating dinosaur from Montana whose name means “mountain runner.” It lived alongside Maiasaura and Troodon in the Two Medicine Formation.

Daspletosurus The Tyranosaurid from the Two Medicine Formation
Daspletosaurus was a close cousin of Tyrannosaurus rex that lived in Montana about 75 million years ago. This page explains its role as a top predator in the Two Medicine ecosystem.

Synclines and Anticlines; a short video
This short video explains synclines and anticlines, the folds in rock layers created by tectonic forces. It is a quick and clear look at how geologists read the shapes of Earth’s crust.

Lythronax, a Tyranosaurid you never heard of
Lythronax, whose name means “king of gore,” was an earlier relative of Tyrannosaurus rex. Discovered in Utah, it helps paleontologists understand the evolution of the tyrannosaur family.

Ceratopsian, the “horned face” dinosaurs
Ceratopsians were a group of horned dinosaurs that included Triceratops and Styracosaurus. This page covers their evolution, anatomy, and diversity across the Cretaceous.

Protoceratops
Protoceratops was a smaller, early ceratopsian dinosaur found in Mongolia. It is famous for its frill and for the “fighting dinosaurs” fossil, where it was preserved locked in combat with a Velociraptor.

Caught in the act, The fighting Dinosaurs
The Fighting Dinosaurs fossil from Mongolia preserves a Velociraptor and Protoceratops literally frozen in battle. It is one of the most dramatic fossils ever discovered.

The all star fight! Dueling dinosaurs: a Tyrannosaurus Vs a Triceratops
The Dueling Dinosaurs fossil preserves a Tyrannosaurus and a Triceratops entangled together. Still under study, it promises to reveal unprecedented detail about these two iconic dinosaurs.

The Wankel T-Rex
The Wankel T. rex, discovered in Montana in 1988, was one of the most complete Tyrannosaurus skeletons ever found. Today it is housed at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History and remains a centerpiece for dinosaur research and education.

MUSIC
Sound Waves by the Ratfish Wranglers
Sleep on my Feet by Whiskey Class
Trilobite/Ammonite by the Amish Robots
Seconds in a Lifetime by Russell Wodehouse