Fossil Hunters
By Desiree Espada
Staff Writer
Writer says geology trip to Oklahoma was
‘awesome learning experience’
On Oct. 15, 2005, I joined geology professors
Dr. Len Kubicek and Sandy Zucker for a two-hour
bus ride to Oklahoma and an all-expense-paid (besides
lunch) learning experience.
On this trip, about 40 other students and I traveled
to Oklahoma through the Arbuckle Mountains and
to Turner Falls, along with other stops. At about
8:30 a.m., with our sack lunches and our bug spray
ready to go, we headed out.
Our first stop came after about an hour. We evacuated
the crammed charter bus and were asked to identify
the rock on the side of the highway that had been
cut in order to build the road.
Everyone pondered, looked around and made guesses.
Finally, we were told it was limestone, and that
this rock was a good one to find fossils in –
specifically the Trilobite, which indicated that
this region was submerged in water over 400 million
years ago.
We would spend the next hour and forty-five minutes
on three or four series of stops examining folds,
fractures and fossils. We were also handed worksheets
that would be considered for extra credit to follow
along with the sites. We also got credit for attending
the trip.
We traveled through the Arbuckle Mountains to
learn about the natural waterfalls, where so many
residents spend their leisure time.
We learned that natural spring water is not always
the best water, for instance, during the hot summer
when there is little rain. During these times,
the sun bakes the stagnant water, creating algae
and bacteria, which can be harmful to the human
body.
Next we ventured to an abandoned granite mine,
where we learned that the rock we were sitting
on was more than 1.3 billion years old. We discussed
why the rocks were mined and why the company that
was mining had to stop. We were shown fractures
where dynamite had been inserted to break the
tough rock into perfect slabs of granite, which,
when cut, would make nice tombstones.
All in all, the trip was worth my Saturday afternoon,
not only for the extra credit I received, but
the awesome learning experience as well.
I recommend to anyone taking a geology course
to take advantage of this trip, which is held
every semester.
For more information about geology, call 972-273-3508.
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