LOCAL NEWS

Utah Scientists Looking For Funds To Continue Studying ‘Megablock’ Of Fossils

Feb 26, 2021, 10:56 AM | Updated: Mar 2, 2021, 12:33 pm

A giant rock jammed full of dinosaur bones continues to amaze Utah scientists as they slowly pick away at it to reveal its secrets, unscrambling what may be Utah’s biggest single discovery of dinosaurs.

But the problem after years of such effort is finding enough money to continue.

“People kind of expect the funding is there,” said state paleontologist James Kirkland. “Everyone thinks someone else is paying for it. And in the end, you don’t have many people paying.”

A retired couple in Pennsylvania is now trying to energize the fundraising effort. The two dinosaur enthusiasts previously donated $50,000 to the cause. Now they’re offering an additional $50,000 as a matching grant if other donors kick in the same amount.

The pile of fossilized bones was discovered on a rocky slope near Moab 20 years ago.

“It’s certainly one of the most amazing things that I’ve ever seen in my career,” said Don DeBlieux of the Utah Geological Survey in June of 2013.

That was just after scientists and volunteers encased a big chunk of the rock in a protective jacket of plaster and burlap. They subsequently hauled the rock to the Wasatch Front and began the effort to puzzle out its ancient contents.

Now, nearly a decade later, the 9-ton rock is parked in a state-owned garage in Salt Lake City.

“It’s just jam-packed with bones on the surface here,” said Scott Madsen. “It’s just an amazing assemblage of bones.”

Madsen, a professional fossil preparator, has spent years drilling, carving, and dusting the surface of the rock to expose the bones. “Trying to remove the rock from the bone without damaging the bone,” he said. “We’ve got a femur, a tibia. There’s a beautiful lower jaw right here.”

That’s just one tiny section of the rock’s surface. No one can see inside the slab of rock but scientists believe it contains fossilized bones of many dinosaurs.

“I think there are dozens,” Kirkland said.

It hasn’t been proven yet but Kirkland is nearly certain it’s a pack of reptiles from a species that was named for its discovery in the state of Utah. The fossilized bones appear to be disassembled skeletons of Utahraptors.

“Including four little tiny babies,” Madsen said. “And we’re talking about a chicken-sized animal here.”

Adult Utahraptors were medium-sized, voracious predators, similar to the quick, vicious killers that terrorized children in a fictional kitchen in Steven Spielberg’s film, “Jurassic Park.”

Geologists have concluded that the slab full of bones was originally a puddle of quicksand 136 million years ago. It appears that some unlucky plant-eating dinosaur got stuck in the quicksand and a pack of Utahraptor moved in on him for dinner.

“What happens,” Madsen said, is “they get in here and they can’t get out, either. And they end up dying and getting buried and disappearing in the muck.”

Geologists believe the quicksand hardened into sandstone around 136 million years ago.

Kirkland’s hope is that scientists and volunteers will eventually be able to extract enough bones to assemble an entire sequence of Utahraptor skeletons that show the creature at all ages and sizes. The skeletons might ultimately be put on display at the Natural History Museum of Utah and, perhaps, at a proposed Utahraptor State Park.

“I mean this thing will provide generations of researchers good, new science,” he said.

The Utah Geological Survey does not have money in its budget for the fossil preparation work. So far, most of the funding has come from out-of-state dinosaur enthusiasts and paleontology buffs. Schoolchildren in Utah and elsewhere have also contributed significant amounts of money.

The matching grant offered by the Pennsylvania couple will expire on May first, setting a de facto deadline for raising another $50,000. If that effort fails, it’s not clear if the work will continue. Secrets that have been locked up for 136 million years may stay that way.

Those who want to donate to the Utahraptor Megablock Fossil Project can click here for more information, or send a check to:

The STEM Foundation
STEM Action Center
Utah Dept. of Heritage & Arts
60 E. South Temple, Suite 850
Salt Lake City UT 84111

Donors are asked to specify on the check: “Donation for Utahraptor Megablock Fossil Project.”

KSL 5 TV Live

Local News

Man being taken on stretcher to an ambulance figures blurred...

Lauren Steinbrecher

West Jordan man trying ‘to be funny’ allegedly shot and killed best friend

Investigators believe a joke between friends turned into the shooting death of a West Jordan man. The fatal mistake is also turning into a message police hope every gun owner can hear.

4 hours ago

Matt Gephardt meeting with Denis Hawkins after a rental car company after they ignored his calls fo...

Matt Gephardt

Get Gephardt helps Spanish Fork man clear up insurance claim for rental car damage

Get Gephardt clears up an international rental car insurance standstill.

4 hours ago

small housing units...

Debbie Worthen

Utah’s micro-shelter pilot program gets extension to help homeless

A micro-shelter pilot program will stay in place for at least six more months.

5 hours ago

A trench used for training a team of firefighters to be a part of Utah County's Special Response Te...

Shelby Lofton

Heavy Rescue school students respond to real-life emergency during trench collapse training

A team of firefighter students training to be on a Special Response Team rescued a man buried in a trench collapse the week they'd been studying trenches.

5 hours ago

The Cache County Council took up the e-mail controversy...

Mike Anderson

A single text stirs political fallout in Cache County election

A text message is blowing up into a whole lot of political fallout in Cache County.

6 hours ago

A map shows where the Chief Toquer reservoir will connect to the Ash Creek Reservoir....

Cary Schwanitz

Feds pour $7 million into southern Utah water pipeline project

A project to build a new pipeline that will run from the Ash Creek Reservoir to the Chief Toquer Reservoir received $7 million from the bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

6 hours ago

Sponsored Articles

Women hold card for scanning key card to access Photocopier Security system concept...

Les Olson

Why Printer Security Should Be Top of Mind for Your Business

Connected printers have vulnerable endpoints that are an easy target for cyber thieves. Protect your business with these tips.

Modern chandelier hanging from a white slanted ceiling with windows in the backgruond...

Lighting Design

Light Up Your Home With These Top Lighting Trends for 2024

Check out the latest lighting design trends for 2024 and tips on how you can incorporate them into your home.

Technician woman fixing hardware of desktop computer. Close up....

PC Laptops

Tips for Hassle-Free Computer Repairs

Experiencing a glitch in your computer can be frustrating, but with these tips you can have your computer repaired without the stress.

Close up of finger on keyboard button with number 11 logo...

PC Laptops

7 Reasons Why You Should Upgrade Your Laptop to Windows 11

Explore the benefits of upgrading to Windows 11 for a smoother, more secure, and feature-packed computing experience.

Stylish room interior with beautiful Christmas tree and decorative fireplace...

Lighting Design

Create a Festive Home with Our Easy-to-Follow Holiday Prep Guide

Get ready for festive celebrations! Discover expert tips to prepare your home for the holidays, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere for unforgettable moments.

Battery low message on mobile device screen. Internet and technology concept...

PC Laptops

9 Tips to Get More Power Out of Your Laptop Battery

Get more power out of your laptop battery and help it last longer by implementing some of these tips from our guide.

Utah Scientists Looking For Funds To Continue Studying ‘Megablock’ Of Fossils