PALEONTOLOGIST BARBIE AT THE TWO MEDICINE FORMATION, MONTANA, USA

CAMP MAKELA IN THE HIGH PLAINS OF MONTANA (photo by Hallelujah Truth)

At this time last year (July 2014), Paleontologist Barbie was finishing her third week of paleontology field work with her colleague Tony Martin in the beautiful High Plains west of Choteau, Montana. While there, they worked with an incredible field crew from Montana State University, as well as from across the U.S. and other countries. In honor of her amazing contributions to science and science outreach, as well as to acknowledge her cohorts, here is an interview with her in which almost all of the questions came from other paleontologists via Facebook (see Paleontologist Barbie Rocks).

The Interview

Ulf Schyldt: What is your most important ichnological find in the Two Medicine Formation?

Paleontologist Barbie: You mean, what can I reveal (Paleontologist Barbie raises her eyebrows)? The Two MedicineFormation is full of trace fossils, even though it's most well known for its dinosaur bones and eggs. So it’s really hard to narrow my answer down to one ichnological find. But I would say that all the trace fossils are my biggest ichnological find, because they tell us how the animals were behaving in their environments 75 million years ago—that’s pretty darned important!

HIGH PLAINS OF CENTRAL MONTANA. The first day of field work is always the most exciting! Paleontologist Barbie is relishing the ride to the dig site as the field vehicle winds through the high plains of central Montana. “Three cheers for mindlessly picking through rubble in the hot sun all day for the sake of collecting data for paleoecological and taphonomic analyses that may or may not make it through peer review, and probably not get published for years!” she shouts, with what is admittedly not the catchiest of cheers. (Photo and caption by Tony Martin)

Andrew Rindsberg: I’d like to hear about your field assistants.

Paleontologist Barbie: My field assistants rocked! Of course, I did field work with my usual colleagues Ruth Schowalter and Tony Martin, but I also met and did work with the volunteers at Camp Makela, who were such willing participants in my paleo-enthusiasm. They were all hard working, curious, and loved learning about fossils and geology. You couldn’t ask for better companions in the field. I hope to see them again some day and wish them the best of success! See the photo to see how “rockin'” they were (Paleontologist Barbie laughs at her geological pun)!

THE TWO MEDICINE FORMATION. Formed by mud and sand in rivers and lakes during the Late Cretaceous Period about 75 million years ago, the Two Medicine Formation was the place where paleontologists uncovered some of the first evidence of dinosaur nesting and nurturing behaviors. “This place and its paleontological record fills me with awe!” Paleontologist Barbie says, in an awkward attempt to avoid saying the overused phrase, “This is awesome!” (photo and caption by Tony Martin)

Andrew Rindsberg: Paleo Barbie, is it true that your remains will survive the human race to be found hundreds of millions of years later by our successors, who will name our brief epoch the Barbiocene?

Paleontologist Barbie: (Paleontologist Barbie giggles) I wish, but it’s really hard to say how much of me will be around in the future. I just hope that my contributions to science outlast my physical presence. That’s what science is all about—it’s a letter to the future.

MAIASAURA (GOOD MOTHER). Paleontologist Barbie is thrilled to see a signpost in the same place where paleontologists Jack Horner and Bob Makela discovered nests of the dinosaur Maiasaura in the late 1970s. These sites included eggshells and bones of baby or partially grown Maiasaura, which led Horner and Makela to propose that these dinosaurs took care of their young, much like modern birds. “Get out of the nest, you lazy freeloaders!” she says, acting like a disapproving dinosaur parent. (photo and caption by Tony Martin)

Ronald McDowell: It could be my computer screen, but, Paleontologist Barbie, please tell me you haven't gone for the New Jersey orange tan.

Paleontologist Barbie:  Hey, I was born with this skin tone, so I am not going to apologize for it (Paleontologist Barbie laughs). I am fortunate to have a little more natural protection when out in the field than many of my colleagues. I really like how I look like most of the world.

READY FOR ACTION. As everyone knows, Paleontologist Barbie is always ready for action, and her first day of field work at the main dig site – Egg Mountain - was no exception, as she eagerly picked up the nearest rock hammer. “Stop: Hammer time!” she says with her usual aplomb. (photo and caption by Tony Martin)

Andrew Rindsberg: Paleo Barbie, how is it that a piece of dino poop can be preserved, when dog or cow poop doesn’t last very long in our usual experience?

Ronald McDowell: Andrew Rindsberg asks an important question, Paleo Barbie. Do you think there may have been something "special" about dino poo that staved off microbial or insect degradation?

Paleontologist Barbie: I got one word for you both: calcite!

Hallelujah Truth: Can you elaborate about “calcite” for those of us who don’t quite get its role in preserving dino poop?

Paleontologist Barbie:  Well, the dinosaur dung, otherwise known as coprolites, was cemented by calcite. That calcite held together all of the pieces of plants that went through the gut of a dinosaur. Calcite probably came from the water that contained calcium and bicarbonate that combined to form calcite. I could talk about chemistry all day, so I will stop right there, but let’s just say that it cemented so that dino poop is like concrete, preserving the dung-beetle burrows where dung-beetle mothers were trying to feed their children.

Jibunnessa Abdullah: Paleontologist Barbie, study of human poop can tell us so much about human movements, environment and disease (among other things). What’s the most exciting thing you’ve learned from looking at dino poop?

Paleontologist Barbie: In the Two Medicine Formation, the thing that we learned from dino poop is that dinosaurs ate wood. That’s right! They were like giant woodpeckers. These dinosaurs—which were hadrosaurs—chewed up the wood for some nutritional content. But that seems strange, doesn’t it? Because wood doesn’t have much nutrition in it. So my colleague Karen Chin thinks the dinosaurs might have eaten the wood because of the insects in it. Insects…yum!

DINOSAUR COPROLITES. Yet another exciting find in the field area was a dinosaur coprolite: yes, that’s right, fossilized dinosaur poop! These coprolites were studied by one of Paleontologist Barbie’s heroes, Dr. Karen Chin, and likely belonged to Maiasaura, which definitely did not pick up after itself. But wait, that’s not all! This coprolite is a two-for-one special, with a dung-beetle burrow also in it. “I’ll bet that beetle had a certain kind of grin, if you know what I mean!” she says, trying desperately to keep her composure before giggling uncontrollably. (Photo and caption by Tony Martin)

Lee Hall: Paleontologist Barbie, why does the Two Medicine Formation preserve delicate structures like wasp burrows and horseshoe-crab tracks so well but dinosaur tracks so poorly?

Paleontologist Barbie: Great question, Lee! Again, I think the answer is calcite. That at least for the wasp burrows and their cocoons, calcite cemented those with very fine detail. The horseshoe crab tracks were preserved in mud and then cast in sand. Because they were little, they were more easily preserved than a dinosaur track. Think about it—one dinosaur foot could have smashed down deep into the mud and made a real mess. It’s the difference between dropping a pebble in a pond or a boulder. So even though dinosaur fossil tracks are big, they don’t show much detail in the Two Medicine Formation.

INSECTS AND DINOSAURS. A closer look at the burrow reveals a few more details, showing that an insect likely burrowed into the ground next to the dinosaurs nests and made its own nest. This and other fossil insect nests tell much about the original environments there 75 million years ago. “Hey, it’s not an entire Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton, but insect trace fossils are way cool, too!” she points out to everyone there. Who can argue with that? (Photo and caption by Tony Martin)

LYRICS OF FOSSIL PUPA CASES. Speaking of fossil insect nests, Paleontologist Barbie is very excited to see places in the field area with thousands of beautifully preserved fossil insect cocoons. These cocoons were likely made by wasps, which dug into soils and laid eggs, which later grew up into larva and made cocoons around their pupal cases. “Can’t read my/Can’t read my/No, he can’t read my pupa case,” she sings exuberantly, altering the lyrics just enough so Lady Gaga wouldn’t be tempted to sue. (Photo and caption by Tony Martin)  
 

Trish Weaver:  Have you been seeing lots of evidence of invertebrate trace fossils or any evidence of invertebrate body fossils? Does Paleo Barbie lack “inverto-vision”?

Paleontologist Barbie: Ha! Never! Like I said before, there are lots of invertebrate trace fossils. And I love invertebrate body fossils. But they're not very common in the Two Medicine Formation. The invertebrate body fossils I did see are of snails. Small and large snails there lived both on land and in water. I’ve even seen some of these snail body fossils in the dinosaur coprolites.

Emmy Hill: Do your findings in the Two Medicine Formation seem to support the hypothesis of the “deltaic environment with a series of ponds” deposition?

Paleontologist Barbie: I really like that question, Emmy, because I love geology, especially sedimentology! Let me say that word again…sedimentology! That is the study of sediments and what they tell us about their environments. I think the sediments and the fossils of the Two Medicine Formation show mostly rivers and soils and not so much deltas. Sure, there could have been ponds. But those ponds might have been what geologists call oxbow lakes. Those are small lakes made when a river cuts through a channel and leaves behind one of its meander bends. But if anyone can prove me wrong on deltas versus rivers, it would be you, Emmy (Paleontologist Barbie laughs).

 

SCOPING IT OUT TOGETHER. Always wanting to be helpful when working with a field crew, Paleontologist Barbie adjusts the focus for Emmy Hill as she sights the crosshairs of her scope on a stadia rod. No, that’s not some euphemism: it’s science, and the best science is done cooperatively. (Photo and caption by Tony Martin)

Hallelujah Truth: Why did you go to the Two Medicine Formation this summer? You’ve been there before.

Paleontologist Barbie: That’s like asking somebody, "Why did you go to the Louvre again? You’ve been there before." The Two Medicine Formation is one of the most famous formations in the world for the environments that dinosaurs lived in 75 million years ago. It’s especially famous because of what it tells us about dinosaur nests and parenting. I went again to learn more about what's there and especially how the body and trace fossils can be used together to tell us about the original environments there.

 

AMONGST THE RUBBLE PICKERS. One of the nicknames bestowed on the volunteers working at Egg Mountain by their merciless overlord (who may or may not have been David Varricchio) was “rubble pickers.” This meant lots of breaking rock with hammers, gathering it with dustpans, and picking through the rubble for pieces of dinosaur eggshells, bones, teeth, fossil insect cocoons, or other fossils. “What a scoop!” Paleontologist Barbie exclaims. (Photo and caption by Tony Martin)

Hallelujah Truth: I know that you and your colleague, Tony Martin, talked a lot about different kinds of “vision” or ways of seeing for conducting fieldwork out in the Montana badlands. Can you explain?

Paleontologist Barbie: Yes! Every day I had to use different types of “vision” for seeing different kinds of fossils. For bones, I had to use what I call “osteo-vision,” for trace fossils I had to use “ichno-vision,” for eggshells, I had to use “oo-vision.”

DELIGHT AT EGG MOUNTAIN. A few of the other volunteers at Egg Mountain are delighted to have the assistance of an esteemed (and popular) scientist like Paleontologist Barbie there. Here, Emmy Hill (having just auditioned for Mad Max: Fury Road) and Eric sieve through rubble for small bits of eggshells, bones, and teeth. Good thing they have someone of Paleontologist Barbie’s expertise there to help. (Photo and caption by Tony Martin)

HUMOR AT THE DIG SITE. Sure enough, it’s not long before Paleontologist Barbie spots a bone fragment among the rubble. “With this much bone, we should be able to reconstruct the entire dinosaur!” she says jokingly. Unfortunately, someone takes her seriously, adds feathers to the bone fragment, claims it’s from China, and easily publishes an article about it in a prestigious journal. (Photo and caption by Tony Martin)

TOOLS OF THE TRADE. Paleontologist Barbie moves around the site, working cooperatively with Paul Germano and Jared Heuck to uncover a possible dinosaur nest. Working around the nest sites is delicate work, often requiring tools like brushes instead of hammers. “Why, I do believe we are looking at some dinosaur eggshell here” she says, following a decisive stroke of her brush. (Photo and caption by Tony Martin)

“EGGSHELL – YES!” It is an exciting discovery, considering how much of the original dinosaur eggshell is still in place. This is promising evidence that other eggs may be near this one. But of course, Paleontologist Barbie is also aware of how eggs or eggshells could have moved far away from their original nests before being buried. “How would you like your dinosaur eggs: scrambled, fried, or fossilized?” she asks rhetorically. (Photo and caption by Tony Martin)

Hallelujah Truth:  Weren’t three weeks in the field difficult or challenging? How did you collect and organize all that data?

Paleontologist Barbie: Sure it was difficult, but that was the fun part. I love a challenge. Each day, I went out in the field looking for fossils, looking at the rocks, with a few things in mind. But I also expected to be surprised. I documented whatever I saw by writing notes, taking photographs, and recording where these fossils were.

Hallelujah Truth: While doing this careful observation and recording, did you ever experience epiphanies?

Paleontologist Barbie: Of course! There were a lot of times while I was recording numbers, making a drawing, or writing down what I saw, that an explanation would suddenly pop into my head!

Hallelujah Truth: Can you give us an example?

Paleontologist Barbie: No, I can’t yet. Not until we publish our peer-reviewed research paper on it!

Hallelujah Truth: I know you found numerous hadrosaur tracks but feel discouraged about doing a study of them. Why?

Paleontologist Barbie: Hadrosaur dinosaurs had three toes on their feet, but most of the tracks we found had only two and sometimes just one. It was frustrating because we knew that hadrosaurs had three toes, so the tracks must have been badly preserved. That means it's much more difficult to do a study of them. Incomplete data—bummer!

Hallelujah Truth: How does your research relate to that of the other paleontologists at Egg Mountain?

Paleontologist Barbie: The paleontologists working at Egg Mountain are trying to figure out which dinosaurs were nesting there and what the environments were like that made them want to nest there. My research connects with theirs' by showing how when you put all of the fossils together with the sedimentology you can totally understand the dinosaur nesting. And I mean totally!

Hallelujah Truth: What was the most challenging thing for you being out in the field?

Paleontologist Barbie: I don’t know how to answer that. The weather is always changing. You had to be ready for it to be hot, cold, windy, or buggy. Or rainy or cloudy. Anything could happen!

Hallelujah Truth: What was the most fun thing about being at Camp Makela?

Paleontologist Barbie: At camp, the people were definitely and absolutely the most fun! I had so many great conversations about the paleontology, geology, science education, food, beer…and even nails (giggles)!

2015 EGG MOUNTAIN CREW. This photo documents only some of the Egg Mountain crew and others who were working on a bone bed near the camp. Volunteers came and exited all during the field season. (Photo by Paleontologist Barbie)

Hallelujah Truth: When will the public start seeing the results of your field work?

Paleontologist Barbie: Well, I hope with this interview they already are! But for the peer-reviewed articles…well, that will have to wait a few years. That is something to look forward to.

Hallelujah Truth: If you could imagine something really wonderful to come of your three weeks of fieldwork, what would that be?

Paleontologist Barbie: (Laughing) Other than being on the cover of Science or Nature? If I had to choose one thing it would be to go on the talk-show circuit and spread the word about how cool paleontology is as a science for younger people—especially girls.

MODERN and PALEO ICHNOLOGY. How awesome to be out in the field with both paleontologists! My husband Tony Martin examines modern tracks of a coyote with his colleague Paleontologist Barbie in the formerly Cretaceous (now modern) sediments of the High Plains. (Photo by Ruth Schowalter, aka, Hallelujah Truth)

COLLABORATORS.  Here we are Hallelujah Truth (aka Ruth Schowalter) and Chiboogamoo (aka Tony Martin), boon companions out in the Montana High Plains. I joined Tony for 10 days of mesmerizing fieldwork in July 2015. We both blogged about our Cretaceous Summer here. We have other blogs about his work with Paleontologist Barbie here. Most of the photos in this interview first appeared on Tony Martin's Facebook page here.

PALEONTOLOGIST BARBIE GOES TO THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM IN LONDON: Revels in Dinosaur Hall and So Much More

NOT APING AROUND. Part of the charm and grandeur of the Natural History Museum is its stone décor, including depictions of recognizable animals, such as snakes and monkeys. At some point, the artist in Paleontologist Barbie compels her to stop and admire some of this handiwork. “I would not be ashamed to have this monkey as my ancestor,” she says as a nod to Thomas Huxley (1825-1895), quickly followed by her explaining how humans are evolutionarily more closely related to apes than monkeys. (photograph and caption by Anthony Martin)

One year ago, pre-2012 Olympic Games, Paleontologist Barbie visited the United Kingdom (U.K.) in May. Near the top of her list of places to see there was the Natural History Museum in London, with its many displays of fantastic fossils, and some of which have historical significance in the science of paleontology. The following interview is a result of just a small sample of what she saw and learned while there with Anthony Martin, Emory University’s paleontologist, and his wife (me) Hallelujah Truth. 

NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM OF LONDON. This magnificent structure built in Victorian England was completed in 1883. (photo source)

HALLELUJAH TRUTH: Why is it that you wanted so desperately to get to England and especially to the Natural History Museum of London?

PALEONTOLOGIST BARBIE: Much of paleontology of today started right here in England with Mary Anning. Many of her great fossil discoveries are in the Natural History Museum of London, along with those of other paleontologists of her time in the 19th century. This was like visiting sacred ground!

CONSIDERING GEOLOGICAL TIME...Paleontologist Barbie is excited to see a sign telling museum visitors about the LONG relationship between humans and dinosaurs. "Well, not that LONG. I mean, 150 years--that's NOTHING in geological time" (snorting)! (photograph and caption by Anthony Martin)

HALLELUJAH TRUTH: Can you tell me something more about the history of British paleontology that interests you specifically?

PALEONTOLOGIST BARBIE: The United Kingdom is where the word "dinosaur" was invented. Richard Owen invented the word which literally means "terrible lizard." And because it was Victorian England, "terrible" at the time meant "awesome"! There were other notable paleontologists, too, such as Gideon Mantell who discovered Iguanadon, and his wife Mary, who discovered fossils with him and then illustrated many of them.

SOME OF THE FIRST IDENTIFIED DINOSAUR FOSSILS. While avoiding accidental trampling from children in the Dinosaur Hall of the museum, Paleontologist Barbie is thrilled to see fossils that were among the first recognized dinosaur fossils: teeth and a thumb spike from Iguanodon. Gideon and Mary Mantell found these fossils in the 1820s; Iguanodon, named in 1825, was only the second formally named dinosaur at the time. “See, little things can be very important,” she says a little self-consciously. (Incidentally, the caption says, “The original teeth and thumb spike found by the Mantells. At first the spike was identified as a horn on the end of the nose.”) (photograph and caption by Anthony Martin)

HALLELUJAH TRUTH: What did you think about the exhibits at the Natural History Museum of London?

PALEONTOLOGIST BARBIE: I really enjoyed that we could walk above some of the skeletons of the dinosaurs, and I was thrilled to see the original specimen of Baryonyx. This was the first dinosaur interpreted as a fish eater, although I'm not sure whether or not it just ate fish on Fridays (giggle). The robotic dinosaurs, I didn't like so much. I'm more of an old-fashioned paleontologist. Give me dinosaur bones. Give me dinosaur tracks. I want to study fossils, darn it to heck!

FOSSIL MARINE REPTILES. Paleontologist Barbie had already seen most of the species of dinosaurs in the Dinosaur Hall, so she ran straight over to one of the most awesome displays in the museum, the Fossil Marine Reptiles Hall. “Ichthyosaurs, plesiosaurs, and crocodilians – oh my!” she exclaims excitedly. (photograph and caption by Anthony Martin)

HALLELUJAH TRUTH: I know that you and my husband Chiboogamoo make a special effort to go to natural history museums wherever you travel. What surprised you the most at this particular natural history museum?

PALEONTOLOGIST BARBIE: Three words: MARINE REPTILES HALL! I was in awe when I looked down that hallway and saw that the walls were stacked with incredible marine fossils from the Mesozoic Era. My jaw dropped. My face froze in a permanent grin, and I felt like I couldn't move. It was incredible.

SWIMMING WITH THE ICHTHYOSAURS.  The Fossil Marine Reptiles Hall has an incredible collection of marine reptiles from the Mesozoic Era, many of which come from the “Jurassic Coast” of southern England. Among these fossils are complete skeletons of ichthyosaurs, a group of marine reptiles that lived in the world’s oceans about 245-90 million years ago. Because ichthyosaurs, like dolphins, had bodies well adapted to swimming in the oceans, these animals are often used as examples of convergent evolution, in which unrelated animals evolve the same body plans. “Forget swimming with the dolphins,” she says, in a direct rebuke to New-Age-type people. “I want to swim with the ichthyosaurs!” (P.S. “Eat my dihydrogen monoxide, Michael Phelps!”) (photograph and caption by Anthony Martin)

LIVE REPTILE BIRTH IN THE MESOZOIC. One of the more incredible fossils on display the Marine Reptile Hall is of a mother ichthyosaur that must have died while giving birth. Fossils like this gave evidence of live birth in reptiles during the Mesozoic Era, showing ichthyosaurs were fully adapted for living in marine environments, and did not have to come onto land to lay eggs, like sea turtles. “Wow, that’s, like, totally different from an oviparous mode of reproduction in marine reptiles that require nest building,” Paleontologist Barbie observes nonchalantly. (photograph and caption by Anthony Martin)

COMMON DESCENT EVIDENCE. Paleontologist Barbie poses here in front of a plesiosaur's swimming paddle. “Why, look: it has homologous limb bones consistent with those of a land-dwelling reptile, showing common descent!” she correctly points out. “Good thing I’m in the U.K. - I couldn’t get away with saying that in parts of the U.S., especially the ‘homologous’ part,” she laments. (photograph and caption by Anthony Martin)

SHELLED CEPHLAPODS NOW EXTINCT. “An ammonite! About time we saw some invertebrates!” she says upon seeing a gorgeous specimen of one. Ammonite were shelled cephalopods that lived in the world’s oceans from the Devonian through the Cretaceous Periods, but went extinct at the same time as the dinosaurs, about 65 million years ago. “Hmmm, is that an equiangular spiral I see?”, she muses. As a skilled mathematician, Paleontologist Barbie enjoys applying her quantitative skills in paleontology whenever possible. (photograph and caption by Anthony Martin)

HALLELUJAH TRUTH: What was one of the most exciting things that you saw during your visit at the natural history museum?

PALEONTOLOGIST BARBIE: I was left speechless when I came upon the fossil of Archaeopteryx, the oldest known bird...(tee hee)...or some dinosaur. Whatever. I just love science! 

IS IT A BIRD? OR A DINOSAUR? Probably the most thrilling fossil in the museum for Paleontologist Barbie was the counterpart slab of Archaeopteryx, the oldest known bird. Or some dinosaur. Whatever. Anyway, the London specimen was discovered in 1861 in Late Jurassic rocks of Germany, and is one of only ten known to science. For once, Paleontologist Barbie is speechless. (photograph and caption by Anthony Martin)

HALLELUJAH TRUTH: If you could spend an unlimited about of time studying and asking questions in the Natural History Museum of London, what would you pick? Why?

PALEONTOLOGIST BARBIE: I would love to learn more about mammoths. So much of my background has been more in fossils from the Paleozoic and Mesozoic Eras, yet I'm living in the Cenozoic Era! And we live with elephants today, but what were elephants like ten thousand years ago? It would be really great to learn about those elephants and how similar to or different they were from from modern elephants. I also love returning to my roots--geology! And the U.K. is so important in the history of geology!

BIRTH PLACE OF GEOLOGICAL SURVEYS. Within the museum is the British Geological Survey, which was the first national geological survey anywhere in the world. Many basic principles of geology were founded in England and Scotland, and English geologist William Smith made one of the first geological maps in 1815. “I love geology!” shouts Paleontologist Barbie. “You Brits make the horizontal bedrock!” she exclaims. Fortunately, she is ushered away just before declaring her affection for low-angle thrust faults, which likely would have caused an international incident. (photograph and caption by Anthony Martin)

STRANGE ROCKS. Paleontologist Barbie continued to express her affection for geology as she went through the rock and mineral collections. One of the most impression specimens she saw was of a xenolith, which literally means “strange rock.” In this instance, what looks like a chloritic schist (a metamorphic rock, left) was included in a granite (an igneous rock), formed when hot magma broke through the pre-existing metamorphic rock and incorporated a piece of it. “Hey, don’t you think it’s gneiss that I know my schist, and don’t take it for granite?” she says, reeling off geologically themed puns with wild abandon. (photograph and caption by Anthony Martin)   

HALLELUJAH TRUTH: Have you done research in the U.K.? Why or why not?

PALEONTOLOGIST BARBIE:  No I haven't. But I think I would love to do it. Especially on the Isle of Wight. I have heard there are fantastic dinosaur tracks there and as you know, I love dinosaur tracks. Well! I just plain love any tracks, modern or ancient!

MODERN ANIMALS INFORM US ABOUT ANCIENT ONES. Of course, the Natural History Museum also has a vast collection of modern animals and animal parts on display, including this assemblage of bird feet. Paleontologist Barbie is impressed with this, and is eager to apply this newly gained knowledge to studying theropod dinosaur tracks in the future. “Whoa, check out the absence of digit II on that ostrich, dude!” she says to no one in particular. Nonetheless, because she’s in the U.K., people are amused at her mixture of anatomical banter and American accent. (photograph and caption by Anthony Martin)

HALLELUJAH TRUTH: If you could work on any project you wanted to, what research you would like to do in the U.K.?

PALEONTOLOGIST BARBIE: Hmmm that is a good question! There is so much there to study, I would have a hard time narrowing it down. Great Britain has great trilobites and lots of other Paleozoic fossils. Marine reptiles from the Mesozoic. Dinosaurs. Fossil plants. I mean, Coal Measures: Hello!

HALLELUJAH TRUTH: Who is your favorite living paleontologist in the U.K. right now? Why?

PALEONTOLOGIST BARBIE: Dr. Angela Milner, who is at the Natural History Museum, because she was the co-discoverer of Baryonyx. But you know who else is really cool? Dr. Jenny Clack, she wrote a great book about the evolution of fish into four-limbed vertebrates, also known as tetrapods. Look I'm a tetrapod! (Paleo Barbie extends all four limbs and laughs).

HALLELUJAH TRUTH: What speaks to you artistically having been to the Natural History Museum of London? 

PALEONTOLOGIST BARBIE: When I was there, they had a great exhibit on natural history art connected to Captain Cook's expedition to Australia. That was very interesting to see because it showed the important role artists played in the documentation of and exploration of plants, animals, geology, and other parts of natural history. Explorers didn't have cameras then, so they needed artists. And you know what? We still need artists! 

HALLELUJAH TRUTH: And I would say scientists make excellent artists!

PALEONTOLOGIST BARBIE:  Why thank you (Paleo Barbie blushes, as she is also a practicing artist)!

HALLELUJAH TRUTH: Do you see any art projects coming from this visit?

PALEONTOLOGIST BARBIE: Hmmmm. I would like to do something to honor Mary Anning and Icthyosaurs. Remember the work that Robey Tapp did for Atlanta's Fernbank Museum of Natural History? Well I loved that, but I see myself going in another direction with how Mary Anning would reveal the ichthyosaur fossil piece by piece with each tap of her hammer on the outcrop. How did that really happen for her? Maybe her discovery should be done as a choreographed dance performance.

FIRST FEMALE PALEONTOLIGIST—MARY ANNING. A personal hero of Paleontologist Barbie is Mary Anning (1799-1847), who was one of the most important contributors in early 19^th century paleontology in the U.K. She found many of marine reptiles in the museum collection, including ichthyosaurs and plesiosaurs, at Lyme Regis in southern England. “She sells seashells by the seashore, and plies plebeians with pleasing plesiosaurs!” says Paleontologist Barbie, wittily amending the original tongue twister inspired by Anning’s fossil collecting. (photograph and caption by Anthony Martin)

HALLELUJAH TRUTH: What other paleontological treasures did you enjoy while you were in the U.K.?

PALEONTOLOGIST BARBIE: Of course, it was thrilling to see both Darwin's home, Down House, and Crystal Palace while I was in London. But I also enjoyed seeing fossils in some of the museums in Scotland. The National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh had some great fossils on display, and then those fossils in the Hunterian Museum in Glasgow were fantastic!

PAYING HOMAGE TO CHUCKIE D! A life-sized statue of Charles Darwin beckons, and Paleontologist Barbie stops by it to reflect on Darwin’s vast contributions to science as a biologist and geologist. After doing all of that voyaging on The Beagle, Darwin lived with his family south of London in Down House, only a couple of train and bus rides away from this spot. “I’ll be dropping by soon for a spot of tea, and you can bet I’ll be minding the gap when alighting on the platform!” she says, ably picking up the local idioms. (photograph and caption by Anthony Martin)

HALLELUJAH TRUTH: I know that you are a wild child when it comes to having fun, in addition to fulfilling your paleontological interests. What else did you do in the U.K. for pleasure?

PALEONTOLOGIST BARBIE: I have to say the highlight of the day after visiting Darwin's home was to also stop by his pub. That's right! Darwin's bar still exists. So it was thrilling for me to sit down at the bar where Darwin had a beer, and think about natural selection while I naturally selected my beer. Of course, I should add that I always drink in moderation and that I took public transportation to and from Down House. It's very important to be responsible with your fun. I guess the 'wildness' you're talking about is my spirited enthusiasm for learning science!

PALEONTOLOGICAL CONNECTION BETWEEN U.S. AND U.K. At the end of her visit to the Natural History Museum, Paleontologist Barbie looks down on “Dippy,” a cast of the Late Jurassic sauropod Diplodocus. This skeletal cast, a gift from Andrew Carnegie and coming from the U.S., was the first full-sized sauropod skeleton shown anywhere in the world. It has been in the museum for more than 100 years and symbolizes a paleontological connection between the U.K. and U.S., being renewed with Paleontologist Barbie’s visit. She also sees the many people enjoying the museum and all it has to teach them about natural history and the history of science, especially paleontology. “Thank you, Great Britain, for being such a scientifically awesome country!” she says with genuine gratitude. (photograph and caption by Anthony Martin)

HALLELUJAH TRUTH: Can you sum up what you learned from the Natural History Museum in one sentence?

PALEONTOLOGIST BARBIE: I would love to! Here goes: The earth has a history, life has a history, and our history connects with both of those! Wooooooo (she says laughing)!

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS: First and foremost, I want to acknowledge Paleontologist Barbie for her ongoing enthusiasm for all things paleontological! She is an absolute inspiration! Then I want to profusely thank Denise Drake for hosting us while we were in London. Her warm home, companion Ian, happy puppy, and good food fueling intense conversation supported our exploration of this vast urban U.K. city. London is fantastic! As always, without the persistent levity and intelligence of my Chiboogamoo, these Paleontologist Barbie interviews would not exist! I love and admire the creativity of this scientist, writer, and playmate that I live with!

PALEONTOLOGIST BARBIE'S COLLEAGUE, DR. ANTHONY MARTIN.  My Chiboogamoo was delighted with the Natural History Museum in London. And to share this experience with the spirited keen-witted Paleo Barbie made it all the better.  We paused a moment to pay our respects to Charles Darwin and the beauty of this museum's splendid architecture. (photo and caption by Hallelujah Truth)

Read Previous Hallelujah Truth Interviews with Paleontologist Barbie:

Paleontologist Barbie Explores Crystal Palace Park: South London Treasure of 19th Century Dinosaur Sculptures, Questions Art Depictions. One of the delights of Paleontologist Barbie's holiday in the U.K. was viewing some of the first depictions of dinosaurs as sculptures in Crystal Palace.

Paleontologist Barbie Vacations By Doing Bike Ichnology on Jekyll Island on the Coast of Georgia. Paleontologist Barbie loves patterns as they appear in the neoichnology on the beaches of Georgia's Barrier Islands. How fun to spend Thanksgiving looking for traces!

Paleontologist Barbie Willingly Sacrifices Her Winter Holiday to Deepen Emory Students' Understanding of the Concepts of Uniformitarianism on San Salvador, Bahamas at Gerace Field Station. Paleontologist Barbie gets a kick out of snorkeling in modern reefs in the morning and looking at fossil reefs in the afternoon and much much more...

Paleontologist Barbie Marvels at Learning and Teaching in the Field: Sapelo Island, Georgia, Provides Perfect Laboratory for Observing Exciting Geological Gems

Paleontologist Barbie Pursues Professional Development at 2011 Society of Vertebrate Paleontologist (SVP) Meeting in Las Vegas, Utah, USA. 

Paleontologist Barbie sees exciting tracks and a really cool dinosaur sitting trace in addition to exchanging knowledge with fellow colleague paleontologists. "Professional development is more important than Halloween parties," Paleontologist Barbie was heard saying out in the Utah desert.

Paleontologist Barbie's Passion for Modern and Ancient Traces

Paleontologist Barbie goes to St. Catherines Island to examine reptile burrows.

Paleontologist Barbie's Gleeful Discussion of Evolution, Darwin, and Science-Related Art

Paleontologist Barbie explains her understanding of evolution by looking at the "Selections" art exhibit at Fernbank Museum of Natural History in Atlanta, Georgia. Specifically, she provides her interpretation of the importance of art done by Chiboogamoo and Hallelujah Truth.

Paleontologist Barbie's Raison D'etre: Scientific Investigation and a Passion for Art!

VASTNESS OF THE MARINE REPTILES HALL. Here I (Hallelujah Truth, aka Ruth Schowalter) stand amazed in front of one of the most incredible collections of marine reptile fossils anywhere. I wish we could have spent days absorbing the presence of these ancient animals. (photo by Anthony Martin)