Jan. 3rd, 2018

yuuago: (Norway - Tea)
So, I'm reading a book on the subject of soft tissue fossilization in dinosaurs, and while it has been a good refresher of some basic stuff that I've forgotten, and given me some neat information about soft tissue in palaeontological and archaeological finds, it has also brought to my attention something that I vaguely knew about but rarely gave any thought.

Basically: amateurs can volunteer for digs. Experience is welcome but not necessarily required.

In other words, normal people who do not have any experience in palaeontology can apply to volunteer to go dig up dinosaurs, and sometimes their applications are accepted.

Theoretically, the only thing stopping me from doing this is the issue of transportation. Well, and applying and getting accepted, but like, you know. There's nothing to stop me from applying, at least. But transport-wise, obviously, you need to be able to get there yourself. But aside from that... well. Nothing stopping me from doing it, provided I had the cash saved up for the trip and could get time off from work. Normal people can do this, and this is something I could do. Wow.

It's entirely possible that I wouldn't actually like that sort of thing - you spend long hours doing back-breaking work in the hot sun - but it sure would be an interesting experience.

The thing is, when it comes to neat things like this, I'm so used to the idea of, well - "People like you can't do that, and you shouldn't even bother trying". But I can. I'm capable of doing this! Normal people can do this! Some rando from Fort Mac can do this! Theoretically.

Something to consider in a few years, maybe. I'm not going to do any research into the thing for now, since it isn't a possibility yet, but. Eventually, maybe, if I decide that I want to look into it.

...OR you know, I could just go to Drumheller and do some hiking in the provincial park, that would be nice too. ;p

Only thing is, I need to get that damn license first. WELL, OKAY, FINE.
yuuago: (SSSS - Emil - Reading)
Talking about anything, even stuff I enjoy, is such a pain in the ass of late. Ugh, effort. I'll blame that feeling on the cold. Anyway --

Last Finished: The last book I finished in 2017 was The Butchering Art: Joseph Lister's Quest to Transform the Grisly World of Victorian Medicine by Linsey Fitzharris. As the title suggests, it's a biography of Joseph Lister, who developed techniques for antiseptic surgery in the mid-19th century. Lister was a really neat person; his compassion, interest in microbiology, and willingness to apply scientific method when testing new surgical techniques resulted in some really important developments at a time when germ theory was still controversial. ...Unfortunately, this book had a lot of rather graphic descriptions of Victorian-era surgery cases, so it didn't exactly make for ideal reading during lunch break. :X

Currently Reading: Soft Tissues and Hard Science: Grave Secrets of Dinosaurs by Phillip Manning. This one is about "dinosaur mummies" - cases where parts of the fossil contain not just bone, but fossilized tissue impressions, or (in some very rare cases) actual fossilized tissue. It's mainly focused on a particular fossil excavated about a decade or so ago in the Hell Creek area, but it also discusses the kind of conditions required for this type of fossil to develop, as well as other types of soft tissue fossil finds - including the Middle Cambrian fossils in the Burgess Shale. This book is pretty accessible overall, which I appreciate because it's been ages since I've read anything related to palaeontology, and I've forgotten, like, everything. (Also I am totally going to have to read more about the Burgess Shale invertebrate fossils some time, those critters look like aliens, man. Five eyes on stalks? Groovy.)

Reading Next: Probably Edge of Wild by D K Stone, a murder mystery set in Waterton, Alberta. Reading something set in a location that I have actually been to always feels really weird; it doesn't happen often.

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Yuu. Fic writer & book lover. M/Canada.
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