Colorado dinosaur experts are headed to Minnesota

DENVER (KDVR) — Colorado has been a hub for paleontologists past and present to discover the preserved bones of some of the most iconic landwalkers in history, the dinosaurs.

There have been some major fossils discovered and recovered in the Centennial state including the Tyrannosaurus Rex, Allosaurus, Triceratops, a large spectrum of sauropods and what is believed to be the world's first discovery of the Stegosaurus which is the official dinosaur fossil of the state.

The Stegosaurus was first discovered by Othniel Charles Marsh about 20 miles west of Denver in a place now known as Dinosaur Ridge. Fossil discoveries have been made in this location since as early as 1876.

The area was also the home of a famous paleontology event, The Bone Wars. Two rival paleontologists came up with the idea to head to Colorado and find out who was able to discover and name as many new species of dinosaurs or early animals as possible.

Nearly 150 years later, paleontologists still love and linger around Colorado searching for a discovery.

Paleontologists from Colorado will be heading to Minneapolis to take part in the annual Society of Vertebrae Professionals starting on Oct. 30. Scientists from near and far will be at the event presenting all their new findings, developing new strategies and displaying studies into technology.

One such paleontologist attending is Dinosaur Ridge's very own director of paleontology, Amy Atwater. Atwater will be teaming up with Dinosaur National Monument's park paleontologist, ReBecca Hunt-Foster, to co-moderate several short presentations.

The presentations will cover a variety of topics including paleontological practice, management and ethics and the work and research they've conducted at their fossil sites. Some of the subtopics to be discussed will be advancements in technology, legalities pertaining to fossil excavation and illegal fossil trafficking.

The past is the main focus of the future at this event and Colorado will be well-represented and continue to show its passion for fossil discovery and how they are at the forefront of paleontology.