Discoveries made by paleontologists continue to shed new light on the deep past of the planet and the creatures that arose here. MOR’s Presenting Prehistory Paleontology Speaker Series explores recent findings and current hypotheses as conveyed by scientists actively exploring how life on Earth has changed through time and what the fossils of extinct organisms can teach us about the world today. 

Insight into the Evolution and Lifestyle of Early Bears Based on a New Species from North Dakota
The early bear fossil record is poorly sampled, providing little insight into the preferred diet, habitat, and locomotion of the first bears to evolve in North America. In this presentation, Dr. Clint Boyd, Senior paleontologist of the North Dakota Geological Survey,  discusses the study of the nearly complete skeleton of a housecat-sized early bear relative from the Oligocene (~32 million years ago) of North Dakota that provides detailed insights into the anatomy and lifestyle of one of the most iconic carnivores alive today.

Hager Auditorium
Members: Free, Non-members: $7.50
Refreshments will be provided post-lecture during the speaker meet-and-greet.
Please RSVP via this link.