Happy New Year! 🎉Production Update, the Great Dying, and the Ringing Birth of a New Volcano 🌋
over 4 years ago – Fri, Jan 10, 2020 at 05:58:04 PM

Happy New Year, everyone! 🎉

It was a busy holiday season for us here in Northern Virginia and we're excited to keep things moving in 2020! To begin, I'm happy to report that all aspects of Age of Dinosaurs production are on schedule!

The first batch of Large Mini Museums is nearly complete. We've already received a handful of production units here at MMHQ for review and they are beautiful!

Pouches and Certificates of Authenticity are already in the warehouse. The Companion Guide printing is complete and books are in the bindery. Display Boxes are scheduled to ship within the next week. As long as everything continues on plan, we should be ready to begin shipments on schedule in mid-February.

BackerKit Reminder

If you haven't filled out your BackerKit survey, now would be a great time to do that. Drop by https://mmdino.backerkit.com/ to retrieve your survey. 

ℹ️ Surveys are scheduled to lock down January 10th, but we'll likely keep them open a few more days just to allow for last-minute address changes. Charges for add-ons will occur on January 30th.

If you need to change your address, you can use the link above to retrieve your survey and update the information.  You can also send us an email at [email protected] and we'll be happy to help!

The Great Dying

Our planet has gone through many different cycles of life and death over the last 4.5 billion years, from the rise and long-lasting reign of the dinosaurs to the endless variations of tiny cyanobacteria stretching back billions of years. Yet, even though life is very resilient, there are times when change is so rapid, widespread, or violently dramatic that it is impossible to hold out.

During these times, species fall faster than new species arise to take their place. The cycle triggers even more species to fall in a chain of extinctions. We call these moments Extinction Events, and while they appear to be blips on a chart of time, some can last millions of years and the recovery can take far longer.

While the fossil record holds a picture of many dramatic events, nothing quite compares to the Permian-Triassic Extinction Event, known as "The Great Dying."

The chief catalyst of this extinction event is a series of massive volcanic eruptions known as the Siberian Traps. Over the course of 1,000,000 years, these flood basalt eruptions covered over 7 million square kilometers (2,700,000 square miles) with as much as 4 million cubic kilometers of lava (~1,000,000 cubic miles). 

Nickel released by the Siberian Traps triggered marine bacteria to produce massive amounts of methane. Combined with an injection of carbon dioxide and sulfate aerosols, runaway global warming pushed ocean temperatures over 40C (104F).

Such devastation on land and sea is unequaled in the fossil record. Nearly 95% of all life perished, and most studies indicate life took millions of years to rebound. As life returned, new species rose to the top. The Synapsids (mammal-like reptiles such as Dimetrodon) were replaced by Archosaurs. The Archosaurs' descendants included birds, crocodilians, pterosaurs, and of course dinosaurs.🦕

Creating the Specimen

The specimen in Age of Dinosaurs is a basalt slab from the Kuznetsk Basin in southwestern Siberia. The Kuznetsk Basin is also home to one of the largest coal deposits on Earth, a remnant of the global destruction caused by the Siberian Traps. 

So how did we fit the largest extinction event in the history of the planet into the Age of Dinosaurs?

To begin, we needed to harvest specimens from the volcanic rock that could be easily prepared with smaller hand tools. Mini Museum Helper Max took to the task, carefully trimming slabs from the igneous core. 

As you can see above, we really need to invest in a larger slab saw, which hopefully will happen this year. Still, even with a larger slab saw to work rough stone, there will still be slow and methodical work with a trim saw to produce thin slabs that are just the right height for inclusion.

With thin slabs in hand, the rest of the team tagged in for the next step. Donning gloves and wielding nipping tools, we measured and hand-cut each final specimen. 

The final result is a slight piece of volcanic rock that serves as a reminder that on an active planet such as ours, change is a constant companion: climates shift, oceans rise and fall, and continents forever churn against each other. Yet life goes on despite all that is thrown at it. It moves and reacts. Over time, life changes; sometimes in radical ways.

The Ringing Birth of a New Volcano 🌋

Above: A beautiful visualization of the largest igneous provinces on Earth from Quanta Magazine's "Continents of the Underworld Come Into Focus" and the likely source of most mantle plumes.

While revisiting the Great Dying, I thought it would be interesting to take a look at the birth of a new volcano, and as it so happens a fascinating study was just published on January 6th about an undersea volcano that began forming in May of 2018 near the island of Mayotte in the Indian Ocean.

While Mayotte itself is a volcanic island, the area has been dormant for thousands of years, so when seismic monitors around the world picked up a single, resonate hum, like the ringing of a bell, it sparked intense interest in the source. 

This event was accompanied by more than 1,800 earthquakes of varying strength over the course of a year. The new bathymetric data uncovered an 800m (2600ft) rise in the seafloor with a diameter of 5km (3mi).

Now we have a deeper (pun intended) understanding of the phenomenon in  "Drainage of a deep magma reservoir near Mayotte inferred from seismicity and deformation". This study provides incredible detail about the major deformations of the surface (i.e. the island is sinking) and the flow of the magmatic dike towards the surface.

All of this activity has happened in less than 2 years, which serves as a reminder of the power of our dynamic world.

Thank you!

As always, thank you so very much for your support of the Mini Museum! We are very excited to share Age of Dinosaurs with all of you!

Now, it's back to work!

- Hans

Print-and-Fold Gift Announcement Cards Return!
over 4 years ago – Thu, Dec 12, 2019 at 02:15:08 PM

Hello, everyone!

Thank you so very much for your incredible response to the BackerKit surveys! We're already at 60% complete!

A few backers reported having issues with Illuminated LED Stands to their orders. We've resolved that problem, so if you tried to add a stand and could not, you should be able to now.

Just follow the link in your original survey email to update your survey or drop us an email at [email protected] and we can add it for you.

ℹ️Didn't receive your survey email? We've heard of a few delivery issues. If you send us an email at [email protected], we can send you a direct link to your survey. Also, if you deleted the survey email you can recover it here: https://mmdino.backerkit.com/

Print-and-Fold Gift Announcement Cards

We're also excited to announce that we've updated our print-and-fold gift announcement cards for Age of Dinosaurs.

There are four (4) total designs. Two are "generic" holiday greetings updated for use with ANY edition of the Mini Museum and two additional cards have dinosaur-themed covers and Age of Dinosaurs specific text inside.

The cards are all in PDF format. Just print and fold on standard US letter size paper.  If you're printing to A4, the PDF should scale though you may need to trim the edge.

ℹ️The samples above were printed on regular paper using draft quality on a standard office inkjet printer.  We definitely recommend printing on card stock with the highest quality print setting your printer can handle.

Download Generic Mini Museum Gift Card "Glitter"

Download Generic Mini Museum Gift Card "Merry"

Download Age of Dinosaurs Card 01

Download Age of Dinosaurs Card 02

Thank you!

As always, thank you so very much for your support of the Mini Museum!

Now it's back to work!

- Hans

BackerKit is Live!
over 4 years ago – Mon, Dec 09, 2019 at 07:23:56 PM

Hello, everyone!

I'm excited to announce that the BackerKit surveys have gone out the door! You should receive your survey link by email in the next few minutes, so keep an eye on your Inbox and your Junk mail folder (just in case).

Frequently Asked Questions

"I want to add something to my pledge but it isn't in BackerKit!"

1. Complete your BackerKit survey. This will allow you to reserve items that have limited availability.

2. Send us an email at [email protected]. We can add just about anything from our regular shop to your BackerKit pledge, but first, make sure to grab any Age of Dinosaurs add-ons you might like before they're snapped up!

"When will you close surveys and charge for add-ons?"

All completed surveys will be closed and locked down on Friday, January 10th, 2020. We will charge for add-ons on Friday, January 31st, 2020.

ℹ️If you have any issues while filling out the survey, hit the "Need Help?" link at the top of the page or email us at [email protected]. We will be happy to help!

Age of Dinosaurs BackerKit Step-By-Step

Once you receive your survey, click the green "Click Here to Respond" button. This will take you to BackerKit, which functions just like a standard online shopping site.

When you reach the site, you'll see all of your pledge details. Your country may even be filled in too!

We've already added your pledge items to your cart. This is just a reminder. Hit "Sounds good!" and then move on to the next step!

Special Question for T-Shirt Tier Backers

If you are a T-Shirt tier backer, we'll ask you about your size right away.

ℹ️This question only appears for T-Shirt backers, but of course ANY backer can add a t-shirt to their pledge to help the Educational Donation program. Details on this in the next step!

The Add-Ons Page

The add-ons page includes all of the items mentioned in the last update plus a few additional items from our shop. You'll also see the pledge items we added automatically to your order.

ℹ️Adding more items is very simple. Just hit the ADD TO CART button and the item will be added to your cart.

ℹ️If you'd like to review the details of the item first, click on the picture of the item. A pop-up window will appear that looks something like this:

From here, just hit ADD TO CART and you'll be all set.

If an item requires additional information (like size or style), this pop-up window will appear

Check Out

Once you're done adding items, hit the NEXT button to begin the checkout process. First up is the shipping address form:

ℹ️Yes, phone numbers are required. Don't worry though. We're not going to call. It's for shipping purposes only.

ℹ️When you submit your address, BackerKit checks to see if it is valid. If there are any issues, it will ask you to confirm or select a suggested address as pictured below.

After entering your address, you'll be asked to confirm the details of your order.

Below is an example cart without any Add-Ons. As you can see the balance is $0.00 and so no payment is required. Hit PLACE MY ORDER and you're all done.

Here is what the checkout page looks like if you've added a few items to the cart. You can see the pledge level items too.

To complete your survey, just hit the PLACE MY ORDER button.

That's it! You're all set! Keep an eye out for your confirmation email!

Need to Make Changes? No Problem!

You have until January 10th to make any changes to your pledge. This includes changing your shipping address and making adjustments to add-on items. After January 10th, all pledges will be locked down and you'll need to contact us by email.

To make changes, the link in your original survey email or your confirmation email will take you back to the details at any time. If you accidentally delete the email, you can visit https://mmdino.backerkit.com to retrieve the survey again.

Haven't received the survey yet?

You can also retrieve your survey directly at https://mmdino.backerkit.com. Just enter the same email address you used with Kickstarter to retrieve the survey.

Thank You!

As always, thank you so very much for your support of the Mini Museum! We are all very excited to get to this stage of the project, and we're looking forward to shipping soon!

- Hans

Age of Dinosaurs Add-Ons Revealed!
over 4 years ago – Tue, Dec 03, 2019 at 03:46:33 PM

Hello, everyone!

This update includes details about BackerKit surveys and all of the add-ons we're offering for Age of Dinosaurs. There's a lot to take in so please read carefully. Don't hesitate to drop us an email at [email protected] if something is unclear!

BackerKit Surveys Launch MONDAY, December 9th at 4PM ET (GMT-5)

BackerKit surveys will be released at 4PM ET (GMT-5) on Monday, December 9th. We'll also post a Project Update at the same time with detailed instructions for those of you who are new to the process.

ℹ️Please Note: We will NOT be charging for add-ons till January just to make sure everyone has time to recover from the holidays.

"What is the BackerKit survey?"

The survey is how we gather the shipping details for your pledge. We also offer additional items you can purchase. BackerKit is the online service we use to manage the survey details. You can think of it as a mini online store.

"When will you close surveys and charge for add-ons?"

All completed surveys will be closed and locked down on Friday, January 10th, 2020. We will charge for add-ons on Friday, January 31st, 2020. 

Age of Dinosaurs Add-Ons

There are quite a few add-ons this time around, including 10  new specimens, classic dinosaur-related specimens from the current collection, accessories, and of course add-on Mini Museums.

Each item lists the price in US dollars along with discounts available only in BackerKit. Also, if there's something in the shop you'd like us to add to your pledge to save on shipping costs, just let us know by email and we'll be happy to do that!

⭐Items with a star are NEW to the Mini Museum collection. These items have not been offered on our site and backers of Age of Dinosaurs have first dibs!

ℹ️This symbol is used to convey important information about certain items, including limited availability. 

Please Note: New add-on items listed below will appear in the public shop in early December (assuming we haven't sold out in BackerKit).

Add On Mini Museums

We're excited to announce that we've included a discount for all add-on Age of Dinosaurs Mini Museums.

Small - 13 Specimens (BackerKit Price $119 - Public Price $129)

ℹ️Small Mini Museum add-ons will not be available until the end of March. If you are in an earlier tier, adding this item will delay your shipment.

Touch - 32 Specimens (BackerKit Price $289 - Public Price $299)

ℹ️Touch Mini Museum add-ons will not be available until the end of March. If you are in an earlier tier, adding this item will delay your shipment.

Large - 32 Specimens (BackerKit Price $289 - Public Price $299)

ℹ️The Add-On Large and Touch will not have individual numbers and the Touch will not have all 35 specimens in the collection. These special features were limited to the items offered during the campaign.

Below is a chart of all the specimens in Age of Dinosaurs along with notes about each version.

Add On Accessories, Jewelry, and the T-Shirt!

Illuminated LED Stand (BackerKit Price $39 - Public Price $49)

The Mini Museum Illuminated LED Stand is designed to highlight the beauty of the LARGE version of each Edition, from the First to the Fourth, Age of Dinosaurs, and beyond!

ℹ️This time we're keeping it simple by offering a single discount for stand purchases rather than a tiered discount.

Carson eFlex Digital Microscope ($50)

This particular microscope from Carson Optical is able to focus across a broad range, allowing in-depth exploration of even the largest specimens in the Mini Museum.

Extra Age of Dinosaurs Companion Guide ($15)

Every Mini Museum comes with a Companion Guide but some people like to order an extra just to have. Per usual we will have extra guides available as add-ons!

Age of Dinosaurs T-Shirt ($20)

The shirt design for Age of Dinosaurs features a custom illustration with specimens from the Age of Dinosaurs collection on a black t-shirt. All shirts are 100% cotton. Shirts will be available in Unisex, Men's Fitted, and Women's Fitted styles. Sizes will be Small, Medium, Large, XL, 2XL, and 3XL.

ℹ️All funds gathered from the t-shirt will be applied to our Educational Donation Program which sends Mini Museums and other specimens to organizations that work with children all over the world. Your support really helps!

Add On Jewelry

⭐Dinosaur Bone Necklace ($49)

This is a new necklace created for Age of Dinosaurs! It features a single round bead of dinosaur bone set inside a sterling silver circle. The pendant comes on an 18" (45cm) sterling silver, box-style chain. The hand-finished beads are agatized sauropod bone from the Morrison Formation. They measure 0.75" (2cm) in diameter and vary widely in color and pattern.

ℹ️Due to limited bead supply we can only make about 100 dinosaur bone necklaces. So if we sell out, we will honor the price later on our regular shop for Age of Dinosaur backers.

Dinosaur Poop (Coprolite) Necklace (BackerKit Price $69 - Public Price $89)

The Dinosaur Poop (Coprolite) Pendant Necklace features five (5) beads of coprolite strung in a vertical column and accented with a sterling silver tassel. The sterling silver, rounded box-style chain measures 18-inches (~45cm). The complete necklace comes in a decorative box and includes a small information card about the specimen.

Dinosaur Poop (Coprolite) Earrings (BackerKit Price $29 - Public Price $39)

The Dinosaur Poop (Coprolite) Earrings features two (2) polished beads of coprolite and all of the components are sterling silver. The earrings come in a decorative box with a small information card about the specimen.

Ammolite Gemstone Necklace (BackerKit Price $69 - Public Price $99)

This pendant necklace features an ammolite gemstone fossil, approximately 1/2 to 3/4-inch (~1 to 1.5cm) in size. The ammolite is displayed in a custom-made, sterling silver bezel that is strung on a box-style chain. The chain measures 18-inches (~45cm) and is also made of sterling silver. The complete necklace comes in a decorative box and includes a small information card about the specimen.

ℹ️The shape, size, and iridescent sheen will vary widely on this item as each fossil is a unique creature and the process of mineralization is far from uniform.

Add On Specimens

⭐Large and Extra-Large Mosasaur Teeth ($39-49)

These larger Mosasaur teeth are really something to behold!

The "Extra Large" size (left) measures 2-3" (5-7.5cm) in length and is priced at $49 USD. The "Large" size (right) measures 1.5-2" (3-5cm) in length and is priced at $39 USD.

As you can see above, not only are they big, they are really thick! In fact, they are too thick for our normal riker boxes, so each tooth will be individually wrapped and shipped in a sturdy shipping carton.

⭐Great Dying Mass Extinction Slab (BackerKit Price $15 - Public Price $19)

This new specimen is a basalt slab from the Kuznetsk Basin in southwestern Siberia. The Kuznetsk Basin is also home to one of the largest coal deposits on earth, a remnant of the global destruction caused by the Siberian Traps during the greatest extinction event in the history of the planet.  The specimen comes inside a classic, glass-topped riker display case measuring 4 1/2" x 3 1/2". A small information card is also enclosed.

ℹ️This item will appear in the shop for public sale the week of December 9th.

Pangea Polished Fragment (BackerKit Price $15 - Public Price $19)

This specimen is a polished diabase fragment from the Central Atlantic Magmatic Province deposits of Eastern North America. Similar to the specimen in Age of Dinosaurs, but much larger, the item is encased in an acrylic specimen jar and housed in a glass-topped riker display box measuring 4 1/2" x 3 1/2". A small information card will accompany the specimen.

⭐Dinosaur Eggshell ($29)

This new specimen is a fragment of Hypselosaurus eggshell from the Provence region of southern France. Recent studies suggest that the sauropod may have been a "small" titanosaur, measuring perhaps 12m (40ft) in length in adulthood.  The specimen comes inside a classic, glass-topped riker display case measuring 4 1/2" x 3 1/2". A small information card is also enclosed. As pictured, the eggshell is also enclosed in a small acrylic specimen jar.

ℹ️This item will appear in the shop for public sale the week of December 9th.

⭐Dinosaur Gastrolith (For Price See Sizes Below)

This new specimen is a dinosaur gastrolith!  Also known as gut or gizzard stones, gastroliths are common digestive aids among amphibians, reptiles, birds, and dinosaurs. their primary function is to help grind food matter.  in dinosaurs, gastroliths are usually associated with sauropods,  though they have also been discovered in ornithomimids, oviraptors,  and some ornithischianS. This Jurassic period gastrolith comes from the Morrison Formation in Colorado.

There are two different sizes of gastrolith:

•  Small: 1-2" (2.5-5cm)  ($19) 
•  Large: 2" to 4" (5-10cm)  ($39) 

The small size arrives inside a classic, glass-topped riker display case measuring 4 1/2" x 3 1/2". The large size ships without a case, in a sturdy carton. Both sizes include a small information card about the specimen. A size comparison appears below.

ℹ️This item is limited in quantity. We have roughly 100 of each size available.

ℹ️Unless we sell out, this item will appear in the shop for public sale the week of December 9th.

⭐Dinosaur Dung (Coprolite) (BackerKit Price $15 - Public Price $19)

This new specimen is a fragment of agatized coprolite from the Morrison Formation in Utah. The specimens vary in size and color, pictured here are two samples that are around roughly 1" (2.5cm) in size. The specimen comes inside a classic, glass-topped riker display case measuring 4 1/2" x 3 1/2". A small information card is also enclosed.

ℹ️This item will appear in the shop for public sale the week of December 9th.

Mosasaur Tooth  (For Price See Sizes Below)

This specimen is a complete Mosasaur tooth!

•  Small: Approximately 0.75" (1.5-2cm) ($12) 
•  Medium: Approximately 1-1.5" (2.5-3cm) ($19) 

The specimen comes inside a classic, glass-topped riker display case measuring 4 1/2" x 3 1/2". A small information card is also enclosed.

⭐Pterosaur Tooth ($49)

This specimen is an individual Pterosaur tooth.  It comes from the Kem Kem beds of Morocco and is associated with Coloborhynchus, a Pterosaur from the Early Cretaceous with an estimated wingspan of 5m (15ft).

The tooth comes inside an acrylic specimen jar in one of our classic, glass-topped riker display cases. The case measures 4 1/2" x 3 1/2". A small information card is also enclosed.

ℹ️This item is limited in quantity. Just over 100 teeth are available.

⭐Hadrosaur Bone ($19)

This specimen is a slice of Hadrosaur bone from an Edmontosaurus, recovered on private land in South Dakota from the Lance Formation. The specimen comes inside a classic, glass-topped riker display case measuring 4 1/2" x 3 1/2". A small information card is also enclosed.

ℹ️This item will appear in the shop for public sale the week of December 9th.

⭐Triceratops Bone ($29)

This specimen is a fragment of bone from a Triceratops, recovered on private land in South Dakota from the Hell Creek Formation. The specimen comes inside a classic, glass-topped riker display case measuring 4 1/2" x 3 1/2". A small information card is also enclosed.

ℹ️Sizes and shapes vary widely on this specimen but they are all about 0.75" to 1.5" (2cm-3cm) in length.

ℹ️This item will appear in the shop for public sale the week of December 9th.

⭐Tyrannosaurus Rex Bone ($39)

This specimen is a fragment of Tyrannosaurus rex bone, recovered on private land in South Dakota from the Hell Creek Formation. The specimen comes inside a classic, glass-topped riker display case measuring 4 1/2" x 3 1/2". A small information card is also enclosed.

ℹ️Sizes and shapes vary widely on this specimen but they are all about 0.75" to 1.5" (2cm-3cm) in length.

ℹ️This item will appear in the shop for public sale the week of December 9th.

Spinosaurus Tooth  (For Price See Sizes Below)

This specimen is a complete crown and partial root of a Spinosaurus tooth!  The specimen is enclosed in a handsome, glass-topped riker box case. A small information card is also included. 

•  Small: 1" to 1.75" (approximately 2.5cm to 4.5cm) (BackerKit Price $29 - Public Price $39) 
•  Medium: 1.75" to 2.25" (approximately 4.5cm to 5.5cm) (BackerKit Price $49 - Public Price $59) 
•  Large: 2.25" (approximately 5.5 cm) and up (BackerKit Price $79 - Public Price $89) 

ℹ️Small and Medium Spinosaurus Teeth ship in a glass-topped riker box case measuring 4 1/2" x 3 1/2". The Large Spinosaurus Tooth ships in a 6 1/2" x 5 1/2" glass-topped riker box case. Style of the image used on the front of the card may also vary.

ℹ️LARGE Spinosaurus teeth are limited in quantity. We are trying to secure additional specimens at the right quality. If we sell out early, we will honor the BackerKit price at a later date. 

Add-On Shipping

Shipping rates for add-ons will be calculated by weight when you complete your BackerKit survey, just as we've done in the past.

Thank you!

As always, thank you so much for your support of the Mini Museum. This is our largest assortment of add-ons yet and we're so excited to share them all with you!

Now, it's back to work!

- Hans

Production Update, Fifteen Recipes for Preparing Dinosaur Eggs, 1,000,000 Specimens! 🦕
over 4 years ago – Wed, Nov 06, 2019 at 02:57:30 AM

Hello, everyone!

I'm happy to report that Kickstarter has transferred funds to us and we're well on our way to production! THANK YOU!

Production Update!

I'm also happy to report that all tasks are proceeding on schedule!

• Specimens for all Acrylic Mini Museums have arrived at our casting partner and the team there is preparing for the first test run. We'll have samples from the run in a few weeks for approval.
• Preparations for Touch Mini Museum assembly have started here at MMHQ. Rikers and specimen jars are now on order, and specimens themselves are going through final preparation and review.
• Packaging designs for the large and small are going through final reviews before producing the first production prototypes, and finally, content for the Companion Guide is nearing completion.

We still have a long way to go, but so far it's all looking very good!

BackerKit and Add-Ons Coming Soon

In addition to the production work mentioned above, we're also preparing add-on items and setting up BackerKit to take your shipping information. We expect to launch BackerKit in just a few weeks, and per usual I will have a very large update with details about all the add-ons and step-by-step instructions for using BackerKit.

For those of you who are new to backing a Mini Museum campaign, BackerKit is the tool we use to manage pledges after the campaign. BackerKit allows us to gather addresses for shipping and it also allows us to offer exclusive items for sale after the campaign. For example, if you want to add a t-shirt to your pledge or perhaps an additional Mini Museum or Illuminated LED Stand, BackerKit will be the place to do it.

We're also going to have quite a few new items this time around, so I hope you're all excited and no I won't tell you what they are until they're ready! 😎

Pre-Orders Now Available

Not to confuse things but I want to mention that we've opened up pre-orders for Age of Dinosaurs.

If you have backed the campaign already, DO NOT enter a pre-order.

Pre-orders are for people who missed the campaign or are just learning about Age of Dinosaurs. All pre-orders will ship after we have shipped pledges for backers of the campaign.

Fifteen Recipes for Preparing Dinosaur Eggs

Cooking Time: Approximately 70,000,000 years

All this talk about specimen preparation is making me a little hungry so I thought I'd do a deep dive on one of our favorite foods from the Mesozoic: Dinosaur Eggs.

When thinking about deep time, we often find ourselves caught up in the grand movements and nearly unfathomable expanses of millennia stretched end to end.

Yet, here in this humble eggshell, we have a single moment captured for all eternity… the birth of an individual dinosaur.

The egg is an incredible natural structure designed to protect and support a growing body until it is ready to come into the world. The texture, when viewed under magnification, resembles rocky hills with a network of valleys running in between. These numerous rifts serve as channels for oxygen, sustaining the fragile creature within.

The specimen in the Mini Museum is a fragment of a Hypselosaurus eggshell from the Provence region of southern France. Recent studies suggest that the sauropod may have been a "small" titanosaur, measuring perhaps 12m (40ft) in length in adulthood.

As you might expect, fossilized eggshells can be a little dirty. Below is a picture of untreated dinosaur eggshells.

As the once-fragile eggshell solidified over time into the fossils we see today, these grooves were covered with a matrix made mostly of calcium carbonate, which happens to be the core component of the eggshell itself.  In preparing the eggshells for Age of Dinosaurs, we were presented with the challenge of clearing the debris that had built up, without damaging the unique surface of the shell and preserving fine details like the oxygenation channels.

Not surprisingly, our initial experiments to clean the eggshells led to the mutual removal of debris and the erosion of the ridged surface of the fossil.  We tested various solutions and tools, but the end results were abraded and lackluster shells.

To take things to the next level, we turned to the Journal of Paleontological Techniques and an article by Spanish paleontologists Sandra Val, Rubén García, and Domingo López titled "Preliminary Results on the  Chemical Preparation of Dinosaur Eggshells."

This study details fifteen (15!) different methods for preparing dinosaur eggshells using a variety of chemical agents. Some of the mixtures here could lead to unfortunate outcomes if prepared incorrectly, so we let Mini Museum Helper Chip take the lead since he has a degree in Chemistry.

As pictured above, Chip recalibrated our experiments using solutions with different amounts of sodium dithionite. 

This is a variation on the Waller Method, where a solution of sodium bicarbonate, sodium citrate, and sodium dithionite is used to treat the eggshell without acid, which allows us to clean the dirt and debris from the surface without dissolving the calcium carbonate in the shell.

After several tests, Chip and Ellis found that a timed bath in a 10% solution of sodium dithionite cleaned the Dinosaur Egg, letting the oxygenation channels and the ridged surface stand out on this fascinating specimen!

1,000,000 Specimens!

As you can see, there are so many things that go into executing a Mini Museum production run, and this is just one specimen among many!

Before anyone even sees the line-up for a new Edition, we put in months of work to produce the specimens we'll need at the start. So far, we've produced roughly 120,000 individual specimens for Age of Dinosaurs. By the time we're finished with the full production run, that number will be well over 250,000.

After the specimens for Age of Dinosaurs went out the door, I sat down and calculated how many specimens we've made since the First Edition. All said and done, we're approaching nearly 1,000,000 individual specimens in homes, schools, libraries, and offices all over the world.

That's an incredible number when you consider the size of our small team here. For us, each specimen is something like a conversation we're starting with each of you. Later when we send out the Mini Museums to their new home that conversation continues. Maybe you're sharing those specimens with your children, your friends, or your co-workers. Maybe you're sharing that conversation with new students who pass through your classroom each year. Hopefully, those conversations will go on for many years.

This is why I created the Mini Museum in the first place. I wanted people to connect with one another and see their place in the wider world (both in space and time). With your help, I think the Mini Museum is getting closer to that ideal and that really makes me happy.

For the last few years, I've wondered what it might be like to amplify this conversation even further. What would that look like? What would it be like to have 1,000,000 museums? Not particularly "Mini Museums" that we make but some other form entirely but still serving the idea of creating conversations between people.

What shape would they take and what would they contain? 

I have some more thoughts about this but I'd love to hear from you in the comments. What would you put in your museum? Would it be a memory of a special day with a loved one? Perhaps a trip you took or just a really cool stone you found in a stream. What about an idea or a feeling? How would you represent that?

As always, thank you so very much for your kind and generous support!

Now it's back to work!

- Hans