About
Who
Harrison Duran
Paleontologist Harrison Duran explores the Hell Creek Formation in the American West, using social media to share the detailed work of paleontology and why these ancient discoveries matter
His discoveries include fossils from Triceratops, T. rex, Edmontosaurus, and Pachycephalosaurus
What
Fossils
When dinosaurs died, sometimes their bones were buried by mud or sand near rivers or lakes. Over millions of years, minerals from the ground replaced the bone material, turning it into stone copies that keep their original shapes and details. This process, called fossilization, preserves a rock version of the ancient creature for us to find today
Where
The Hell Creek Formation's
significance comes from its detailed fossils of iconic dinosaurs like Tyrannosaurus rex and Triceratops, and compelling evidence of the mass extinction event. Today, it spans 435 miles across Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming, providing abundant opportunities for ongoing research and fossil discovery
When
Cretaceous Period
Lasting from 145 to 66 million years ago, this Period was marked by the dominance and diversification of dinosaurs, the rise of flowering plants, and rich marine life. But, this Period ended dramatically with a mass extinction event, caused by an enormous asteroid impact, that reshaped Earth's ecosystems
Most of Harry's fossil findings can be traced to specimens from this Period