The skull of Max the mastodon, the holotype specimen of Mammut pacificus. The skull and jaws are placed in a glass case, and the tusks are placed around the base.

Sarah and I holding the two halves of the pathological mandible of the Miocene baleen whale "Sinistra", a pretty messed up individual of Diorocetus hiatus.

Several paleontologists at work demonstrating their research on WSC fossil land mammas: Katy Smith is up front showing mammoth tusks on a microscope, Eric Scott is at the next table talking about fossil horses, and Melissa Pardi is at the very last table showing people microwear on mastodon teeth; Dr Chris Widga is in the back 3D modeling specimens with a scanner.

Paleontologists checking out progress on the gigantic block containing "mystic" the baleen whale - here looking like a big gray monolith. Alton Dooley is seated and our colleague Brian Beatty is standing next to him. Andrew McDonald is on the right

@tetrameryx.bsky.social and I had a blast yesterday at #PaleoCon2025 at the Western Science Center! It was great catching up with a bunch of old friends.

Also going on this weekend: #PaleoCon2025 at the Western Science Center, Hemet, CA ❤️

Horse fossils displayed on a white foam mat, seen from above

For #FossilFriday: fossils of the ice age horse Equus scotti from the El Casco region of Riverside County, CA, US. These fossils date from 2.2 to 1.2 million years, & are under study as part of this weekend's #PaleoCon2025 conference at the Western Science Center in Hemet, CA, US. 🐎🧪

Dr Katy Smith researching mastodon fossils - a tusk and a limb encased in plaster - on a table at the Western Science Center. Also on the table: an open notebook and pen, calipers, and phone.

Dr Greg Smith and Dr Grant Zazula researching mastodon molars (two of which are on a desk in front of Dr Zazula); Dr Smith holds a light.

Dr Alton Dooley and Dr Brett Dooley are near Dr Smith and Dr Zazula as they work on mastodon molars.

Dr Chris Widga scanning mastodon fossils in an area that will become an exhibit on Western Science Center mastodon fossils (the exhibit displays were in the works at the time).

#FossilFriday Missing everyone at Western Science Center's #PaleoCon2025 which is going on now, so I'm posting pictures from the first conference that the WSC hosted in 2017, one that focused on #mastodons.

WHY IS THERE ONLY ONE POST ABOUT #PALEOCON2025

Hand holds a scale bar with a small mastodon on it, in front of a long table of paleontologists

Alton told me to use my scale bar.... #paleocon2025