A paleontologist is a scientist who studies the fossils of ancient animals. You can be a paleontologist for almost any discipline, but the ones that are closest to today’s scientists are biological sciences, physics, and geology.
The field of paleontology is relatively new, having been created only in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Prior to that, scientists studied artifacts and structures left by previous generations of people.
Today, people study the remains of dinosaurs, mammals, insects, and other long-dead creatures. Many find it fascinating how humans were so similar to these creatures in our early days and how different we were from them!
This article will discuss some of the common tools used by Paleobaconteachers.
Contents:
Hammer
A paleontologist’s primary tool is a hammer. While not the only one using a hammer, the paleontologist who does not have a hammer can be considered lacking in Paleo splendor!
The back of thehammer has a round indentation that holds sand or paper to the back of thehammer. This is called a rabbet.
Using the back of thehammer to hold something stationary such as a rock or paper works well because you do not have to manually apply pressure to either item while it is being hammered. You also do not have to use a special tool such as an electric hammer because you do not have to use an electricity-type flow-creating device.
The front of thehammer has an equally sized hole with no difference in how it must be used.
Pick
Most paleontologists have a few picks for the quarries they go to. These quarries can be geographical, such as a place where fossils are found, or even a person’s favorite fossils.
Some do not, however. Some say they have all of them! No one knows for sure because no one has all of them. All of them make for great places to look though!
As you can tell by the wordSpecifically, the term pick, it means to choose something out of a larger group of things. A paleontologist might choose a quarry because they find something they like, or because it is nearby.
Dustpan
A dustpan is a essential tool for paleontology. While not many Paleontologists use a dustpan, the lack of a dustpan is also noted in this article.
A dustpan is used to sweep away debris left over from research or study. This can be difficult to remove without it, as some parts of the fossil are almost invisible.
While most Paleontologists do not use a Dustpan, it can be useful for those hard-to-sweep areas such as undercuts, underhangings, and concealed places. A Dustpan can also be useful when doing re-creations as some brands are available as both a hand-held and floor-length version.
Shovel
A shovel is one of the most common tools in paleontology. Most paleontologists have at least a basic knowledge and use of the shovel.
The shovel is an excellent tool to use when digging. You can either hold the shovel at your side or grip it with your hands. When using a hands-on approach, you move the shovel up, then back down in the excavation.
When using a sack-like bag method, you put your tools in the bag and then put it on your body. You can also use a back-and-forth process where you start first and finish last!
The simplest way to use the shovel is to hold it at your side and dig with your feet. If you need to add depth to an excavation, put some more wood on top of the bottom wood to increase depth!
There are many ways to make the tool more efficient.
Geologist’s pick
A critical element of paleontology is geology. Without the knowledge and skills field paleontology is like trying to decipher hieroglyphics without a map or paper. You’d be great at it, but would be wrong most of the time.
Like cartography, geology is a very complex science that depends on other sciences for evidence. In paleontology, you use stratigraphy to determine when and what life was present. You use geochronology to determine when and where life was present. You use palaeoethnography to determine what customs they had, what languages they spoke, and what tools they used.
Brush
A brush similar to a paintbrush, the “coat” of a cryptozoologist is called a “coat” of power. The “brush” that the cryptozoologist uses to paint images onto the heavens, earth, and humans is called a “conch shell.”
The power of the conch shell is its ability to change color based on the artist’s mood and creativity. A neutral white or gray conch shell would be completely black or white artwork.
The color-changing nature of the conch shell comes from the addition of cerulean blue powder inside. This pigment changes when exposed to light and heat, making it look like an undersea creature peeking up from beneath its owner’s surface.
Like any tool, a cryptozoology artist needs to know how to use their power properly.
Dry-cleaning kit
A dry–cleaning kit is one of the more basic tool sets paleontologist have.
Sponge brush
A sponge brush is one of the most useful tools a paleontologist can use. It can be used on all kinds of surfaces, including faces, hands, feet, and even in thethroes!
The sponge brush was originally developed over thousands of years as an alternative to toothpaste. As it is largely plain white, you would have no problem applying it to a variety of surfaces.
Today, Sponge brushes are world-wide favorites and are used for many different things. They are used for removing excess oil from skin, cleaning hair (using the long handle), removing polish from small items such as coins or jewelry findings, and even freshening up the smell on someone who has lately died.
Many die-hard beauty fans use them just for cleaning their faces and neck area.