Animal tracker on tap at Science Tavern

Emory paleontologist Anthony Martin will be speaking at Atlanta Science Tavern on Saturday, April 24. Martin is an expert in trace fossils, including tracks, trails, burrows and nests. He attributes his groundbreaking discoveries of dinosaur tracks, and the first dinosaur burrows, to his passion for tracking modern-day animals.

"I look for all kinds of animal tracks, across all kinds of substrates — beach sand, gravel, mud, pine needles and leaves," Martin says. "I track our cat across the carpet at home. It drives him nuts. I'll follow his little, round prints into the closet and he'll look up at me like, 'Wait a minute! You're not supposed to know I'm here!'"

Atlanta Science Tavern is a growing group of people from a range of backgrounds who enjoy having lively conversations with scientists in a friendly, casual setting. This Saturday’s event begins at 7 p.m. at Manuel’s Tavern. Click here for more details.

If you go, be sure to ask Martin about how he tracked the swimming pattern of an ancient fish, in a lake that disappeared millions of years ago.

Photo by Steve Henderson shows Martin with an alligator trace on the Georgia coast.

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