Exhibit showcases fossils, meteorites
October 17, 2013
By Kayla Loy
Exhibits featuring meteorites, sharks, fossils and landslides were displayed at an open house held by the Kentucky Geological Survey on Wednesday.
The event, which took place at the Mining and Minerals Resources Building, included 18 different exhibits about different scientific topics.
The Kentucky Paleontological Society had a fossils exhibit. Expert Rick Schrantz said the fossils displayed were found in Kentucky and central Indiana, and were of creatures related to starfish, sand dollars and sea urchins.
Fossilized bones made up another exhibit, separate from the Kentucky Paleontological Society exhibit.
When bones get fossilized a lot of time they keep the texture of a bone, said Caleb Essex, a UK student who ran the exhibit for the first time this year.
Another exhibit focused on landslides in Kentucky.
Northern Kentucky has had many landslides, according to the Kentucky landslide inventory by the Kentucky Geological Survey.
The Kentucky Geological Survey research includes information on why landslides occur, as well as where they happen.
“Steeper slopes are more susceptible to landslides,” KGS surveyor Matt Crawford said. “Mining activity can contribute but not always.”
Pictures were also displayed of the aftermath in places where landslides had occurred.