I wanted to be a paleontologist when I was young. Then I learned that I would need to spend a lot of time outside in the sun instead of inside in the dark so I decided to be a software dev instead.
Same, except I am a legal tech and professional artist.
I love that I can make my money in a dark, air-conditioned room and just read about all the cool shit we’re learning about dinosaurs.
Same, kinda. I had literally decided by the advanced age of 5 that I would be a paleontologist. Then at some point I lost interest. I’m not sure if it was a lack of support or something else. Now I wish I was a paleontologist again. Instead I pretend to be a dinosaur on the internet.
I really wanted to be an archaeologist. I still love archaeology and take a keen amateur interest in it.
But my knees would never have survived it.
Are there paleontology jobs which are primarily indoors? I’m thinking of tasks like removing the matrix from fossils which have already been dug up, but need to be prepared for preservation.
I can only wonder how supportive her parents were. Seems like that’s a huge determining factor.
Yes some parents would say, “Paleontologist?! Do you want to live on food stamps the rest of your life??”
Or, even worse: “dinosaurs aren’t real, the Bible would have mentioned them”
My mom said if you hold it that way for too long it’ll stay that way.
You mean it’ll fossilize?
I love it when people recreate the same pose for these time jump pics hahaha
The Children’s Museum in Indianapolis has paleontology and archaeology labs with real scientists doing research, restoration work, etc., which you can watch them doing, and also making themselves available for questions from anyone, children or adults.
They didn’t have that when I went there as a kid, but they do now. I think it’s so incredible.
That’s a great resource, but good god I can’t imagine a worse environment for me to work in than one where I’m constantly being questioned by children.
Sorry, I don’t think I explained it very well. I don’t mean that every archaeologist working there is available for questions at the same time. I meant that there are archaeologists (and paleontologists) available to answer questions any time while others are doing scientific work.
Ah, that makes more sense!
Yeah, when I was there, there was a window to watch what they were doing and one of them at an open part at the end to answer questions. But I’m guessing that the ones working wouldn’t mind answering the occasional question from a kid pointing and asking what’s up with what they’re doing. I doubt they would be working there if they weren’t interested in science education. And I’m really glad there are enough archaeologists and paleontologists interested in science education to do things like that while still being able to do work in their field.
I found a couple of pictures of their paleo lab to show what I mean:
Why?
amazing