Graphic for Earth@Home Science Road Trip with Gilbert D. Snail

Science Road Trip

All aboard for the Earth@Home Science Road Trip! 


The Paleontological Research Institution (PRI) presents the Earth@Home Science Road Trip! The Science Road Trip is an Earth science-based virtual tour of the United States using resources from Earth@Home. On the Science Road Trip we are exploring each region of the US, to create a geological road map of the place where you live.


Grap

Meet Gilbert D. Snail


With a degree from Cornell University, and years of foot-on-the-ground experience, our trusted field scientist, Professor Gilbert D. Snail, will guide us state-by-state on the Science Road Trip. Professor Gilbert D. Snail will be your guide to the Earth science for the state where you live using free resources available on Earth@Home.


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Cool destinations, trivia, & more!


Each week Gilbert will share his discoveries in each state he travels to on social media, including must-see destinations for science road trippers, earth science trivia for each state, and more! Stay tuned each week to see if Gilbert visits your home state!


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Ready to hit the road? Follow along on social media!


Follow along on social media each week to see where Gilbert visits! Updates will also be posted below each week. Ready, set, road trip!





Trivia Answers


Southwest U.S.

Utah


Utah's state gem is the November birthstone.

What is the state gem of Utah?

Utah's state gem is topaz - a hard, semiprecious gem that is found in Beaver, Juab, and Tooele counties.

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Arizona


The state's lowest point in Arizona is only 72 feet above sea level.

Do you know where that is?

The state’s lowest point is along the Colorado River near San Luis, which lies at only 22 meters (72 feet) above sea level.

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Colorado


Colorado's state rock is Yule Marble and is found in the Yule Creek Valley.

This white marble is composed of 99.5% what mineral?

  1. Dolomite
  2. Calcite
  3. Serpentine

Yule Marble is found in the Yule Creek Valley in the West Elk Mountains of Colorado.

This white, crystalline marble is composed of 99.5% calcite.

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New Mexico


Did you know my best friend is a dinosaur whose species just so happens to be the state fossil of New Mexico?

What is the state fossil of New Mexico?

The official state fossil of New Mexico is the small, carnivorous, Triassic-aged dinosaur Coelophysis bauri.

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    South Central U.S.

    Texas


    As of 2009, the state fossil of Texas is the Cretaceous sauropod, Paluxysaurus jonesi.

    What was it before 2009?

    In 1997, Texas formally designated Pleurocoelus as the official state dinosaur. Learn about why it changed at the button below.

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    Oklahoma


    Oklahoma's state fossil, Saurophaganax maximus, is a theropod dinosaur from which geological period?

    The Jurassic period!

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    Kansas


    Kansas has two official state fossils,
    TylosaurusPteranodon.

    Both are reptiles, but not dinosaurs. What are they?

     Tylosaurus was a mosasaur, a large marine reptile. 
    Pteranodon was a pterosaur, a type of flying reptile.

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    Missouri


    Missouri's state fossil is sometimes referred to as a "sea lily"

    What is Missouri's state fossil?

    It's a crinoid!

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    Arkansas


    Arkansas state dinosaur, Arkansaurus fridayi,
    was a theropod. 

    How many toes do theropods have?

    3! Arkansaurus fridayi, was a small theropod (predatory dinosaur with three-toed feet) that was found in Early Cretaceous-aged rocks and was named the state dinosaur of Arkansas in 2017.

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    Louisiana


    The lowest elevation in Louisiana is...

    A. 2 meters above sea level
    B. 2 meters below sea level
    C. Right at sea level

    B! The state’s lowest point lies within the city of New Orleans, at 2 meters (6.5 feet) below sea level—a series of levees protect the city from being submerged.

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      Southeast U.S.

      Mississippi


      Mississippi's state rock is not a rock at all! This petrified, organic object was once able to grow over 50ft tall!

      Can you guess what it is?

      Mississippi's state rock is petrified wood!

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      Alabama


      Alabama's state fossil is
      Basilosaurus cetoides.

      What kind of ancient creature was this?

      Basilosaurus was an ancient whale!

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      Florida


      Despite having an incredible Cenozoic fossil record, Florida does not have an official state fossil!
      What do you think it should be?

      Click the button below & tell us what you think it should be in the comments at the bottom of the page!

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      Georgia


      Georgia's state mineral is a crystal sometimes used as a good luck charm, and is also known as "fairy stone."
      Can you guess what it is?

      It's Staurolite!

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      South Carolina


      South Carolina doesn't have a state mineral.
      What do you think it should be?

      Click the button below & tell us what you think it should be in the comments at the bottom of the page!

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      North Carolina


      North Carolina's state fossil, the famous "Megalodon" shark, was estimated to be how many times larger in length than the modern great white shark?

      The Megalodon was estimated to be about 3x longer!

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      Tennessee


      Tennessee's state rock is also the name of the town where Davy Crockett was born.
      Can you guess what it is?

      Limestone!

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      Kentucky


      Kentucky's state gem is formed when a sand grain makes its way inside the body of a bivalve mollusk.
      Can you guess what it is?

      A Freshwater Pearl!

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      West Virginia


      The state fossil of West Virginia is Megalonyx jeffersonii.
      What kind of extinct animal was this?

      Megalonyx jeffersonii was a giant ground sloth that lived during the Pleistocene epoch!

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      Virginia


      What is the state fossil of Virginia?
      Hint: It was named for Thomas Jefferson

      Chesapecten jeffersonius, an extinct species of fossil scallop!

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        Postcards from Gilbert



        Science Road Trip Photo Submissions



        Graphic illustration of Gilbert with road trip logo

        Do you have photos from one of Gilbert's destinations? 


        Email your photos to Gilbert and they might be featured on Earth@Home!


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        Gilbert D. Snail's TV debut!


        Watch Gilbert's live TV debut on the Weather Channel morning show with Stephanie Abrams & Jordan Steele!