NDGS Paleontology

10/11/2026

The newly named Infernogallus jamesi (right) with two individuals of Thescelosaurus neglectus (left) along a stream in the Hell Creek ecosystem. Artwork by Becky Barnes.

10/11/2026

Say hello to Infernogallus jamesi, the first dinosaur named in part based on specimens found in North Dakota! We have been waiting so long to introduce it to everyone!

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-026-78343-w?fbclid=Iwb21leAU3sg1jbGNrBTex_2V4dG4DYWVtAjExAHBkb2YFc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMzUwNjg1NTMxNzI4AAEeCkM6Y3Sg_7awnZxCJZzipIBQizFhJJd8tYUStZ00mbsjTVggP66WtrEzzpE_aem_P2UGbsScwxDAmrxU11ia_w&utm_id=97757_v0_s00_e0_tv2_a1demonpsss1v2

Dinosaurs coexisted with flowering plants, but it’s unclear whether they ate them. The study presents a new small theropod dinosaur with remarkable jaw adaptations for eating fruit, providing one of the strongest evidence of dinosaur-angiosperm interaction.

09/28/2026

FIND Number 61 is out! See how the Public Fossil Digs went this season!

https://www.dmr.nd.gov/dmr/sites/default/files/documents/paleontology/pdfs/FIND-newsletter/FIND-ISSUE-61.pdf

09/24/2026

Only ONE week to go before our 2026 Public Fossil Dig T-shirt Fundraiser ends for good! This is your one and only chance to purchase official dig shirts for 2026, so don't wait!

We have raised $240 of our $500 donation match goal! Any donation you make (over the t-shirt costs) will be DOUBLED by a generous donor AND if we meet our goal, everyone who donates $10 or more will receive an exclusive 2026 Public Fossil Dig holiday gift!

Want to donate, but not buying a shirt? You can do that too!
--> Go to https://www.customink.com/fundraising/2026-ndgs-fossil-digs-shirts
--> Click On BUY/DONATE
--> Check the box for "I'd like to make a donation only"
--> Donate!

All donors will count towards the match goal and receive a gift (if we make it to $500), even if you don't purchase a shirt!

Thank you for supporting NDGS Paleontology and the Public Fossil Digs!

09/21/2026

NDGS Paleo staff managed to snag one large jacket from the mammoth dig last week. Here's how we did it!

09/17/2026

Order your 2026 dig shirts now! Perfect for ugly sweater season.

IT'S TIME!

The 2026 NDGS Public Fossil Dig T-shirt Fundraiser is OPEN!

This is your ONE chance to commemorate this year's public fossil digs with a limited edition Holiday Sweater-inspired dig shirt.

We're excited to share that this year we have a generous donor who is willing to MATCH $500 in donations during this fundraiser. How does that work? When you go to check out, there will be an option to "Add a Donation" to your order. If we reach our match goal, everyone who donates $10 or more (over the shirt costs) will receive an exclusive NDGS gift!

The fundraiser is only open September 15th-October 1st so don't miss your chance!

Get yours now at: https://customink.com/fundraising/2026-ndgs-fossil-digs-shirts

09/15/2026

Staff are back at the mammoth dig to retrieve the last two jackets! We are already up to 13 batches of plaster. We still have to add rebar to both jackets -- how many more batches do you think we need?

08/28/2026

Happy ! Today we have an alligator vertebra and skull fragment. While this may not seem exciting on its own, this came out of the Oligocene deposits (approx. 30 million years old) where mammals are most common. This is an exceptional find for the final day of our public fossil digs!

08/14/2026

We have one Alex-sized fish coming out of Pembina Gorge! Over the past few days, we have exposed the entire skeleton from head to tail. It's likely Ichthyodectes, a relative of the larger Xiphactinus.

08/13/2026

It may not be diamonds, but the gypsum is still beautiful in the sunlight! We get a lot of gypsum, an evaporite mineral, at our site in Pembina Gorge. Gypsum has replaced the bones here, making the fossils extra fragile as gypsum is a soft mineral.