Welcome to Montana, Fossil Hunter!

The year is 1908. You look out across a vast desert. Huge rocks jut out of the ground, striped with reds and browns.

The layers of rock tell a story. You’re learning how to read them. The layers contain a record of the environment dating back millions of years! Each colorful layer of stone is younger than the one below it.

Since you were a child, you’ve been hooked on tales of giant reptiles called dinosaurs. Here in the deserts of the western U.S., people have been finding their huge, fossilized bones.

But you’re here on a very specific mission.

Six years ago, fossil hunter Barnum Brown uncovered bones from an animal with a fitting name—Tyrannosaurus rex. It means “tyrant lizard king.” The teeth Brown found made one thing obvious—it was a giant meat eater!

Today Brown is searching for a big missing piece: a complete T. rex skull! You’re part of the small team tasked with finding one and digging it up.

Welcome to Montana, Fossil Hunter!

The year is 1908. You look out across a desert. Rocks jut out of the ground. They’re striped with reds and browns.

The layers of rock tell a story. You’re learning how to read them. The layers contain a record of the area. It goes back millions of years! Each layer is younger than the one below it.

You’ve always loved tales of dinosaurs. They were giant reptiles. People have been finding the dinosaurs’ fossil bones. They’ve been dug up in the deserts of the western U.S.

You’re here on a mission.

Barnum Brown is a fossil hunter. He found some bones six years ago. They belonged to a Tyrannosaurus rex. The dino’s name means “tyrant lizard king.” The teeth Brown found made one thing clear. It was a giant. And it ate meat!

Today Brown is looking for a big missing piece. He wants to find a whole T. rex skull! You’re part of a small team. Your goal is to find one and dig it up.

Brown isn’t just any fossil hunter. It would take weeks for others to find what he can uncover in only a few days. Why? Brown knows how to follow the right clues.

Fossils are often buried beneath many layers of dirt and rock. Brown can read the layers of rock to tell how ancient rivers moved. He has a talent for spotting the light blue and green tints that could mean a flood once swept through, carrying mud and debris.

When Brown finds a promising spot, it’s time to dig. Sometimes he uses dynamite to blast rock away!

But today, Brown decides to use horses attached to a plow. They easily scrape away 20 feet of soft earth.

 Achoo! You pull your bandanna over your nose to filter out the dust.

Brown spots an area that looks smoother and shinier than the rock around it. Could it be the edge of a fossil?

Brown isn’t just any fossil hunter. He can find fossils in only a few days. It would take others weeks. Why? Brown knows how to follow the right clues.

Fossils are often buried under many layers of dirt and rock. Brown can read the layers. He can tell how rivers once moved. He’s good at spotting hints of light blue and green. They could mean the area once flooded. The waters carried mud and debris.

Brown finds a good spot. It’s time to dig. Sometimes he uses dynamite. It blasts rock away!

But Brown uses horses attached to a plow today. They easily scrape away 20 feet of soft earth.

Achoo! You pull your bandanna up. It covers your nose. It helps keep out the dust.

Brown sees an area that looks different. It’s not like the rock around it. It’s smoother and shinier. Could it be the edge of a fossil?

You chip away at the rock with a special hammer. It’s slow, exhausting work. Your arms ache. It’s July, and the temperature has climbed to 100 degrees.

But you keep going. Hours later, you start to see the shape of a bone. Could it be a jawbone? You switch to a digging knife to remove smaller bits of dirt and rock.

Something comes into view. A 4-foot-long jawbone. A sharp, knife-sized tooth. An eye socket the size of a softball.

You’ve uncovered a complete T. rex skull!

You chip away at the rock. You use a special hammer. It’s slow and tiring work. Your arms ache. It’s July. It’s 100 degrees out.

But you keep going. It’s hours later. You start to see the shape of a bone. Could it be part of a jaw? You switch to a digging knife. It helps remove smaller bits of dirt and rock.

Something comes into view. A 4-foot-long jawbone. A sharp, knife-sized tooth. An eyehole the size of a softball.

You’ve found a whole T. rex skull!