Science Café: Rhinos, Red Pandas, and Hell Pigs, Oh My!

  • Thursday, February 19, 2026
  • 7:00pm - 8:00pm
  • Downtown Raleigh

a glimpse into North Carolina’s terrestrial ecosystems 20 million years ago

Close-up photo of Museum paleontologist Sean Moran holds the cast of a single hell pig molar. The cast of the fossil covers about half of his hand.

Museum paleontologist Sean Moran holds the cast of a single hell pig molar.

Join us in person or watch the livestream on YouTube.

Much of North Carolina’s fossil record over the last 100 million years is derived from marine environments, often excluding fossils from terrestrial ecosystems. This talk will explore new fossils collected from Jones County and deposited in the early Miocene, about 20 million years ago, that are beginning to shed light on an unusual land mammal fauna from our state.

Sean Moran is the Collections Manager of Paleontology at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. Though responsible for managing and growing the Museum’s Paleontology Research Collections, from fossil crabs to dinosaurs, ferns to sharks, his research interests mostly relate to the evolution and ecology of terrestrial mammals over the last 34 million years.

Grab a bite from the Daily Planet Café and join host Chris Smith for our monthly Science Café. Gather with other curious minds at this after-hours event for an informal presentation and conversation about current science topics with guest experts. The Daily Planet Café is open 5–8pm with a full menu during the Science Café.

Details

Date:
February 19, 2026
Times:
7:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Venue

Daily Planet Cafe

Nature Research Center
121 West Jones Street
Raleigh, NC 27601 United States
+ Google Map
Phone:
919.707.9800

Organizer

Chris Smith
919.707.9296