{"id":114921,"date":"2024-12-12T15:28:58","date_gmt":"2024-12-12T20:28:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/naturalsciences.org\/calendar\/?post_type=tribe_events&eventDate=2026-02-19#038;eventDate=2025-12-18#038;eventDate=2025-05-15#038;p=105434"},"modified":"2025-12-18T16:44:53","modified_gmt":"2025-12-18T21:44:53","slug":"science-cafe-rhinos-red-pandas-and-hell-pigs-oh-my","status":"publish","type":"tribe_events","link":"https:\/\/naturalsciences.org\/calendar\/event\/science-cafe-rhinos-red-pandas-and-hell-pigs-oh-my\/","title":{"rendered":"Science Caf\u00e9: Rhinos, Red Pandas, and Hell Pigs, Oh My!"},"content":{"rendered":"

a glimpse into North Carolina\u2019s terrestrial ecosystems 20 million years ago<\/h2>\n
\"Close-up

Museum paleontologist Sean Moran holds the cast of a single hell pig molar.<\/p><\/div>\n

Join us in person or watch the livestream on YouTube<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Much of North Carolina\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

Sean Moran<\/strong> is the Collections Manager of Paleontology at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. Though responsible for managing and growing the Museum\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

Grab a bite from the Daily Planet Caf\u00e9 and join host Chris Smith for our monthly Science Caf\u00e9. 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 Caf\u00e9 is open 5\u20138pm with a full menu during the Science Caf\u00e9.<\/em><\/p>\n