Upcoming Earth Science Public Events in Colorado

The following is a list of upcoming events relating to geology, minerals, fossils, and natural history.  Many of these relate to gem and mineral shows taking place this summer and in September, including the Denver Gem and Mineral Show, at which the USGS will have a booth, incorporating a "Kids' Corner" with look-and-touch-and-ask-questions-about rocks and minerals.

Fri., Aug. 26, 3:00 p.m., Earth Sciences Colloquium at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, Hot and high times in the western U.S., 80 Ma to Present, by Katie Snell, CU Boulder. In VIP Room. All are welcome, museum admission is not required.

Sept. 10-18, Denver Coliseum Mineral, Fossil, and Gem Show, 10-6 daily, 4600 Humboldt St., Denver CO.  Free admission. See http://www.coliseumshow.com/ .

Sept. 11-18, Colorado Mineral and Fossil Show, 10-6 daily except 10-5 Sun. 9/18. Ramada Plaza - Denver Central, 4849 Bannock St., Denver, CO. Free admission, and free shuttle to the Denver Mart. See http://www.mzexpos.com/denver .

Wed. – Sat., Sept. 14-17, Denver Fine Mineral Show, at Marriott Denver West, 10-6 Wed.-Fri., 10-5 Sat., 1717 Denver West Blvd., Golden CO.  Free admission. See http://www.finemineralshow.com/ .

Wed., Sept. 14, 6:00-9:00 p.m., Open House at the Colorado School of Mines Geology Museum.  All are invited; refreshments and viewing of new exhibits prepared for the coming year.  A chance to meet museum curators, mineral collectors, and dealers who are in town for the Denver Gem and Mineral Show.

Thurs, Sept. 15, 5:45-9:00 p.m., Colorado Scientific Society, Student Presentation Night, at Arbor House, in Maple Grove Park, 14600 W. 32^nd Ave., Golden (Applewood area).  All are welcome to attend, no admission charge, free refreshments. A selected group of graduate students from area universities will give presentations about their geology/earth science thesis research topics, and all attending will be able to vote for “the best presentation”. For details (to be posted in the coming month) see http://www.coloscisoc.org/ .

Sept. 16-18, 49^th annual Denver Gem and Mineral Show, Denver Mart, Denver, CO. Minerals of Africa is the 2016 show theme. 9-6 Fri., 10-6 Sat., 10-5 Sun. See http://www.denvermineralshow.com/ or https://www.facebook.com/Denver-Gem-And-Mineral-Show-154290574610235/?fref=ts

Fri., Sept. 23, 3:00 p.m., Earth Sciences Colloquium at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, Jurassic-Cretaceous paleogeographic evolution of the Western Interior Seaway  , by Ron Blakey, Colorado Plateau Geosystems. In Ricketson Auditorium. All are welcome, museum admission is not required.

Mon., Sept. 29, 3:00 p.m., Earth Sciences Colloquium at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science,  Deciphering the Rocky Mountains, by Beth McMillan, University of Arkansas-Little Rock . In VIP Room. All are welcome, museum admission is not required.

Thurs., Oct. 20, 7:00 p.m., Colorado Scientific Society October meeting, Climate Change, Part I and II, by William W. Little & Thom Fisher. Shepherd of the Hills Presbyterian Church, 11500 W. 20th Ave., Lakewood CO. Social time beginning at 6:30; meeting & program at 7:00. All are welcome to attend; see www.coloscisoc.org.

Oct. 25-28, Geological Society of American Annual Meeting, Denver, CO (plus pre- and post-meeting field trips). See http://community.geosociety.org/gsa2016/home . 

Thurs., Nov. 17, Colorado Scientific Society November meeting, Terrestrial ecosystems during the Mesozoic, by Joe Sertich, DMNS.  Shepherd of the Hills Presbyterian Church, 11500 W. 20th Ave., Lakewood CO.

Nov. 12-13, 37^th annual New Mexico Mineral Symposium, at New Mexico Institute of Mining & Technology, Socorro, NM; see https://geoinfo.nmt.edu/museum/minsymp/home.cfml

Thurs., Nov. 17, Friends of Mineralogy, Colorado Chapter meeting , 7:30 p.m., Denver Museum of Nature and Science, VIP Room, Dr. Markus Raschke, CU, “Thalénite: from redefinition to new discoveries of a rare-earth element silicate mineral from Colorado”.

Nov. 18-20, Denver Area Mineral Dealers Show, Jefferson County Fairgrounds, Golden CO.

Special museum exhibits:

The "Critical Materials” exhibit continues at the Colorado School of Mines Geology Museum. It highlights critical materials and rare-earth elements - including the minerals these elements can be derived from - essential to the development of advanced technology and energy. The exhibit is a joint project of the Critical Materials Institute at the School of Mines and the Colorado School of Mines Geology Museum. The exhibit focuses on the elements Li, Y, Te, Nd, Eu, Tb, Dy, their minerals, and their uses in technology.  You’ll find the exhibit downstairs in the museum, which is open daily, 9-4 Mon.-Sat., 1-4 Sun., no admission charge; see http://www.mines.edu/Geology_Museum .

Unearthed: Ancient Life in the Boulder Valley, on exhibit at the University of Colorado Museum of Natural History (Henderson Building; in the Anthropology Hall), CU campus, Boulder. Featuring a collection of 80+ stone tools known as The Mahaffy Cache that was found in a Boulder backyard in 2007. The artifacts were studied by CU Boulder Professor of Archaeology Doug Bamforth, Ph.D. He dates the tools to 13,000 years ago at the end of the last ice age. The exhibit includes interactive elements and video, as well as replicas of the tools that visitors can pick up and hold.”  The museum is open daily, no admission charge. See https://cumuseum.colorado.edu/ .