Stay-at-home science project: Leave some “fossil” footprints
What dinosaur made this track? Ah yes, ol' Saladtongosaurus. (John Kennedy/)Welcome to PopSci’s at-home science projects series. On weekdays at noon, we’ll be posting new projects that use ingredients you can buy at the grocery store. Show us how it went by tagging your project on social media using #popsciprojects.Looking at fossilized footprints is one of the most tangible ways to experience prehistoric life. Gazing up at the terrifying skull of a Tyrannosaurus rex in a museum is one thing, but standing next to a set of tracks in their original location is entirely another. A dinosaur walked here, millions of years ago. Right where you’re standing.These trackways can tell us a lot about the creatures that made them: how they moved, if they were walking or running, and (if there are other imprints nearby) how they interacted with the world around them. It’s similar to analyzing animal tracks today,...