Operation Dino Jacket 2024!

Winter is on its last legs here in the United States, but that doesn’t mean the time for jackets is done! Wait, not those kinds of jackets. We mean field jackets!

“What’s a field jacket”, you ask? Field jackets are a crucial part of the paleontological process; made of a mixture of water, plaster, and burlap. These jackets enable us to safely transport fossils from the field to the museum!

We are gearing up to launch our annual jacket sponsorships on April 1st and each sponsorship gets us one step closer to achieving our goals for the field expedition. You have the chance to sponsor a bag of plaster, a field jacket of any size, or even one of our quarries!

And here’s how we make jackets!

Once the fossil is isolated on its own pedestal of dirt, then the jacketing can begin. First, we cover the entire exposed fossil in aluminum foil; this protects the bone from plaster, which is notoriously difficult to remove. Duct tape is used to secure the foil and shape it to the fossil.

Next, it’s time to prepare the plaster. This can be in the form of gauze covered in plaster (similar to what doctors use for broken bones) or strips of burlap covered in a plaster mixture. The plaster is activated by water, so we fill up a small tub.

Then the real fun begins! There’s nothing like getting your hands dirty dipping your hands in cold water and plaster on a hot summer day. We then cover the foil-covered fossil in strips of plaster, applying them in zig-zag patterns for greater stability of the jacket. Once all the strips are applied, it’s a good idea to smooth down any uneven or rough edges. If left alone, these rough edges could dry and form sharp edges that pose a hazard later on.

Once that’s done, we leave it out to dry (or “bake” as we call it in the field). This can take anywhere between a few hours to more than a day. As it dries, it becomes a hard outer shell that will protect the fossil from too much movement until it reaches the lab.

Finally, it’s important to label the jacket multiple times once it’s completely dry. These labels are essential for fossil preparators in the lab to identify the contents of the jacket before opening it. We typically label the jackets in more than one spot, in case it gets rubbed off during transport.

With all of our new discoveries each year, our team and participants make countless jackets every field season. These field jackets play a vital role in our work; without these jackets, the science behind the scenes cannot continue. Operation Dino Jacket is your opportunity to get not only your name on a piece of prehistory, but also support our field operations. At Elevation Science, we are infinitely grateful for your support!