On Being "The First"

The thing I wanted to do more than anything else as a child - even more than play baseball, play with my friends, or go fishing - was explore. More specifically, I wanted to be an Explorer.  Growing up, my favorite places were isolated corners of my grandad's property in rural Alabama, or camping at Brushy Lake in the state’s northwestern corner with my father and brother, where it was possible to hike all day and never see another soul.  In my young mind, it was easy to believe that we were seeing and experiencing places no person had ever visited before. We were the first.

As I got older, those romantic notions were replaced by pragmatism.  Reading books and watching countless documentaries taught me that, unless I was one of a very select few launching into outer space or diving into the deepest depths of the oceans, being the first to set my feet on an area was, sadly, no longer possible.  

While we may not be physically visiting new places any more, every new discovery - whether it’s a new fossil we unearth or the sight of new moon light years away - exploration and the adventure of “firsts” are very much alive.  Paleontology and field work have taught me that. In fact, I’d say the opportunities for folks to contribute and make a real difference to science exist now more than ever. It’s called citizen science, and it plays a very important role in our organization and in our world.

Thanks to citizen scientists that have joined BBPI over the past three field seasons, we have excavated the fossils of at least seven different species of dinosaurs, transported literal tons to be prepared, studied and conserved, and gained incredible insights about the ecosystem 150 million years ago. Without the help of volunteers— over 400 in just three years— we wouldn’t be able to make this kind of progress by a long shot. 

Citizen science isn’t only about helping scientists achieve their goals. It serves a much more critical role. In an age where we face unprecedented threats to the planet, including the sinister plagues of science denialism and apathy, we need people to not only believe in science, but recognize its importance. When a person gets to have a hands-on experience with real scientific exploration, they begin to perceive science differently; it becomes personal, tangible, and significant. As a nonprofit science organization, we are honored to be able to offer those hands-on experiences that can change lives and mindsets.

We are all well served, as individuals, a country, and a global population, to return to that mentality of childhood wonder: ask questions and seek truth relentlessly. Never stop exploring.

Thank you for reading our first blog post! I hope you enjoyed it. Let us know what you think in the comments or any topics you’d like us to cover. On another note, it’s almost Giving Tuesday. If you feel passionate about the work we’re doing or just think dinosaurs are cool, please consider donating to help us keep doing more! Click here to go to #GivingTuesday page.

Whether it be your first, second or fourth time, we hope to see you on a BBPI expedition soon!