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For centuries, New Mexico has been a mecca where many and varied cultures have lived side by side, sharing and celebrating their cultural differences. The result — a lush, refreshing texture of styles and designs on the joyful business of living. In recent history, that has included surviving a global pandemic. So who are we now?  What aspects of self do we take with us as we move forward and what do we leave behind? Whether you're cozy at home or venturing out into the world again, we're inviting you to visit us inside the museums and historic sites of New Mexico. This season, we're touring the museums of Santa Fe as host Charlotte Jusinski, our curators, artists, and exhibitors grapple with the question of identity.  Visit newmexicoculture.org for more info.

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  2. Big, Toothy, and Conveniently Dead: Why We Are Obsessed with Dinosaurs, Featuring Anthony Fiorillo, New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science

Big, Toothy, and Conveniently Dead: Why We Are Obsessed with Dinosaurs, Featuring Anthony Fiorillo, New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science

Dec 13, 2023

If you’ve ever been to a Sinclair gas station and see the green dinosaur out front, paleontologist Tony Fiorillo says it’s a fair approximation of New Mexico’s Alamosaurus—which was first discovered in New Mexico more than one hundred years ago. Not only is the Alamosaurus a “New Mexican icon,” as Fiorillo says, but it’s also the only dinosaur discovered in North America so far that appears to have migrated from South America.

In addition to his work as a researcher and paleontologist, Dr. Tony Fiorillo is the executive director of the New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science. His career has covered several continents largely to study dinosaurs and the environments in which they lived. For more than two decades, Fiorillo focused on the Cretaceous of Alaska. There, his teams made significant advances in the understanding of ancient Arctic biodiversity and paleoecosystems as a way of understanding future climates.

In this episode, Fiorillo joins Encounter Culture host Emily Withnall in a conversation about arctic dinosaurs, what 19th-century scientists understood about the first dinosaurs they found, and how dinosaurs can provide insight for what’s in store for humans. 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science

https://www.nmnaturalhistory.org/ 

Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins dinosaur sculptures at Crystal Palace

https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/crystal-palace-dinosaurs.html 

Dinosaurs at Denali National Park

https://www.nps.gov/dena/learn/nature/fossils.htm

 

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Encounter Culture, a production of the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs, is produced and edited by Andrea Klunder at The Creative Impostor Studios.

Hosted by Emily Withnall, editor at El Palacio Magazine

Executive Producer: Daniel Zillmann

Technical Director & Post-Production Audio: Edwin R. Ruiz

Recording Engineer: Kabby at Kabby Sound Studios in Santa Fe

Editor & Production Manager: Alex Riegler

Theme Music: D’Santi Nava

Instagram: @newmexicanculture