In this episode of the Wild Critters USA series on the family podcast Orbit: Science for kids on the move!, families travel to Waco Mammoth National Monument in Texas to meet one of the Ice Age’s most famous giants: the mammoth.
With the help of Justin Tweet, a paleontologist with the U.S. National Park Service, we’ll discover what the Ice Age really was, how mammoths lived and eventually went extinct, and why “mummified” mammoth poop is one of the best ways <a href="https://absafricatv9491.live-website.com/scientists-discover-new-210-million-year/” title=”Scientists discover new 210-million-year”>scientists can learn what life was like thousands of years ago.
We’ll also hear from David Mizejewski from Ranger Rick magazine, part of the National Wildlife Federation, who introduces us to other giant Ice Age animals that once roamed North America, like American lions and bear-sized beavers.
Along the way, kids and families will discover:
- What a glacier is, and how the Ice Age shaped North America
- How mammals are related to elephants and why they went extinct
- What other giant animals disappeared at the end of the Ice Age
- What conditions cause poop to “mummify”
- How scientists study mummified poop to learn what mammoths ate and how they behaved
This episode explores paleontology, the Ice Age, and the surprising ways something as simple as poop can unlock secrets from thousands of years ago.
Wild Critters USA is perfect for families with children ages 3-11!
Wild Critters USA is a special family podcast series from Orbit: Science for Kids on the Move!, produced in collaboration with PBS Nature and Ranger Rick magazine from the National Wildlife Federation.
