Meetings
A Community for Fans of Pre-History!
Whether you're an amateur or a professional in paleontology, you are welcome in this community. Members convene on the first Sunday of the month* to hear a lecture from a professional paleontologist, to show and tell their latest finds, and to share news on paleo-related events and dig sites. Can't make it to the meeting in-person? Members are sent a Zoom link to attend virtually before each meeting. Not a Member but considering joining? Attend your first Meeting in-person for free and see if it's a good fit!
Meeting Location 🏛️
-
Exposition Park Constituent Service & Training Center🔗 - Facility access made possible by the generosity of the NHMLAC and Luis M. Chiappe, Head of Research and Collections.
Where to Park 🚗
Take the LA Metro 🚅
*Always check the Meeting schedule: Sometimes we meet on the 2nd Sunday to avoid scheduling conflicts (ex: Super Bowl Sunday), and traditionally there is no Meeting in August.
Calendar
December 7, 2025
In-Person Event
Holiday Party: Year-end Auction and Pot-luck celebration!
Don't miss our fantastic potluck, auction, and gift exchange. You are welcome to bring your favorite dish; special fossils, books, or fossil-related items to contribute to our auction; and a gift of no more than $20 for the optional gift exchange. We'll also be selling paleo merch and have fun games! We look forward to seeing everyone!
February 1, 2026
In-Person Lecture
Ammonite Shell Constraints in Anoxic Oceans
Gaetano Palazzo
Gaetano Palazzo is a graduate student for the Math Science Nucleus, a non-profit focused on K-12 education. His research involves the functional morphology of both invertebrates and vertebrates. his work at the Children's Natural History Museum involves exhibit design and planning for a new fossil museum highlighting the Bay Area's paleontological history.
Previous Morphological investigations of ammonoids have mostly focused on coiling habit, but external ornamentation has largely been ignored in methods using 3D geometric morphometrics. Over 350 ammonites from the Aptian-Santonian ages were scanned and plotted in morphospace to evaluate trends in ornament across the Cretaceous oceanic anoxic events.