By Laura Lee Bennett, RHS Programs Chair
On November 9th, 2024 at the Old Redmond Schoolhouse, author and naturalist David B. Williams will presented highlights of his latest book, Spirit Whales and Sloth Tales: Fossils in Washington State—featuring the “fossil stories of the Northwest from a human perspective.”
In his talk, he provided background on what inspired him and co-author Dr. Elizabeth Nesbitt to write the “first book ever” on fossils in the state, why they chose the fossils they did, and some of the new science that has allowed paleontologists to tease out the “500-million-year long” story of life in this region.
We caught up with David for a bit of Q&A.
RHS: When and where did you encounter/discover your first fossil? How old were you? What was it about this experience that “lit you up”?
David: I don’t have a specific first memory of encountering a fossil. But I do remember going on geology field trips looking for rocks and fossils in college and being excited about finding a sign of life from millions of years ago and thinking “Wow, that animal or plant was alive here way way back in time.” I have long felt that fossils connect me with the deep stories of the planet.
RHS: What are fossils, exactly? How are they significant in tracing history—on a geological scale? How do fossils dovetail with human history?
David: A fossil is simply the remains of a living organism preserved in rock. This could be bones or teeth, impressions of leaves, or tracks, burrows, and bite marks. One of the key aspects of organisms is that they evolve and go extinct and do not repeat the process, so when you find a fossil, you are finding an organism from a distinct time period. Using this information has helped scientists put together absolute dates (as opposed to relative) on the geological time scale. Fossils have been essential in helping to piece together the evolution of our species. Without the evidence of fossils, we wouldn’t fully understand how our species, or any other species, came to be and came to inhabit a specific niche. Fossils have long been one of the most important components of understanding the story of life on Earth.
RHS: What was it like working with a co-author Elizabeth A. Nesbitt vs. a solo writing project? Who did what?
David: It was great to work with Liz. I had known her for many years before working together on this book, so I knew she knew the science and was deeply concerned about presenting the stories of fossils in an understandable and approachable manner. And, this was the big difference; I didn’t need to do the deep research I normally do because Liz knew/knows so much. It was a very collaborative process with lots of talking about what we wanted the book to be, how to organize it, and what we wanted to include. Liz often took a first stab at a profile, then we’d go back and forth on the editing/writing. I tended to bring in a bit more of the human story to the profiles and Liz more of the science.
RHS: We know about the 2008 archeological discoveries of the Bear Creek site—yielding artifacts over 12,000 years old. Have there been fossil discoveries in the greater Redmond/Puget Sound area that are millions of years old?
David: The Puget lowland has a wealth of Ice Age fossils but also many that date back millions of years. For instance, there’s a group of rocks from about 37 to 47 million years old that is rich in fossil leaves, some of which occur in the coal-bearing layers found at areas such as Cougar Mountain. And, depending on how you define Puget Sound, the state’s one dinosaur fossil comes from Sucia Island, in the San Juans. Sucia is also rich in ammonite, extinct, coiled (and straight) relatives of squid and octopus. Also, to the north are tracks from a six-foot-tall bird in rocks near Bellingham. But don’t worry, they were nut eaters, not carnivores!
RHS: Do you think “nonscientist” audiences come away with a better understanding of how fossils help us understand history and time?
David: I sincerely hope so. Fossils are the stories of history and time, extinction and evolution, climate change, life and death, all preserved in stone.
RHS: Has this book and your talks triggered an increased public interest in the Burke Museum? Is there any way to measure that?
David: I don’t know and don’t think anyone has looked into it. More important to me is if the book and our talks have triggered people to go outside and explore the nature around them. I don’t have a clue about this either but hope that it has happened.
RHS: What advice would you give to a budding paleontologist or naturalist?
David: Slow down. Get outside. Pay attention. Ask questions. Appreciate the amazing beauty and diversity that surrounds us every day.
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