A Day in the Badlands

About the Badlands Fossils This story tells about the fossils of ancient animals found in the Wind River and Bighorn basins of Wyoming. Wyoming's rich fossil record tell us about amazing animals from millions of years ago. About 66 million years ago, an asteroid slammed into the Earth, causing devastating changes that led to the extinction of dinosaurs. As the planet began to recover, it was much warmer than today, allowing palm trees and other tropical plants to grow in Wyoming. Many new species of mammals and birds emerged in this warm climate. Earth's temperatures peaked about 52 million years ago. Paleontologists call this time the "Early Eocene Climatic Optimum." Paleontologists study the deep-time geological record to understand how plants and animals respond to a changing climate. In this story, three children visit a paleontological site in Wyoming and get magically transported back in time, resulting in a 52-million-year-old safari adventure they will never forget!