How 4 Million Fossils Are Extracted From Tar At La Brea Tar Pits | Colossal Collections

[@pleasurepanda3285]

My son is working in a tunnel for the metro rail that's going through the area of those tar pits and they had to take a class in paleontology in case they come across any fossils. I'm glad that they're making the workers aware of the importance of being careful around these fragile artifacts.

[@yanosaur]

That's good thinking by the LA Metro. I'm sure it's tempting to pocket any fossil you find. Did they have any incentive to turn in any found fossils? (Also, artifacts are by definition man-made objects)

[@MyBoomStick1]

@@yanosaur imma start robbing those workers houses in search of a sabertooth Tooth

[@tonybezanson9625]

I've noticed in the UK, before construction can begin, archeological surveys have to be taken

[@benji45645]

@@yanosaur I think whenever a fossil is discovered, the work site automatically becomes part of the la brea paleontology project. They record anything that's found and the museum collects the bones, but there's not really a reason for the construction company to deal with storing or transporting them. They might pocket a small bone here and there, but anything bigger is probably difficult to steal.

[@ajantebuchanan3629]

Finders keepers!

[@sixfigureskibum]

I was blessed to visit the tar pits in late 70s and 80s. My dad's office was a few blocks away as well as school field trips. This a a neat introduction but the knowledge is deep .. the most important concept not told here: the area is rather dry Mediterranean ecosystem with 80% rain in 2 months. Water sits on top of the tar looking like a pool of water.. thirsty animals and humans would wade into shallows to find themselves sinking into the asphalt the water is floating on... settling into layers..

[@dont-want-no-wrench]

yes, a horrible death for them. you are right about the rain, mostly jan or feb.

[@Diana1000Smiles]

Blessed? By the Tar Pit god? 🙄

[@strayiggytv]

@@Diana1000Smiles tar pit god is as real as any other lol

[@rowand2263]

😎

[@desperate4dopamine]

@@strayiggytv hahahaha GOT EM! lol that’s a true statement

[@steveoh9285]

I know Laura personally, she is a wonderful, knowledgeable, and dedicated representative of the Tar Pits. Excellent video!

[@nika4843]

Tell her that she needs to make an ASMR youtube series of just her cleaning the fossils with the dental pick. I got major ASMR vibes from seeing her do that.

[@Lolabonezz]

I used to work there a couple years ago & they are still actively excavating to this day! Over 5 million specimens have been found since they began!

[@jamessparkman6604]

Hey here’s an idea why not bring these creatures back to life with DNA from their modern relatives

[@batfurs3001]

I'm so jealous! I'd absolutely LOVE to work there in fossil prep. Unfortunately I live in Europe so I don't think I'll ever get the chance

[@jamessparkman6604]

@@batfurs3001 You may be jealous but I’m not there’s nothing to be jealous of just not a good characteristic jealousy

[@gr3mlin404]

@@jamessparkman6604 It's not that simple. These are fossils, meaning they're mineralized. When this occurs, there is no DNA left to extract. So you wouldn't be able to recreate these species using their modern relatives as you would need DNA from the animal you're trying to bring back. However, there are animals from this era that you would be able to bring back. Those being any preserved in permafrost such as Mammoths. The animals preserved in permafrost still have skin, bones, blood, and even meat that's still edible. These can be recreated using their modern relatives as you have the DNA from the previous animal.

[@jamessparkman6604]

@@gr3mlin404 Well I know affect the tyrannosaur femur did Have DNA put that in your notebook so there

[@mspears_bobobuddytheseniorcat]

It’s weird to think how many creatures died in that small area of the tar pits…. I’ve been there several times and it’s not that large.

[@otroflores91]

Honey trap

[@ortegonadam]

The tar pit today is just a miniscule amount of what is left over decades of time and human terraforming. I'm sure it was an amazing other wordly sight back then

[@veggiedisease123]

It was a lot larger before they started quarrying it for asphalt.

[@charlesnewkirk4776]

The need of water !

[@strayiggytv]

Yeah not only was it bigger back then but every animal that died in it was a lure fir other animals to die in it. You see the same thing in abandoned mines where an animal falls in and other animals fall in trying to get to it.

[@CJ_102]

It's so refreshing to watch people enjoying their craft.

[@dud3655]

Gotta say this looks pretty fun, always loved paleontology and archaeology, there's just something so cool about finding old stuff and fossils in dirt or some other materials

[@curtisthomas2670]

Fun fact: The largest natural deposit of tar/asphalt is the La Brea Pitch Lake in La Brea, Trinidad and Tobago, covering 100 acres and 250 feet deep. Many of the earliest asphalt paved roads in NYC and D.C. were paved with material from this lake. "La Brea" is Spanish for "the tar/pitch".

[@unexpected7837]

Trinidad no longer owns the pitch lake.

[@MyBoomStick1]

@@unexpected7837 lmao they couldn’t make their own so they had to use the natural shit??

[@MyBoomStick1]

@@unexpected7837 lemme guess, some white dude owns it

[@unexpected7837]

@@MyBoomStick1 China owns it . I'm from Trinidad and Tobago so i know

[@sharkbait4653]

@@MyBoomStick1 Racist got ratioed lol

[@anthonyostrovsky]

This girl loves her craft! It’s beautiful to see how passionate she is.

[@Pay-No-Mind]

The patience, skill and attention to detail required is incredible, it just shows you how much these people love what they do, every day is a treasure hunt! 5 year old me would be absolutely losing his shit right now 😂

[@batfurs3001]

19 year old current me is losing her shit right now! It looks SO fun to dig through that. I would LOVE to get my hands on a big clump of that stuff to clean.

[@billrobbins5874]

Heard about these tar pits for forever. First time getting a glimpse of what they hold. Really thank and appreciate being able to finally see some of the animals. ♥️👍♥️

[@ogoe_joeoutdoors1088]

Worth the visit if you ever get a chance

[@Angelina._violet]

I love the tar pits! I live near LA and I've been on so many field trips with my schools over the years. This place is amazing, there is a small museum for the pits which is realllllyyy awesome. It's filled to the brim with amazing fossils and information. They also have lots of games and statues, and its right next to the art museum!! I highly recommend a visit if ever in the area.

[@americanidol434]

I love the gift shop

[@jalanasp]

At every stage my only thought was “I would love this job” this was absolutely fascinating

[@dougdavis8986]

It's not too late. Go do it

[@RowdyUpInHere]

@@dougdavis8986 I bet everyone wants to work in the LA tar pits.

[@maggie5386]

I know right? everything is so captivating!

[@izzfitri6888]

But I don't even have archeological degree.

[@smashingpumpkin1986]

You'd think after the first 40,000 years the sabre-toothed cats would've learned to stop jumping into tar pits 😶

[@swim808s]

Bruh

[@culturebreath369]

🤣🤘

[@dougdavis8986]

@@swim808s people still say bruh????

[@christopherwellman2364]

@@dougdavis8986 no

[@superturkeylegs]

Well, the ones who jumped in took themselves out of the gene pool. I suppose that didn't incentivize tar pit swan dives

[@ericatchley3482]

I was there last year in September and it's one of the coolest places I've ever been. The collection is insane! If your in LA take the time and visit!

[@Diana1000Smiles]

Usually the parts of California I love are on Fire. It's a sad situation, Climate Change, very sad, indeed.

[@snakepl1skin]

i wanna go but i also dont wanna get stabbed or robbed enjoying something i've never experienced LOL

[@ericatchley3482]

@@snakepl1skin I had no problems while I was out there people were nice,might be because they are all high as hell, hung out in Hollywood at night with a bunch of other musicians and had a blast!

[@bearbones4347]

@@Diana1000Smiles oh yah i beleive u lol what a lie but u thought u better ur self to spread

[@GreenCanvasInteriorscape]

Climate change 😅😂😆

[@flumbofrommelkont6863]

Neat how the La Brea fossils are prepared in a similar way with the same materials or techniques as to how old paintings are cleaned and restored, including the use of reversible adhesives that don't harm the object itself that future researchers/restorers can get rid of again. I never thought about it but of course it would be a similar process.

[@gabethedinosaur95]

I remember visiting la brea 20 years ago with my dad and mom and I felt so excited and never wanted to leave the museum. I was just there in June and I felt like a little kid again.

[@babyhecker1113]

Cool mate, i would like to visit there once.

[@ScrubDusters]

You can see how many in the comments who love this work or enjoy at least the viewing of such, proving that discovery ambition will never die

[@artofescapism]

Very cool video! I love hearing researchers discuss their work, and the detail and care that goes into the excavation and preservation of these fossils is very impressive. No place cooler to me than a museum's collections!

[@chejimenez4650]

Went there in 2020 with my wife on our formerly yearly trip to Disneyland and I absolutely loved it there. Excited to go back whenever we're able.

[@goodtobehandy]

Amazing how many creatures lived in the area.

[@mikemiller659]

Around 1987 a friend & I stopped by and I have to tell you the Most amazing thing I witnessed was a homeless man who had trained his cat to take a small plastic spoon that he had filled with a small bit of caned cat food. Taking the spoon in its two paws standing on it's hind feet would feed it's self from the spoon. The Pit was interesting too.

[@desperate4dopamine]

@@mikemiller659 homeless in LA?! Noooooooooooooo. I. Just. Don’t. Believe. You.

[@randyearles9286]

kudos to the staff and volunteers for their time and patience.

[@fableagain]

Imagine how cool ot must be to work there excavating fossils... Wow!

[@daveemerson6549]

I had a Time / Life book of fossils when I was a kid, and have been in love with that deep brown, tobacco tone that Tar Pits fossils have ever since. Beautiful.

[@StaringAtAScreen]

This is probably the coolest video I’ll watch all weekend.

[@GreenCanvasInteriorscape]

Look up the dude in Alaska who's hosing out warehouses full of Bones from his property, he was on Joe Rogan, mastodons Giant bison, sabertooths and woolly rhinoceros, mind-blowing stuff

[@user-em6ie2be7x]

Interesting...it really never hurts to learn something new.

[@Justwantahover]

Except if you were a young earth creationist.

[@mayureshsatam1154]

She loves her job I mean look a her she is so happy and eager to show her tools and technique

[@John.0z]

Visiting the Tar Pits was the highlight of my time in LA! But that was a long time ago.

[@dont-want-no-wrench]

right next to the art museum!

[@treborrobert5674]

an assessment from the extinct to preserve the present, a truly holistic endeavor... great 👍 job !!!

[@crazyliljoe]

I'd probably break everything lol these people are amazing. Thanks for all that you do.

[@Secter84]

That first fat woman looked like she was being rough with those fossils pounding on them with a hammer and chisel like she was. I bet you anything she has broken Tom's of Fossils.

[@josequezada519]

Just going point out this is good quality video work and animation. Good job on the creative team! 👏

[@BrianaCunningham]

This was a super cool video. Love seeing this kind of exploration.

[@Scoobywoo7447]

Imagine what we would find in the deep underwater brine pools, we could literally find completely intact creatures.

[@leonmat26]

Brine pools are absolutely insane.

[@Scoobywoo7447]

@@leonmat26 they are, shame we can't enter them yet.

[@anonymousstout4759]

You're talking about brine pool where a hagfish toxicated themselves right?

[@Scoobywoo7447]

@@anonymousstout4759 yes.

[@r.guerreiro140]

This is really exciting The point is how to get there Dive suits more resembling an exoskeleton maybe??

[@darlathompson8173]

They had a series called La Brea on NBC. It was about a sink hole that opened up in cal and people fell into another dimension back in the Stone Age. Wow.

[@beastmaster0934]

I watched that show, it was pretty neat. Until it got all weird when the dad found out the blonde kid from that tribe was him from the past. Hopefully season 2 is better (if it ever comes out)

[@sixfigureskibum]

In all reality. There was a sink hole that opened because a guy lied on his resume and became the head engineer for the new publ7c transit systems in 90s.. no education at all .. there was methane seeping up onto street surfaces and would catch fire from cigarettes/ matches tossed by pedestrians ... I'd think that guy is still in prison

[@TitularHeroine]

That was a documentary; Laura in this video is excavating the fossil remains of those guys 😁😄😀😐😶 Sorry

[@dougdavis8986]

Based on a true story

[@dougdavis8986]

@@beastmaster0934 yeah. And he was boinking his future mom!

[@parisfrance6483]

I really love this type of work 👍

[@DipsyKoo]

This is super cool! Thank you Laura

[@teabee44]

I love learning about fossils and dinosaurs, thank you

[@Awesomes007]

Thank you. I appreciate the knowledge we gain from this painstaking work.

[@julieinthedesert420]

The The Tar Tar Pits. 😂😂❤❤❤ love this place!

[@robertdiehl1281]

The Tar Pits are an absolutely fascinating place to visit. Very cool video.

[@BarryMacokiner1]

So they have a solution to dissolve the tar but they don’t use it to dissolve it off the bones?

[@Vicky_LA_Barbosa]

They mentioned that they choose to keep some of it inside the bones because it's a Tar-fossile & not a stone fossil.. Seems like Tar fossils are far more delicate than other type of fossil

[@BrandoJay]

This was extremely interesting, especially considering that I have no knowledge in this subject. Very cool video!!

[@randyearles1634]

these people have way more patience than I do. Kudos to all the people involved.

[@madnessintomagic]

7:37… North America had camels? Also, how does one get a job in the lab just cleaning the fossils. What a relaxing and worthwhile thing to do!

[@RugMann]

Camels originally evolved in North America millions of years ago. Llamas and alpacas are some of the closest living genetic relatives of Camels

[@kristolball]

I find it amazing how more and more of these fossils are being located with soft tissue still on the bones.

[@unclestoma4699]

i was helping a buddy remodel his basement we found a horse skeleton

[@GreenCanvasInteriorscape]

What location? A woolly mammoth skull was found near me in Minnetonka 10 ft below the ground when they were building the freeways 40 or so years ago

[@vice.nor.virtue]

I would love to put that gigantic hunk of dry tar and bone into a vat of solvent and just watch it all gently dismantle into a pile of bones. So. Satisfying.

[@RITAD1]

I saw the tar pits early 2000s. Fascinating place.

[@AleksHQ]

Pit 91 sounds like a rock band

[@corknakovastein]

So crazy that Alaska is having bigger findings than this. Super cool either way, definitely making us rethink what we know about paleontology

[@yaslinegonzalez359]

La is not the place that has tar pit with bunch of fossil in it there been other places across the world with tar pit

[@kingboagart899]

LA warm Alaska cold.

[@Imjustacatlady]

Do you need a degree to do the specialized fossil cleaning? That's what an artist does on the daily!

[@sixfigureskibum]

Ypu are aware that there are actually degrees in higher education to be an actual artist? And that ordinary uneducated people collect fossils every day? We dug fossils as kids drive distance from Arcadia in LA county... so cal. But now I l7ve in Utah and fossils are everywhere... especially dinosaur national park..

[@Godwinpounds4333]

Hello how are you doing?

[@smmfdftbh]

This is so cool, I would love to dig for fossils all day

[@realWorsin]

How many sabretooth skulls do we really need to dig up? Seems we spend a lot of money digging up bones just to put them in some box.

[@witblitsfilm]

Incredible, looking forward to visiting in a few weeks! Nice to see South Africa represented in LA Stephany!

[@williamavery9185]

Many finders and collectors...never give your finds to a museum. It will be put away downstairs....for ever. Sell it, it will be treasured and admired by its new custodion.

[@godrilla5549]

Or use them to play the drums

[@dannygreen592]

I wish someone did a video on the nature of tarp pits. I’m amazed and want to know what causes them to form.

[@importanttingwei7747]

OIL companies should be in this place to extract the tar with scientists to help with the energy demand of the local government

[@vice.nor.virtue]

I reckon they would suck up or destroy too many fossils. A similar thought crossed my mind, too. Besides, America already has enough oil reservoirs, it doesn't _have_ to use these pits.

[@antoniousai1989]

Tar is a terrible fuel. It releases lots of chemicals.

[@alt8791]

The oil isn’t usable, but believe me there’s a lot of oil extraction in Southern California.

[@dougdavis8986]

Dork

[@strayiggytv]

Yeah this isn't usable oil and even if it was, oil is a temporary energy solution anyway. You're basically advocating for a bandaid over a gaping wound.

[@MrGaborseres]

Keep digging 💪👍🤗 We're watching and enjoying 👍👍

[@shoulderdestroyer6124]

All these fossils remind me of pokemon

[@kaeganperry5716]

I was immediately captivated by Laura! Her personality and passion are killer and really elevate this from a typical dumbed down science video!

[@joepalomar105]

10 hrs haha a Mexican will do that in 30 mins

[@malusdraco3793]

i would like nothing more than to spend hours every day sitting in front of a fossil and cleaning it up. what a dream!

[@1998ichigokurosaki98]

Where are angry religious fans?

[@dougdavis8986]

In japan

[@STho205]

You're angry enough.

[@Skyset_angel]

So wild that such a horrifying way to die could lead future researchers to learn about life in different time periods.

[@ritswik]

Homeless people can do this job.

[@thecommunistowl811]

If they were trained in paleontology I guess. But that's a really weird thing to say

[@bconni2]

if the La Brea tar pits were anywhere in the world, it would still be amazing. but the fact it happens to be right in the middle of Los Angeles makes it even more interesting.

[@jeffreysokal7264]

Great video; great info - Thanks.

[@Jarod-te2bi]

This is cooler then anything on (entertainment weekly television, TMZ, or people magazine)

[@KPZivot]

Fascinating hope we humans invest more into such research before our end. love from india

[@davidr2680]

Really enjoyed watching the video! it was very informative and helpful for a research project

[@heyheyhey7757]

such a pleasant person ❤

[@TheMovieUniverse]

I've always wondered how they got fossils out of there. Thanks for posting this!

[@GaitaPonto]

what an incredible collection. colossal is the best term, no doubt.

[@ManuelArmenta-qw1cu]

Thanks for all this great information and for the real care that you all have on the conservation of our magnificent world God Bless !!!

[@PetterBruland]

Next part of that project should be to do a high quality 3d scan. Then it could be shared for schools to 3d print replicas for class room use etc. Very cool video, thanks!

[@32OJSimpson32]

Recently visited the tar pits when I was in LA. I highly recommend it.

[@tdpmayhemyt]

I used to live right around the corner from this place.

[@mikeyd946]

Very neat! I hope to visit there one day!

[@LivingWithGout]

The La Brea Tar Pit rival the wealth of many nations combined.

[@Blimpie1000]

I have been there a couple of times. I have mainly viewed the pit easily accessible to the public; has some sort of statues of the animals. On my shelf is a bottle of "Goo" from the pits. Very cool!!!!

[@susanbellman3093]

In fourth grade, my teacher reported that they figured out that the debris being tossed when cleaning fossils was plants. So much there.

[@otroflores91]

What year was that around?

[@SegzWithTedCruz]

I would do anything for a fossil restoration ASMR channel

[@kaizusmyguyzus6469]

It’s not all so quiet… once the power tools come out I doubt it would be relaxing

[@SegzWithTedCruz]

@@kaizusmyguyzus6469 Who doesn't love a peaceful sound of a dremel on high with a brush attachment lol

[@cripplermaximus]

I want a job cleaning the fossils. Seems chill.

[@WinterroSP]

Are there any Mesozoic tar pits? Ik they are short lived, however I’d love to see how an entire ecosystem would look look back then.

[@slook7094]

That sound of that hook scraping against bones sends chills up my spine. Reminds me of the dentist.

[@samanthasimental3788]

When I was young growing up in East L.A. i loved when our school had field trips to the tar pits and the mesuems.

[@KerriEverlasting]

My goodness that's fascinating

[@Firestorm637]

Wow!!! Super interesting!!! Lots of patience

[@tuspu8255]

They got the coolest job ever

[@architectinth]

Well, thank you for your work.

[@martoneduard]

I loved this episode!

[@kickazz2730]

Went there in the early 2000s, it was an amazing place to see and learn about extinct animals from the past. More interesting was La Brea was in the heart of LA.

[@davidjohnson1414]

Excellent Thankyou So Informative So Well Presented 🎁

[@shelbyseelbach9568]

If I'm not mistaken, these aren't actually fossils. These are preserved remains. For fossilization, the original material is replaced by another, making the fossil more of a casting of the original remains, not the actual preserved remains, themselves. These are actual bones, whereas fossils are not. Correct?

[@WunHungLo99]

That is exactly what I was thinking.

[@MorningThief_]

5:37 WASHI-KOZO FAM! WHERE MY BAUMGARTNER PEEPS AT!?!?

[@americanidol434]

I love this place and the gift shop. I just went there

[@YouPousti]

This channel and many others seriously need to upload full length documentaries this 10-15min stuff gets your attention then damn finishes

[@soxpeewee]

I feel like the visiting parking lot should be very well maintained based on the amount of available asphalt

[@Yotb-m8q]

That Tar is no joke. Im one of the miners who endured all the hazards. It was quite the fight.

[@tinkmarshino]

Did you really say "she will use a little adhesive" as she goops a bunch of glue all over the bone? That was funny.. Fabulous collection I could spend years there studying those remains.. thanks