Secrets of Red Mesa

Each summer, Dr. Mira Chen leads students into the dry Red Mesa badlands. Their expedition follows exposed rock layers toward a valley once covered by water. Mira teaches geology by asking the team to compare stones from each layer. Color, grain size, and position help them trace the region's long history. This year, they hope to find animals that lived before the lake vanished.

On the first morning, Luis spots several narrow tracks crossing a slab. The prints came from a biped animal, since only two alternating feet touched the mud. Nearby, a broken fossil sticks from a wall of crumbly sandstone. The crew must construct a wooden frame around the block before moving it. Joined boards hold the fragile stone steady during the rough truck ride. They also stretch a pentagon of bright cord around the site. Its five corners mark where tools and heavy boots must stay outside.

At noon, the thermometer reaches 101 degrees, and the rocks become hot. Canvas shades reduce the sunlight falling on both workers and fossils. Air can move beneath the cloth, while direct rays strike the ground outside. This has the effect of cooling the work area and slowing cracks. Mira explains that sudden heat can split bones preserved for millions of years. To survive the afternoon, everyone drinks water and rests under the canvas.

After two weeks, the team uncovers a small skull and part of a leg. The bones resemble a creature discovered in the same valley a decade earlier. That earlier find had missing teeth, but this skull still holds six. Back at camp, students map both fossil sites and nearby water sources. Their geography project examines landforms, travel routes, and how local ranchers use scarce water. The maps also reveal an old stream channel between the two sites. Mira thinks floods buried both animals beneath sand, protecting their remains. Months later, careful tests may show whether the fossils belong to one species. For now, the students pack their notes and watch sunset redden the cliffs.