Join Cool Science for Science on Tap every 2nd Monday of the month upstairs* at Jack Quinn’s Irish Pub & Restaurant in downtown Colorado Springs. Presenters begin at 6:30 pm and typically speak for 60-90 minutes including Q&A, with food and drink available beginning at 6:00 pm. A wide variety of fascinating topics are presented by local scientists for informal discussion, and the relaxed atmosphere encourages anyone and everyone to come explore the latest ideas in science and technology. From practical to theoretical, the presentations and group interactions provide a fun and interesting way to gain an understanding of the world around us.
* unfortunately there is no elevator
Join Cool Science for Science on Tap every 2nd Monday of the month upstairs* at Jack Quinn’s Irish Pub & Restaurant in downtown Colorado Springs. Presenters begin at 6:30 pm and typically speak for 60-90 minutes including Q&A, with food and drink available beginning at 6:00 pm. A wide variety of fascinating topics are presented by local scientists for informal discussion, and the relaxed atmosphere encourages anyone and everyone to come explore the latest ideas in science and technology. From practical to theoretical, the presentations and group interactions provide a fun and interesting way to gain an understanding of the world around us.
* unfortunately there is no elevator
Next up: Monday, February 9, 2026 at 6:30 pm.
A Dung’s Eye View of Dinosaur Life during the Late Cretaceous
Dr. Karen Chin, Univ. of Colorado Boulder Geological Sciences Dept.
Summary: Most people are familiar with fossil bones, shells, wood, and leaves, but fewer people know that ancient dung can also be fossilized. Indeed, coprolites (fossil feces) can shed light on trophic interactions in ancient communities, the feeding behavior of extinct animals, and the movement of carbon resources through paleoecosystems. A rare assemblage of fossilized feces from the Upper Cretaceous Kaiparowits Formation of southern Utah in the United States reveals surprising dietary residues that challenge common assumptions about the feeding behavior of large herbivorous dinosaurs. This discovery points to feeding habits that we rarely see in the biggest herbivores living today and reminds us of fundamental differences in life history strategies between megaherbivorous mammals and dinosaurs. It also demonstrates that we still have much to learn about ancient ecosystems.
Dr. Karen Chin is a Professor and Curator of Paleontology at the University of Colorado Boulder. Dr. Chin's fascination with living organisms led her to earn a bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of California at San Diego and to work as a U.S. National Park Service naturalist for many summers. Her interest in ancient organisms began when she worked for dinosaur paleontologist, Jack Horner at the Museum of the Rockies at Montana State University. She continued her studies with paleobotanist Bruce Tiffney at the University of California at Santa Barbara, where she received her doctorate. Dr. Chin's research focuses on reconstructing ancient ecosystems and fossil evidence for less popular extinct organisms. She is best known for her research on fossilized dinosaur dung; this unusual line of inquiry provides information about extinct animals that cannot be extracted from other types of fossils.
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