Make Your Own Fossils | Atlanta Science Festival

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dinosaur imprint in dough

Did you know that the oldest discovered fossils show life on Earth began more than 3.5 million years ago?

  1. Create your own fossils by making a simple dough of 1 cup salt, 2 cups flour and 3/4 cup water.
  2. Form the dough into 6 rounds shaped like cookies and press dinosaur toys or other items into the dough to create impressions in the rounds.
  3. Remove the items from the dough and take a photo of the impressions you made by clicking “Submit Evidence” in the app.
  4. Your mission is now complete, BUT you can continue to form your fossils by putting them on a cookie sheet and have an adult help you bake them at 200 degrees for 45-60 minutes to harden the fossils.
  5. Watch the video below where Mercer University Assistant Professor of Anatomy Dr. Francis Kirera explains how real-life fossils are formed.

This mission is brought to you by Mercer University and Mercer Health Sciences Center, proud sponsors of Science ATL.

The “Make Your Own Fossils” activity is part of the 2021 Atlanta Science Festival‘s City Science Quest. Learn how to participate.

 

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