Alberta Palaeontological Society

The Meeting Place for Amateur and Professional Palaeontologists

APS members listening to a description of the Devil's Coulee fossil locality

The Alberta Palaeontological Society (APS) is a non-profit organization founded in 1986. Our main goal is to promote the science of palaeontology through study and education. The APS makes important contributions to the field by discovering new findings and responsibly collecting, curating, and displaying significant fossil specimens. We are passionate about educating the general public, sharing knowledge about palaeontological discoveries, and fostering an appreciation for the ancient past.

Moreover, the society is committed to preserving palaeontological materials for the benefit of future generations. To achieve our mission, the APS actively collaborates with professional and academic communities, working together to safeguard and enhance the understanding of Alberta's rich cultural heritage.

The Alberta Palaeontological Society is dedicated to spreading the wonders of palaeontology, ensuring that people of all ages can explore and appreciate the fascinating world of prehistoric life.

Announcements

Paleo 2024 Call for Posters

The planning for the Paleo 2024 Symposium is really ramping up! In particular, we have published our first circular and are now looking for poster submissions for the symposium. If you have some research related to palaeontology you’re interested in sharing, take a look at the symposium page for additional details.

For more information, see the symposium page.

New Location for APS Videos On YouTube!

By Mona Trick

After several missteps, I have reconfigured the APS YouTube channel. Now the APS YouTube channel can be found at https://youtube.com/@albertapaleo. To make it easier to find a particular video, now the videos are arranged in the following playlists:

The old APS channels (@albertapalaeontologicalsociety and @albertapaleosoc6789) have been removed.

New T-Shirt Design!

We have a new t-shirt design by our own President, Cory Gross!

The new t-shirt design

In his own words,

“The new t-shirt design is meant to celebrate the diversity of Alberta’s prehistory and connections with our neighbouring regions. Flanking the APS logo to the left and right are a Pachyrhinosaurus lakustai from Pipestone Creek and a Bison latifrons, the ice-age longhorn buffalo that ranged across North America. Beneath the Pachyrhinosaurus is Albertonectes vanderveldei from the Bearpaw Formation, which is the world’s longest known elasmosaur. Beneath the Bison are a representative rugose coral, brachiopod, and scaphite ammonite. Directly beneath the APS logo are stromatolites, referencing the 1.1-billion-year-old Siyeh Formation fossils found in the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park and Castle Wildland Provincial Park area. Above the Pachyrhinosaurus is a giant lycopod tree like Lepidodendron or Sigillaria, representing the Stigmaria site that used to exist in Canyon Creek. Stigmaria is the name assigned to the root fossils of these ancient lycopods. One of less than a handful of Stigmaria sites in Canada, the site in Canyon Creek was apparently wiped out by the 2013 floods. Above the Bison is a Metasequoia tree, the leaves, twigs, and cones of which are common Late Cretaceous and Early Cenozoic fossils in Alberta. Between them is a volcano representing the 110-million-year-old eruption in the Cranbrook, B.C., area that deposited the Crowsnest Volcanics here in Alberta. Blairemorite is a rare volcanic rock known only from the Crowsnest Volcanics site in the Crowsnest Pass and the Lupata Gorge in Mozambique. The volcano is also a tribute to late APS member Phil Benham, who had a passion for climbing volcanoes around the world and passed away earlier this year.”

You can see the finished shirt below:

A picture of the new t-shirt with the design

They are available for purchase in person at our meetings or by using this order form at a cost of $20 for APS members and $15 for non-members.

Next Event

Monthly Meeting

Monthly Meeting: December 2023 - Potluck and Social!

Friday, December 8, 2023 7:30 PM - 9 PM

The Alberta Palaeontological Society welcomes CSPG (CEGA) members, families and the general public to the December Christmas Social and Open House.

The evening will start with a potluck dinner at 7:30 PM followed by a social evening. Bring your fossils from your summer field trips! APS members will have specimens on display and resident experts will be on hand to help identify fossils that are brought in.

Please note that this meeting is on the 2nd Friday of the month rather then the usual 3rd Friday of the month.

For more information, see our events page.

Become a Member!

Become a member of the Alberta Palaeontological Society and unlock a world of palaeontological discovery. Engage with fellow enthusiasts, support fossil education, and gain exclusive access to field trips and resources that enrich your understanding of prehistoric life. Join us today and embark on a journey through time together.

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The APS has a new book for sale!

APS Books for Sale

Refer to the Store link on this website for cost, how to purchase a copy and other details. These books will also be available for purchase at our monthly meetings.

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