Unearth your inner paleontologist

A weekend of fossils is sure to leave an impression during the annual Paleopalooza festival at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University.

The two-day festival on Saturday and Sunday will feature seldom-seen specimens from the academy and the Delaware Valley Paleontological Society. Guests can become a dinosaur CSI and solve a mystery from millions of years ago, meet a 15-foot-long animatronic T. rex, and also take guided tours of Dinosaur Hall at 10 a.m., noon, 2, and 4 p.m.

Visitors can watch paleontological specimens prepared for the unveiling of a new kind of Patagonian dinosaur from Argentina. You can also learn about the fossil record, which illustrates evolutionary changes over the last four billion years, and then make a fossil-inspired CD cover among other activities.

At 11 a.m., 1, and 3 p.m. on Saturday; and 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Sunday, Scott Sampson from the PBS children's series Dinosaur Train will give a fun all-ages presentation on dinosaurs.

Later on Sunday, at 3 p.m., dinosaur aficionados can hear his talk, "Dr. Scott Sampson: New Discoveries." All Paleopalooza activities are free with academy admission, except Sampson's presentations, which are $7.50 per show. Tickets must be purchased by 5 p.m. Friday at www.ansp.org.

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