Paleontology and Evolutionary Biology With Kristen Miller M.A.
By Jessica Marie Kristen Miller is a vertebrate paleontologist, she graduated with her Masters of Arts degree in Evolutionary Biology in spring 2021. She received her Bachelors of Arts from Colorado State University in Biological Anthropology. She has been doing paleontology for about five years now, and she is about to start her PhD in the fall of 2021. What drew you to anthropology and then to paleontology? When I graduated from high school, I had a varied list of things that I was interested in such as working in the film industry or book editor. Since I wasn’t sure what path I wanted to take, I went to a local community college to help me try different things in hopes of narrowing down a focus. There I took some anthropology classes. I first took cultural anthropology which was very interesting. I then looked into anthropology to see what else that field offered, which led me to find biological anthropology and I fell in love with it. Once I graduated with my Associates of Arts, I looked at what degrees were available at my local university, which was Colorado State University. I found they had a Bachelors of Biological Anthropology and signed up. My first year at CSU, I took a primate evolution course, which I loved. So, for a time, I thought I was going to change course a little and go into primatology research. But the same professor who taught that course, Kimberly Nichols, also taught a paleontology field school up in Wyoming. At first, I didn’t have an interest in paleontology, but I thought that having some field work in my resume would look good for graduate school. So, I signed up to take that field school. I went there not knowing anything about paleontology and I fell in love with it immediately. After I completed my first year of that field school, I went back for two more years as a Teaching Assistant and that sealed the deal for me. I knew all I wanted to do was field work to look for fossils. The best way to do that is to go to graduate school. I applied and got accepted to study evolutionary biology and specifically early primate evolution. Unfortunately, you can’t get paid only to look for fossils, you can volunteer but that’s not the same. You have to be working in a lab or museum to get paid to look for fossils, and to do those jobs you need a Doctorate. Which has led me down this path that I am on. What was your Masters Thesis and what will your Doctorate studies be? The Phylogenetic Reconstruction and Biogeographic Implications of Two New Species of Paromomyid Plesiadapiforms from a unique High Arctic Ecosystem of Eocene Canada was my Masters Thesis title. To break that down, a Plesiadapiform is an early mammal. These guys were around after the dinosaurs went extinct, 66-34 million years ago. These creatures have no living relatives or descendants that exist today. Their closest living relatives would be primates or colugos (flying lemurs, which are not actual lemurs). I was able to study two new species of plesiadapiforms from Elsmere Island in Northeastern Canada close to Greenland. This was interesting as they were in the arctic circle, so they would have lived in a polar light regime. Six months of light and six months of darkness. We don’t have any others that have lived in such extreme conditions. Which made for a really interesting research opportunity. I looked at their phylogenetics, how they are related to other plesiadapiforms and their relation to plesiadapiforms from North American and Europe. Which are they more closely related to, if either. I also looked at their geographic distribution, how they got from where they lived before to where we found them in the arctic circle. For my PhD, I am not yet sure what I will be studying. I could carry on with my research from Elsmere Island. But I may look into other areas of research to broaden my knowledge and areas of research. I have recently found an interest in early mammals which were alive at the same time as the dinosaurs. But my current expertise is in the Paleocene and Eocene eras. How can you tell what climate these creatures were living in? We work closely with Geologists. They can tell where the continents were 55 million years ago, which is how old the fossils I studied for this Thesis were. They calculated the location was in the arctic circle, which we know experiences 6 months of daylight and 6 months of darkness, or some similar variation of a polar light regime. But the climate that far north during that time was much warmer. This was during the early Eocene climatic optimum, which was a very warm greenhouse event. There were no polar ice caps, winter temperatures even that far north would have only been just above freezing. It would have been fairly warm, so these plesiadapiforms didn’t have to survive arctic winters like we think of them now. We can tell this from the fauna, animal fossils, and flora, plant fossils. Such as finding turtles, alligators, or tropical plants, we know what climates these creatures live in now. Which gives us an idea of the climate of the area at that time. Where have you done most of your study or fossil finding? I have personally only worked in Wyoming. From CSU field school and even with my current advisor, we are working in Wyoming for the time being. The fossils I used for my Masters studies were found in the 1970’s by Paleontologist Mary Dawson. She and her team found them and those fossils have been passed down in the lab and I was able to study them. Unfortunately, I have never been to the arctic, but it snows year-round up there so I am not terribly disappointed to have not been up there, she chuckles. What are the most common types of fossils you have found? Perissodactyls, which are odd-toed ungulates. A living example would be horses or rhinos. These early relatives were much smaller in the Paleocene and Eocene eras, roughly dog-sized. They are very common to find fossil-wise. We also find Coryphodon throughout North America, they were about hippo size. We also find tiny primates and carnivores. It’s an exciting time period to be studying as we can see when mammals are beginning to diversify. Even though many of these plesiodapiforms don’t have direct living descendants that we can see alive today, it is amazing to see these early forms and what they evolved into as for what we do see around us today. What are your dream goals once you graduate? My dream job is to work in a museum doing fossil preparation, museum curation, or collections management. What do you like least or find the most frustrating about this field of study? For me, I love the field work. I wouldn’t trade that for anything. But the rest of the year is reading journal articles and doing tedious work with the fossils. And while it is working with fossils, which I love, the coding for each trait and taxa, and examining teeth under a microscope can get very tedious. Collecting data and compiling papers. I only get to do 2-4 weeks of actual field work a year, the rest of the year is in the lab. Being out in the field really recharges me and is the most amazing part of this field. What is it like being a woman in science? I feel very lucky with my experience so far. My teachers and mentors at CSU were very kind and encouraging. At my current universities’ lab, it is fairly well split between male and female. Everyone is encouraging and helpful in their areas of expertise. It isn’t like dinosaur paleontology, chemistry, or other STEM careers that are more male dominated. What has been the most exciting thing that has happened for you so far? Graduating with my masters was a very big accomplishment for me. I had been very nervous about defending my thesis, but I did it and I graduated with honors. It’s proof to myself that I can do this and I am good at it. I am also submitting my first academic journal article to be published by the end of the summer. Of course, finding fossils, especially very small ones that are easy to miss, are a huge boost for me. Do you work with a lot of scientists from other fields? Oh yes, we can and do talk with people in various fields who may have expertise in a field or have knowledge that I am less adept in. We seek each other out to ask questions. What are your hobbies? I read a lot, especially during off months when I am not reading journal articles all day. I enjoy reading fiction. I also love to bake. Baking is my creative passion, my creative outlet, a way of getting out of my type-A science brain. During the pandemic I did some macramé wall hangings. I have recently begun to take in a lot of house plants. My back-up goals if everything falls apart are to start a bakery or a goat farm in Scotland. Resources:
Find Kristen on Instagram @kristen.miller2756 and on Twitter @Kristen_paleo Hope you enjoyed learning about mammalian paleontology, evolutionary biology and more from the amazing Kristen Miller! Much Love, Jessica Marie
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My Experience with Floor Sleeping
By Jessica Marie I grew up my whole life using a traditional western-style bed. Thick mattress, lofty, fluffy, pillow top. This was fine for most of my life, but in recent years I started to notice more and more back pain. I would go to the chiropractor anytime from once a week to once or twice a month. This would help but it seemed abnormal to me. I asked advice from an acquaintance if she had any resources that she might suggest outside of the medical field for me to research or try. She suggested I read 8 Steps to a Pain Free Back by Esther Gokhale and Earthing by Clinton Ober. This set me on my path to floor sleeping. Earthing & Beyond I began to earth more regularly and with intention. In warmer months I try to walk or sit barefoot (skin on ground) on the lawn every day. With the further knowledge from my research that softer sleeping conditions are not best or conducive for everyone, I decided to research even more. I found other people in blogs and YouTube videos who engaged in floor sleeping for some of the same back issues as I was experiencing. Others did so out of a desire to live more minimally. I also found that in many Asian cultures they traditionally sleep on the floor or on harder mattresses/surfaces. People I found engaged in floor sleeping arrangements that varied from a yoga mat, blankets, to shiki butons and futons. I was fascinated and had to give it a try. Floor Sleeping I decided on a full size Japanese inspired shiki buton. I simply measured the size of my current bed (as I wanted to maintain the size) and chose a floor mattress that matched that size. A true, traditional shiki buton or futon can still be purchased, hand made via ancient tradition in Japan today. I decided to switch to floor sleeping at the very beginning of the pandemic (April 2020). Due to shut downs, shipping slow-downs, and cost I purchased my mat on Amazon. It is not made of the same traditional materials, but it fit with my needs at that time. You can see my unboxing and several updates on my floor sleeping journey on TikTok (wayfaring_jessica). My Experience My personal experience has been positive. My back pain decreased and has stayed lower ever since the switch. I started on carpeted floors, so I needed nothing under the mattress (which is about 3 inches thick). When I moved and now am on a wood floor (in a basement so concrete under the wood floor) I added a 1.5 inch foam pad under the bed. It simply was too hard to comfortably lay/sleep on. You can use camping mats/pads, a tatami mat, blankets, etc. in order to provide a little extra loft/cushion under a floor mat. Pros and Cons Pros include less back pain, better sleep, easy to move and clean mat. Cons include being on the floor and having to adjust to getting up off the floor. Being on the floor (and in a basement) can lead to more bugs/spiders in/on/near the bed. Being on the floor, the bedding can get dirty quickly and will need to be washed regularly. You also lose any storage space under the bed. I am going to be building a platform for the bed so that I can regain some of the storage space while, hopefully, not losing any of the benefits of being on the floor. How I Care for my Bed Once a month to once a quarter I take my floor mattress and hang it out over a railing in the sunshine. This airs it out helping to rid bacteria, sweat, dirt, dust, etc. trapped in the bed. I wash all sheets every 2-4 weeks. Conclusion I have been using this sleeping system since June 2020 and I have enjoyed it ever since. I currently have no plans to switch back to a traditional western style bed. I’m glad to have discovered this method of sleeping and encourage you to research for yourself if this might be a good fit for you as well. Much Love, Jessica Marie Disclaimer: I am not a doctor or other medical professional. Nor am I an expert on these sleeping methods or cultures. Please listen and defer to those who have first-hand cultural knowledge as far as terms, pieces, etc. This is merely my own understanding from the research I have done. I very well could misunderstand or be incorrect. I am open to any and all corrections, if you find anything I have said to be wrong or offensive please let me know and I will correct it. Please speak with your doctor, chiropractor, or other health care professional before switching to this or any type of sleeping method. This does not count as medical advice. Always seek proper counsel. Monthly Catch Up: July 2021
By Jessica Marie Hello and welcome to another personal journal style update from me. June was a really busy month, but July is shaping up to be a good month for getting out and about. Things are opening up here in Maine and events are happening again. My parents happened upon a horse race the other day, people are having more yard and estate sales, and things are slowly returning to normal. It took me a long time to accept and adjust to the shut downs from the pandemic but I am happily bouncing back to some of the normalcy we had pre-pandemic. If not appreciating the more home-body nature I have adopted. Personal Update I have realized some of my mental thought processes and issues come from anxiety. Which are just untrue thoughts. So, when I find them popping up I immediately try to combat them with something completely opposite and more truthful. I’m not perfect at it, but I am trying and willing to try and lessen my anxiety any way I can (that is healthy). I have really been leaning into slow living. Which, after research is exactly that, living slowly, in the present, with intention. Putting aside thoughts and “shoulds” in favor of being present, peaceful and happy in the moment. Spending time just sitting outside in the sun with my pup (he *loves* to lay in the sun no matter how hot it is), simply watching the hens and guineas walk and scratch around the property, enjoying the bloom of a flower. It helps me to see and enjoy the beauty that is all around me. To put aside the hustle of modern life and live just a little more simply. Brand Update I have found a good routine for my brand. How much I can get done in a week, what is a reasonable amount of work that I can keep up with and not get burnt out. I have, for now, decided to come back to social media. I am still taking a ‘if it brings me joy’ approach to my posting. But I have found a schedule and posting idea that brings me joy. I am also working on something big with my family that we will be debuting soon. It is something I have wanted to do for awhile now, but everyone is on board so we are going to give it a shot. Stay tuned for the big news! Writing update The beginning of June I spent most of my time focusing on my short story for the competition. I didn’t work on my novel or other projects as much except for when I was waiting for feedback. I had five beta-readers for my short story and they were so incredibly wonderful! They had such great feedback and insights to help me make the story that much better. I am feeling very confident about this short story and my chances in the competition. I will let you know how it goes as soon as I find out the results. I have found a pretty steady routine in my novel writing. Write some of the story, then go back to back story. I move from one to the next every couple of weeks. I have also come to accept that I do not write every day. I have a lot on my plate with this brand, my work, and running our small but ever-expanding homestead. I used to beat myself up mentally about this fact. With thoughts like “a writer who doesn’t write isn’t a writer” or “you’ll never be a real writer with a schedule like this”. But I have been working on it, and seeing posts from published authors saying, ‘those voices are a lie, you can be a writer no matter how you write, just do what you can’ has been very encouraging. My stories are in my mind constantly and I do write 4-5 days a week. But I also take days off to rest and recuperate so that I can come back refreshed and ready to tackle the story. I do not want to become burnt out on writing. I would rather work at a slightly slower pace but retain excitement about the process, than overburden myself and lose my joy for writing. I am also working on writing another eBook workbook. It is going to be the second of a two part workbook and I want to release both at the same time. The first one is complete, once I finish the second one I will begin to edit both workbooks. Homestead Update I have decided that homesteading, having always been a dream of mine, is a part of my life now and so I am going to update on it. We are a very small wholistic homestead at this time. But that is how all homesteads start. Or at least it is the best way to start, slow and steady. For now, we have 30 hens. 25 Rhode Island Red, 3 Partridge Cochin, and 2 Blue Wyandotte. Plus, the Rhode Island Red rooster named Richard Roo. We also have 4 guinea fowl. One was attacked by something, we aren’t sure what. We have quarantined him to give him a chance to rest and get better without being picked on by the others. Or be attacked again as an easy target. No major injuries luckily, just a lot of pulled feathers. We completed the garden in June. We built the garden close to the trees, which we found drop slugs in the summer. So, every day we go on ‘slug runs’ to catch them before they can eat the plants. We also ordered drip line hoses which is really helping us save water and keep the weeds down by only watering what we want to grow. We laid straw down over the rows to help keep weeds down and keep moisture in the soil. We have mulched the walkways. We are not using chemicals in the garden so we are doing everything naturally. Books I read in June reviews: The Lost Years of Merlin by T.A. Barron: This was a fun book! If you have ever read Susan Cooper’s The Dark is Rising this book had a similar feel. I am a sucker for Arthurian legend stories and this was a good read for that genre. There is something about the older fantasy stories that don’t have all the fluff of modern books but are full of heart, with prose that feels old but is still easily understandable. I loved the adventure of this story, how everything tied together in the end. The authors note was a great touch as well. I had to take a few days off after finishing it as I knew I would be missing the story and wasn’t yet ready to start another. This book followed the very early years of Merlin, from birth to about 12 years old. How he gained the name Merlin and learned to use his magic. If you are looking for a fun, short read and love Merlin as Arthurian legend this book will not disappoint. Earth and Other Ethics: The Case for Moral Pluralism by Christopher Stone: This was a difficult read but overall, a good one. He speaks at a very high-level and educated tone, which I think is required for the topic he is covering. But to get the idea to the masses and general public this book would fail. It is not a quick read and takes concentration, but if this is a topic of interest you will not be disappointed. He begins with our current legal system and how it would and does attempt to incorporate Earth and its other non-human inhabitants. But our current system is overall ill-equipped for such issues. He then guides the reader through philosophy and how that can guide us to a different moral stance and thus a legal system that could be better equipped to deal with non-human interests, rights, and morality. A truly fascinating read and I do recommend. One I will need to read more than once, but I would like to think on and try to incorporate more of this into my thought processes. American Melancholy by Joyce Carol Oates: If you follow politics and science this is a good read. She delves into historical moments and explores them in poetry. I particularly loved her segments on old psychology experiments like Little Albert and the monkeys with wire mothers. She considers the humanity of these tests, what wasn’t published but what else we may have learned about humans and the mind by the very fact that we conducted these experiments. Overall, it is a rather dark and melancholic series of poems, but a well written reflection on American values. Note: All books I purchased myself. I read and reviewed of my own accord. I was not paid, prompted, or promoted to read or review these works in any way. I do not receive any money or other stipends from these reviews. Books I am Currently Reading: The Iron Tower: The Dark Tide by Dennis L. McKiernan High Tide in Tucson by Barbara Kingsolver Podcasts I am Binging Right Now: Be There in Five with Kate Kennedy The Definitely Not Simple Life with Angela, Renee, and Mandi I hope your summer is treating you well, that you can stay cool and hydrated. Read a good book, relax but still work toward your goals, be present, and enjoy the little things. In the end, it is the little things that make up the whole of our lives. Much Love, Jessica Marie |
AuthorJessica Marie Cunningham - Intentional lifestyle blogger, aspiring author, and podcast host. All things Slow Living, Books, Writing, Art, creativity, Christianity, and personal stories. Archives
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