Ken Lacovara, a renowned paleontologist known for discovering the Dreadnoughtus dinosaur species, has shifted his research focus to southern New Jersey. What began as a modest excavation site behind a strip mall in Mantua Township has evolved into the Edelman Fossil Park & Museum, which recently opened to the public. The discovery challenged Lacovara’s initial assumption that the region held no remaining paleontological value, as he and his team have since recovered over 100,000 fossils representing more than 100 species.
The quarry contains a distinctive sediment layer documenting the period immediately following the asteroid impact that occurred 66 million years ago. According to Lacovara, the impact triggered a 10.3 magnitude earthquake that crossed North America within minutes, followed by another seismic event approximately 15 minutes later. Global temperatures subsequently rose dramatically within an hour, creating conditions inhospitable to large animals like dinosaurs. The research indicates that dinosaurs became functionally extinct within roughly one hour of the impact, despite having dominated Earth for 165 million years.
Following the initial catastrophe, a 130-foot tsunami swept dinosaur remains into the ocean, where they accumulated on the seafloor to form the bonebed now studied by researchers. Lacovara characterizes this deposit as the most comprehensive record available of the extinction event and considers the site to offer an unparalleled window into this pivotal moment in Earth’s history.
Edelman Fossil Park & Museum allows visitors to engage directly with paleontology through hands-on fossil excavation and museum exhibits. Lacovara emphasizes that the facility combines world-class museum infrastructure with an active excavation site, a combination he notes exists nowhere else. Beyond educational recreation, he advocates for visitors to reflect on the extinction event through a climate perspective, drawing parallels between the asteroid’s catastrophic impact and contemporary climate challenges. The park provides climate action resources and operates under the motto “Discover the past, protect the future.”
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