Talks at Colorado Scientific Society Meetings in 2026
CSS January 2026 Meeting
The evolution and recovery of plant life across the Cretaceous–Paleogene mass extinction
Thursday, January 15, 2026
Dr. Gussie Maccracken, Assistant Curator of Paleobotany at Denver Museum of Nature and Science
This meeting was held at Calvary Church Golden and on Zoom.
Abstract: The extinction that occurred at the end of the Cretaceous period is best known as the end of the nonavian dinosaurs. In theory, this paved the way for the expansion of mammals as well as other taxa, including plants. However, there are very few direct records of loss and recovery of biotic diversity across this event. Here we describe a new record from the Cretaceous-Paleogene in Colorado that includes unusually complete vertebrate and plant fossils that describe this event in detail, including the recovery and expansion of mammalian body size and increasing plant and animal biotic diversity within the first million years.
Speaker Background:
Dr. S. Augusta (Gussie) Maccracken is the DMNS Assistant Curator of Paleobotany, studying fossil plants and their ecological interactions in deep time focusing on reconstructing ancient landscapes across the Cretaceous–Paleogene mass extinction event. She has done fieldwork throughout the Western Interior of North America, including Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, New Mexico, and Coahuila, Mexico.
Education
Postdoctoral Fellow; NSF-DMNS Research Fellow in Biology Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History
PhD: University of Maryland, College Park, 2020
BA: Colorado College, 2011
Keywords
Paleobotony, K-Pg extinction event, vascular plant evolution, herbivorous insects
Flyer for our CSS talk on January 16, 2026 by Dr. Gussie Maccracken on K-Pg plant evolution
View Zoom recording of Colorado Scientific Society January 2026 Meeting:
The evolution and recovery of plant life across the Cretaceous–Paleogene mass extinction
by Gussie Maccracken
No passcode is needed to access this recording. Just click on the video.
Duration: 01:01:00
Watching this video is best in full screen. (It may sharpen up images.)
DISCLAIMER and FAIR-USE STATEMENT: The following Zoom-meeting recording contains content that expresses the opinions, viewpoints, and conclusions of the speakers and does not necessarily reflect the views, policies, or endorsements of the Colorado Scientific Society. This recording is made available to the public for general information and educational purposes only and is not intended to be used for profit. Any use of copyrighted material included therein for other purposes must obtain express written permission from the author.
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CSS February Meeting
We already know everything?
How fieldwork rewrites 160 years of research in the Niobrara Chalk
Thursday, February 19, 2026
Anthony Maltese, Senior Curator for Research, Exploration And Morphology at Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center
The in-person was held at Calvary Church in Golden.
Abstract: Intense exploration of the late Cretaceous (~85 Ma) Niobrara Chalk began shortly after the Civil War, with Bone-War rivals Charles Marsh and Edward Cope describing dozens of species of fish, mosasaurs and pterosaurs before the turn of the last century. Work was so intense that by the early 20th century interest waned, with researchers believing that everything important had already been found.
Today, renewed intensive fieldwork with improved collection and preparation methods are revealing that even this famous and well sampled formation has more secrets left to give up, from soft tissue and molecular info to many brand new species.
Speaker Background:
Anthony Maltese is a Senior Curator for Research, Exploration and Morphology at the Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center and Treibold Paleontology, Inc., in Woodland Park, CO. He is a seasoned paleontologist and museum professional with expertise in curating, laboratory preparation, fossil reconstruction, grant writing, and community outreach with over 20 years of experience in the field.
Education BA: University of Kansas focused in Geology/Earth Science, 2003
Interview a Geologist: Anthony Maltese (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nA6Ftmnzh90)
Keywords Fossil vertebrates, Niobrara Formation, late Cretaceous, field/laboratory preparation
Flyer for CSS talk, February 16, 2026 by Anthony Maltese about new discoveries in the_Niobrara Chalk
View Zoom recording of Colorado Scientific Society February 2026 Meeting:
We already know everything? How fieldwork rewrites 160 years of research in the Niobrara Chalk
by Anthony Maltese
No passcode is needed to access this recording. Just click on the video.
Duration: 01:04:36
Watching this video is best in full screen. (It may sharpen up images.)
DISCLAIMER and FAIR-USE STATEMENT: The following Zoom-meeting recording contains content that expresses the opinions, viewpoints, and conclusions of the speakers and does not necessarily reflect the views, policies, or endorsements of the Colorado Scientific Society. This recording is made available to the public for general information and educational purposes only and is not intended to be used for profit. Any use of copyrighted material included therein for other purposes must obtain express written permission from the author.
