Science Friday Tackles New Dinosaurs in Salt Lake City

By Olivia Barney

Science Friday is a household name in the world of public radio and science reporting — best known for their accessible, engaging, and often humorous approach to otherwise complex areas of current scientific research. Their team, including hosts Ira Flatow and Flora Lichtman, have a knack for finding fascinating facets of the scientific community and crafting conversations that feel relevant to the every-day listener.

"That is the core of Science Friday. It’s really about people connecting over interesting ideas, mind expanding research — you know, the things that make you see the world differently. It is fundamentally about human connection," said Lichtman.

Melanocetus johnsonii Olivia Barney and David Jara Boguñá

For Flora Lichtman, making each interview as human as it can be is top priority, not only as a host of Science Friday, but as a journalist and science communicator generally. Lichtman credits Science Friday for the success she’s seen within her career, recalling how she got her start as an intern on the show two decades ago. As her roles changed (both within and without the company), Lichtman flourished into an impressive reporter, storyteller, and conversationalist. She chases stories, following the threads of her own curiosity to see where they lead. Her response to a recent social media craze is an excellent example of this tenacity.

When a recent angler fish meme started trending across social platforms, Lichtman was entranced. As she followed the progress and evolution of the trend, she couldn’t get angler fish off her mind. Deciding to follow her curiosity, Lichtman sat down with Kory Evans, Assistant Professor of BioSciences at Rice University, falling down a metaphorical rabbit hole of angler fish facts.

In recalling the experience, Lichtman said, "It felt like a trapdoor. Like, it was a meme that a lot of people were joking around about on social media, and then it became this trapdoor into these real, interesting, and deep biological questions."

Where Will Flora’s Curiosity Lead Her Next?

Hosts Ira Flatow and Flora Lichtman from Science Friday Live on stage. CREDIT: Science Friday/JT Anderson

Flora, Ira, and the whole Science Friday crew are on their way to Salt Lake City for a special, one-night-only, live performance and recording of Science Friday. This event, set to take place on March 29 at the Eccles Theater, is all about Utah — including the incredible scientists, educators, and volunteers powering research initiatives across the Beehive State.

Of the live show atmosphere, Lichtman said, "Listening to a radio show is usually a solitary experience, but a live show… this is a communal experience. You'll have three different stories that we're doing, and we build in a lot of time for audience questions. So, readers of this blog, if you're going to the Science Friday broadcast, we really want to hear from you. That's part of why we go. We want you to line up at that microphone or to raise your hand and ask questions. We make sure that we have a lot of time for that."

Get a Sneak Peek of Science Friday Live

NHMU is famously known for having the largest display of horned dinosaurs in the world and recently made headlines for the unveiling of a new ceratopsid, Lokiceratops.

More than 78 million years ago, Lokiceratops inhabited the swamps and floodplains along the eastern shore of Laramidia. The behemoth is a member of the horned dinosaurs called ceratopsids, a group that evolved around 92 million years ago during the Late Cretaceous, diversified into a myriad of fantastically ornamented species, and survived until the end of the time of dinosaurs.

The dinosaur, excavated from the badlands of northern Montana just a few miles from the USA-Canada border, is among the largest and most ornate ever found, with two huge blade-like horns on the back of its frill. The distinctive horn pattern inspired its name, Lokiceratops rangiformis, meaning “Loki’s horned face that looks like a caribou.”

Lokiceratops (lo-Kee-sare-a-tops) rangiformis (ran-ɡi-FOHR-mees) possesses several unique features, among them are the absence of a nose horn, huge, curving blade-like horns on the back of the frill — the largest ever found on a horned dinosaur — and a distinct, asymmetric spike in the middle of the frill. Lokiceratops rangiformis appeared at least 12 million years earlier than its famous cousin Triceratops and was the largest horned dinosaur of its time. Click here to read the full press release.

Lokiceratops rangiformis. Illustration by Andrey Atuchin

Join NHMU paleontologist Mark Loewen, Ph.D., and NHMU Educator Savhannah Carpenter on Saturday, March 29 as they discuss the discovery and research of this Late Cretaceous creature with Ira, Flora, and the Science Friday team. Lokiceratops is the subject of just one of the fascinating conversations you can look forward to. Don't miss your chance to participate in the conversation — reserve your ticket now to save your seat!