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Paleontologist Ken Lacovara and the fifth extinction that killed the dinosaurs

Paleontologist Ken Lacovara is founder of a new museum and fossil park in New Jersey where visitors can see how dinosaurs lived 66 million years ago before an asteroid wiped out 75% of life on earth.

About Ken Lacovara

Paleontologist Kenneth Lacovara is the founder and director of the Edelman Fossil Park and Museum in Mantua Township, New Jersey.

He discovered the remains of Dreadnoughtus schrani, one of Earth's largest dinosaurs, in Patagonia along with several other extinct animals of the Late Cretacaous period from around the world.

Lacovara has a Ph.D. in Geology from the University of Delaware and is the founding Dean of the School of Earth & Environment at Rowan University. His book is Why Dinosaurs Matter.

This segment of the TED Radio Hour was produced by James Delahoussaye and edited by Sanaz Meshkinpour. You can follow us on Facebook @TEDRadioHour and email us at TEDRadioHour@npr.org.

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Copyright 2024 NPR

Corrected: September 13, 2024 at 5:35 PM EDT
An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that Mantua Township, NJ helped to raise money for the construction of the Edelman Fossil Park & Museum. Paleontologist Ken Lacovara partnered with Rowan University to fundraise.
Manoush Zomorodi
Manoush Zomorodi is the host of TED Radio Hour. She is a journalist, podcaster and media entrepreneur, and her work reflects her passion for investigating how technology and business are transforming humanity.
James Delahoussaye
[Copyright 2024 NPR]
Sanaz Meshkinpour
[Copyright 2024 NPR]