271 - Mesozoic Meanderings

00:00:00 - Kelly and Ryan are joined by Abby Howard (@AbbyHoward) to talk about her new graphic novel Dinosaur Empire! Journey through the Mesozoic Era, the first in her Earth Before Us series of all ages paleontology focused books. We chat with her about how she got her start drawing comics, especially those of a dinosaurian variety. 00:27:05 - We normally don't record in the morning, but when we do, you can expect a very different drinks segment. This is one of those times. Abby is kicking back some water because it's important to stay hydrated. Kelly is having a decaf skim milk latte because it's also important to stay caffeinated, but not too caffeinated. Ryan, advocating for the exact opposite lesson, is having homemade cold brew concentrate straight from the jar. Tastes slightly better than rubbing it right in your eyes.  00:31:36 - Next, we keep chatting with Abby about what she learned about dinosaurs in making her book, and what she learned through the process of trying to teach others about dinos. It's all just sharing and learning in this segment, good vibes. You can find more of Abby's work at her website, Junior Scientist Power Hour, and support her in creating comics on Patreon.  01:01:23 - PaleoPOWs are a lot like all-ages books, they're good for all ages. Ryan begins with a thesis title for Jacob W. (as a reward to supporting us on Patreon). Suspecting that Jacob might be related to a certain cinematic assassin, we grant him the title: Did Velociraptor hunt Protoceratops for money? A theory of dinosaurian currency in the late Cretaceous. Kelly winds things up with a somewhat somber and heartfelt e-mail from Leigh, about the state of the world and turning towards science for comfort. Thanks for the kind words. Also, Kelly's book, Soonish, is out now if you want to feel hopeful(ish) about the future. You can now find some of our episodes on Youtube, if that's a thing that works for you. If you're looking for ways to help those recovering from the various recent hurricanes, consider donating to the Houston Food Bank and/or the World Central Kitchen. Music: Picture Book - The Kinks Caffeinated Consciousness - TV On The Radio Everybody's Gotta Learn Sometime - Beck