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When Yellowstone Was in Idaho… And Killed Rhinos in Nebraska

Shawn Willsey: Geology Explained

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About 12 million years ago, the Yellowstone hotspot was beneath southern Idaho, producing enormous explosive eruptions from the Bruneau-Jarbidge volcanic center. Join geology professor Shawn Willsey at Teepee Rocks, a scenic location to see evidence of this massive eruption.

Location: 42.14867, -114.06967 (Elev: 5,393 ft/1,644 m)

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Sarna-Wojcicki et al 2023 paper: https://share.google/PjbdlPKZQ2JIoWZuu
Finn et al. 2016 paper: https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.c...

00:00 intro
01:25 outcrop
03:31 Bruneau-Jarbidge setting
05:04 eruption diagram
06:52 new research
07:16 extent of Ibex Hollow tuff
09:14 dead rhinos
10:09 evidence
11:49 outro
12:25 drone footage

20 Comments

@shawnwillsey Creator 18 hours ago Pinned

Please LIKE and SUBSCRIBE. I also appreciate your continual support of these geology education videos. To do so, go here: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=EWUSLG3GBS5W8

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@johncooper4637 16 hours ago

I have been to the Ashfall Fossil Beds State Park and it is something else. Thank you for sharing the papers.

@susierider55 17 hours ago

Fantastic…another piece of the hotspot trek. Our state is amazing! Glad I am finally getting to learn of all these treasures thanks to you.

@samhklm 13 hours ago

This one of the best YouTube titles ever! "When Yellowstone Was in Idaho… And Killed Rhinos in Nebraska'. (Soon to become a major motion picture). Ok now I will watch the video.

@gl15col 17 hours ago

I've been to Ashfall Fossil Beds in Royal, NE. The bed the fossils are in are exactly that white color. They are perfectly preserved in 3D, rhinos and several different species of horse plus many species that no longer exist in North America but only the African continent. An amazing site.

@Danika_Nadzan 17 hours ago

Another beautiful, mind-boggling site! It's impossible to comprehend the size and power of the eruptions that caused this landscape, and that it most likely extended much further than we see today. Thank you for the usual excellent presentation!

@jmorin6620 14 hours ago

The drone is a nice addition to your videos! Cool shots!

@marymachunis3778 17 hours ago

Absolutely amazing, Shawn. Prehistoric Earth was certainly an interesting time.

@geolyn 17 hours ago

That must have been a very big bang.

@outlawbillionairez9780 11 hours ago

Well, don't I have egg on my face. I visited Yellowstone in Idaho last year. This explains the mystery.

@stevew5212 13 hours ago

you consistently teach me more and more about Idaho and geology. Thanks

@bottomup12 12 hours ago

Amazing evidence of a destructive past. Great video!

@bertoray5497 17 hours ago

Nice outro treat.

@dougsundseth6904 17 hours ago

Teepee Rocks looks a lot like Kasha-Katuwe/Tent Rocks National Monument in New Mexico. My understanding is that area is from a different volcanic system, though.