A Montana State University scientist was involved in a recent discovery of a 250-million-year-old fossil from China that has scientists rethinking how reproduction evolved in a group of animals that includes birds, crocodiles and turtles.

The fossil, called Dinocephalosaurus, is a long-necked, fish-eating marine reptile dating to the Middle Triassic period, and contains an embryo inside its abdomen. This unexpected evidence is the only known example of live birth in this large group of vertebrates known as Archosauromorpha.

“This is the first archosauromorph species known to have given live birth, meaning it didn’t lay eggs” said evolutionary biologist Chris Organ, an assistant research professor in the MSU Department of Earth Sciences in the College of Letters and Science. “The ancestors of Dinocephalosaurus lived on land — live birth was likely an adaptation that helped it reinvade the marine environment.”

The findings were published Feb. 14 in the scientific journal Nature Communications. Jun Liu from Hefei University of Technology in China, was lead author of the paper, “Live birth in an archosauromorph reptile,”  which included Organ, as well as collaborators from England, Australia and the U.S.

The discovery will also be shared in the journals Nature, Science and Science News, among other outlets.  

The specimen was found in three limestone blocks in a field in Luoping County, Yunnan, China.

“We were so excited when we first saw this specimen several years ago,” Liu said. “We first saw the blocks lying at the side of a field. We had to remove the soil and dig out the slabs to take them back to the lab for preparation.”

While the discovery shifts the understanding of how reproduction evolved in animals, Organ and his colleagues predicted as much in a 2009 paper published in the journal Nature, “Genotypic sex determination enabled adaptive radiations of extinct marine reptiles.”

“We predicted that if we found a new reptile fossil completely adapted to life in the ocean, it would also have given live birth and have had sex chromosomes,” Organ said.

Dinocephalosaurus sits on the evolutionary timeline between crocodiles and turtles, Organ said, and its ancestors lived on land.

“Like whales and dolphins, it evolved adaptations to live permanently in water without returning to land to lay eggs,” he said. “Whereas sea turtles are reproductively bound to land to lay their eggs, Dinocephalosaurus was free of this constraint by giving live birth, a trait that was likely preceded by the evolution of sex chromosomes.”

This past year, Organ was also one of three authors of a paper that linked bony cranial ornamentation to dinosaur body size. That paper, "Bony cranial ornamentation linked to rapid evolution of gigantic theropod dinosaurs,” was published in Nature Communications on Sept. 27.

Montana Senator Steve Daines returned to Montana Friday afternoon landing in Bozeman where he was met by a group of constituents seeking explanations on policy set forth by the Trump Administration as well, as reasons for his votes for cabinet key appointments.

The group of roughly 40 constituents gathered at the arrival platform at Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport holding signs saying “we want a town hall meeting”, ”we want answers”, “we just want to talk” and “we want our voices heard”.

As Mr. Daines used a side exit an attempt to avoid his constituents I was able catch Senator Daines and ask a few questions.

KT: What are your feelings on the 9th circuit Court ruling on the Travel ban?

Senator Daines: Happy to be back in Montana.

KT: Senator Daines, is it true Betsy DeVos donated upwards of $48,000 to your campaign, and did that influence your decision on voting for her for education secretary?

Senator Daines: [no comment] Just smiled.
 
KT: How will Mrs DeVos’ plans to overhaul the education system affect Montana schools particularly rural school communities?

Senator Daines: [no comment] He smiled and waved.

KT: Senator Daines, why did you silence Senator Elizabeth Warren on the senate floor?

Senator Daines:. [no comment] He smiled and waved.

KT: Senator Daines are your morals, values and ethics in line with that of the Trump Administration?

Senator Daines: [no comment] He smiled and waved.

                                                                                   photo courtesy KBZK video

Bozeman Magazine has made numerous requests to senator Steve Daines office for an interview. We have yet to hear back from him or his office. We contacted the office Friday and the spokesman at the office said that Senator Daines said “it felt like an ambush”.

An ambush of constituents wanting answers from one of Montana’s only two sitting Senators. We are hoping we will get answers to these questions in the upcoming days.

See KBZK's full story and video here.

Winter can be a tough time for us humans, whether struggling with a pesky cold or digging out from the latest snowstorm. Now imagine what it’s like for Montana’s elk population. It’s an especially stressful time for elk, with deep snow and limited food options. That’s why Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is asking shed hunters and other recreationists to give elk their space until the snow melts and the animals are less stressed.

Shed hunting has become increasingly popular in recent years and more competitive. In some cases, that has led individuals to try to get a head start by running elk through trees to break off antlers or to trespass on Montana’s Wildlife Management Areas where elk find sanctuary this time of year (most do not open until noon on May 15). Both are illegal.

Snowmobilers, skiers, and snowshoers should avoid areas where elk are bedded down. It is safest to admire them at a distance.
 
Finally, many elk often come down to lowlands and might be found near homes. It’s critical that dogs be kept on a leash when elk are present. Dogs can cause serious injury or kill animals much larger than themselves. The stress of a chase alone can eventually lead to the death of the animal. And of course, pets can be injured or killed while attempting to take down an animal big or small. Dog owners might be cited for permitting a dog to harass wildlife.

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks released a map today indicating the streams in southwest Montana that have tested positive to date for the presence of Tetracapsuloides bryosalmonae (PKX). PKX is the parasite associated with the large fish kill in 2016 on the Yellowstone River.

The Big Hole River is the latest Montana waterbody to test positive for the presence of PKX. Other rivers already found to test positive include the Jefferson, Madison, East Gallatin, Gallatin, Yellowstone, Shields (at the Yellowstone), Boulder, Stillwater, and Big Horn. Of these rivers, only on the Yellowstone River has there been a documented disease event associated with PKX. Several Yellowstone tributaries (as noted on the map with white circles) were also tested and the parasite was not detected.

“The presence of the parasite alone doesn’t mean disease,” says FWP Fisheries Chief Eileen Ryce. “However, this map gives us a better handle on the extent of its distribution and reinforces the need to ramp up our fight against aquatic invasive species statewide.”

Recent aquatic invasive species findings in Montana include PKX and invasive mussel larvae in late fall of 2016. Ryce emphasized the need for Montana boaters and other recreationists to always employ the Clean. Drain. Dry. protocol to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species.

When the Redneck Robotics team from Sun River turned their robot loose in Montana State University’s Shroyer Gym on Friday, it homed in on blue lights lining the playing field’s edge, deftly extended an arm and hit a button, racking up points right away.
 
"That was amazing," said Douglas MacLeod, a volunteer at the event, called the FIRST Tech Challenge. "They pre-programmed all of that."
 
MacLeod, a freshman majoring in computer engineering at MSU’s College of Engineering, which hosted the event, helped tally points as the robots scooped up grapefruit-sized balls and launched them through color-coded hoops.
 
"Endgame! Endgame!" the emcee announced, signaling that the teams had 30 seconds to crane bigger exercise balls into the hoops.
 
"The competitions are fun and exciting," MacLeod said. "You get to show off your computer programming and the hardware that you've made."
 
For MacLeod, volunteering at the event completed a circle that began when he participated in FIRST while a high school student in Belgrade.
 
"I like to build things and make them come to life, and FIRST was my introduction to that," MacLeod said. "It's what really got me into computer programming, which is what I love to do now."
 
MacLeod's story is one that electrical and computer engineering department head Rob Maher hears often. He estimated that hundreds of FIRST alumni have ended up in MSU’s engineering programs.
 
"I think there are a number of them who wouldn't have otherwise realized that this is something that they really love," he said.
 
FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) is a Manchester, New Hampshire-based non-profit organization designed to inspire young people's interest and participation in science and technology. After months of preparation, students around the world participate in robotics competitions like the one that took place at MSU on Friday and will continue on Saturday.

 
According to Maher, who has volunteered as a FIRST judge since MSU began hosting the event a decade ago, FIRST has helped fill a gap in K-12 education. "Until recently, there really wasn't much awareness of what engineering is about," he said.
 
"If you ask students who are interested in science and math what they want to be when they grow up, they might say 'scientist,'" he said. "Unless they have an engineer in the family, it's kind of a hidden profession."
 
MSU’s FIRST competitions draw teams from across the state, including from rural towns such as Fort Benton, Nashua and Sun River, whose team won a world championship in 2015 at the FIRST Tech Challenge, in which students grades 7-12 compete using complex robots that they have designed and built.
 
Haley Ketteler of Pierre, South Dakota, came to MSU to major in mechanical engineering after participating in FIRST throughout middle and high school. "I didn't even know what an engineer was before FIRST," she said.
 
Maggie Kerr of Helena High School, wearing a red cape emblazoned with her team’s name, "Fusion," plans to study computer science at MSU starting this fall. "I really like the comradery," she said of FIRST. "It’s been a great opportunity to see the (MSU) campus," she added.
 
MSU freshman and computer science major Jordan Pottruff signed up to volunteer at Saturday’s FIRST Lego League event, in which students grades 4-8 build and program animal-themed robots made from Lego kits, and compete by performing "missions" on pool table-sized playing fields. He reflected on the similarity between his computer science studies and his experiences in FIRST Lego League in Great Falls.

 
"You have to program the robot," he said. "You have to tell it how far to go, when to turn, how far to turn. It's basically the same thing that I'm doing now" as a computer science student, he said.
 
For Dorcella Plain Bull, a FIRST coach and 4th grade teacher in Wyola, attending FIRST during the past three years has provided a way for her students to connect with fellow Crow tribal members who are studying engineering at MSU.
 
"They started talking to them about what they need to do to get into the (MSU engineering) program, about what they're doing, about the different types of engineering." The response from her young students was positive, she said. "They were like, 'we can do that too.'"
 
Maher, who advises other judges, tries hard to create a positive atmosphere at the event. "This is a competition, but a lot of what we do is encouragement, to celebrate the effort that the students have put in," he said.
 
"It's very upbeat," he added. "Having bleachers full of parents and friends cheering over a robot competition, as if it were a basketball game, it’s really unique."
 
MacLeod can relate. He remembered when his team came to MSU for FIRST, and his team’s robot was stumbling from a malfunction. A volunteer approached and helped them solve the problem.
 
"I wanted to be that person this year," he said. "I can't do the competition anymore, but I wanted to be right up front and watch the robots, and to help out."

 Montana State University has been ranked No. 1 on a list of the 30 best colleges in the nation for outdoor sports and recreation. MSU was the only institution in Montana to make the list.

The rankings were made by LendEDU, which ranked the colleges based on:

Proximity to excellent off-campus outdoor experiences
Frequent weather suitable for enjoying the outdoors
Notable natural beauty on campus
School-sponsored outdoors activities like clubs, teams and equipment rental programs
Opportunities for academic work in the natural world

“There aren’t many other colleges that are so immersed in fantastic natural surroundings,” LendEDU noted in its accompanying write-up about MSU. “With world-class skiing a mere stone’s throw away and rich farmland all around the campus, MSU has much to offer to nature lovers.”

LendEDU also noted that Bozeman is located just 90 miles north of Yellowstone National Park, while Glacier and Grand Teton national parks are also accessible for backpacking, camping and whitewater activities. In addition, LendEDU wrote that MSU organizes trips for students and offers equipment rentals, and it has a number of student clubs devoted to sports ranging from ultimate Frisbee to alpine skiing.

“Many students with an itch for the outdoors think MSU is an ideal place to study and enjoy nature,” LendEDU concluded.

LendEDU was founded in 2014 as a marketplace for student loans, student loan refinancing, credit cards and personal loans, among other financial products. LendEDU has also created original guides, tools and resources designed to help students and graduates make tough financial decisions. It has been featured or mentioned on a variety of websites, including TechCrunch, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, CNN, Bloomberg, CBS News, Fox News, Business Insider, Forbes and Huffington Post.

The Montana Heritage Center project, the renovation and expansion of the Montana Historical Society, is included in HB 14, Jobs for Montana, sponsored by Rep. Jim Keane, D-Butte. A hearing is scheduled on this specific project on Friday January 27, 8:30am in Room 317B (the old Law Library).  

This is when we need your strong support!  

If it is possible for you to attend the hearing and testify in support of the project, that would be very important.Two years ago we had nearly 75 folks from across Montana show up to speak in support and it was quite powerful. In addition,  we would appreciate you communicating with your legislator and/or the Long-Range Planning Subcommittee or legislative leadership. Although we would really like your attendance, if you are unable to attend please send a letter or email of support to my attention so that it may be read during the hearing. Include your name and address.    

 
HB 14, Jobs for Montana
Sponsor:  Rep. Jim Keane, D-Butte
Included in bonding program, Montana Heritage Center
Friday January 27, 2017
Room 317B, Capitol
 
Here's a short video about the project:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jHJRmv9n7E&feature=youtu.be
 
Here's a link to find your legislator:
http://leg.mt.gov/css/find%20a%20legislator.asp
 
Here's a link to contact your legislator:
http://leg.mt.gov/css/About-the-Legislature/Lawmaking-Process/contact-legislators.asp
 

free youtube downloader

Long-Range Planning Subcommittee:
Rep. MIKE CUFFE (R)-Chair   406 293-1247   Mike.Cuffe@mt.gov
Rep. MIKE HOPKINS (R)         406 531-1775   Mikeformontana@gmail.com
Rep. RAE PEPPERS (D)          406 697-2565   Rep.Rae.Peppers@mt.gov
Sen. JON SESSO (D)             406 490-7405   Sen.Jon.Sesso@mt.gov
Sen. CARY L SMITH (R)--Vice Chair  406 698-9307  Sen.Cary.Smith@mt.gov
Sen. JEFFREY 'JEFF' WELBORN (R)   406 949-6070  jeffwelborn@hotmail.com
General number to leave a message for a legislator  406 444-4800
 
Senate President, Sen. Scott Sales, 406 579-7994  Sen.Scott.Sales@mt.gov
 
Speaker of the House, Austin Knudsen,  406 539-4268  austinforhouse@yahoo.com

Montana Ballet Company (MBC), under the direction of Elizabeth DeFanti, announces the Bozeman premiere of Winthrop Corey’s original Snow White on Saturday, February 25 and Sunday, February 26 at the Willson Auditorium. This production is generously underwritten by: Tim and Mary Barnard, the Gilhousen Family Foundation, the Montana Arts Council’s Public Value Partnership, and the Steinmuller Family Charitable Fund.

Montana Ballet Company is thrilled to welcome Winthrop Corey, world renowned master choreographer and teacher, and former principal dancer with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet and National Ballet of Canada. Mr. Corey will collaborate with MBC to produce his original, full length Snow White for the very first time in Bozeman. Snow White has received critical acclaim and has been performed by numerous ballet companies across the country. Mr. Corey’s Snow White is an enchanting treat for the entire family and will feature not only his exquisite choreography, but also his fine, hand crafted costumes.

As a special highlight, joining our own MBC dancers will be guest artist Victoria Barker in the leading role. Bozeman audiences will recognize Ms. Barker who recently danced the coveted role of Clara in MBC’s 33rd Annual Nutcracker. The talented Raul Peinado will perform the role of the Prince.

MBC’s Music Director, Stefan Stern, will lead an outstanding orchestra of esteemed local musicians who will play the beautiful Snow White score.

For Snow White tickets contact the Montana Ballet Company at 406.582.8702 or online at www.montanaballet.org All seating is reserved. Ticket prices range from $15 – $55. There will be a $2.00 service fee added for “day of show” sales.

The Center for Public Safety Excellence Commission on Professional Credentialing has notified four members of the Bozeman Fire Department of their confirmation for the prestigious Fire Officer Designation. The successful members are

Captain Chris Dubay
Captain Matt Norby
Battalion Chief Jason Kolman
Battalion Chief Mark Criner

The Fire Officer Designation is awarded to fire service professionals who have shown competency and knowledge in their education, experience, professional development, technical competencies, contributions to the profession, and community involvement during their career. As of today there are only 372 Fire Officers Designations worldwide and only 12 in the State of Montana of which 9 are members of the Bozeman Fire Department. The awarded members must continue to work to further their knowledge, experience, and involvement over the next three years as the Fire Officer Designation has a three year renewal process that ensures fire service professionals are continue to grow and contribute in their career.

The Center for Public Safety Excellence Commission on Professional Credentialing has also notified Deputy Fire Chief Trisha Wolford of her confirmation for the prestigious Chief Fire Officer Designation. As of today there are only 1,213 Chief Fire Officers Designations worldwide and only 3 in the State of Montana of which 2 are members of the Bozeman Fire Department. Similar to the Fire Officer Designation the Chief Fire Officer Designation requires members to continue to work to further their knowledge, experience, and involvement over the next three years as the Fire Officer Designation has a three year renewal process that ensures fire service professionals are continue to grow and contribute in their career.

Chief Josh Waldo states “I am extremely proud of these members who have worked to show they meet the international standards required to obtain this third party credential which is one of the elite accomplishments for fire service professionals. Third party credentials are an important piece in the validation process of the professional development of these members. It is truly astonishing what the members of the BFD are doing in terms of leading and set the bar in the State”.

All of these members will be recognized Monday night January 23rd at the City Commission meeting and formally recognized by the Center for Public Safety Excellence March 22nd in Anaheim, California at the CPSE annual award banquet. The banquet is held in conjunction with the CPSE Excellence conference.

For additional information you may contact Fire Chief Josh Waldo @ 582-2351 or visit the CPSE website at www.cpse.org