Prepping a weird fossil skull (Tyler's skull)

In this video, I take on the preparation of a fossil dolphin skull that Tyler found, using a combination of air scribes, air abrasion, and acid work to carefully remove the surrounding rock. As the skull starts to come out, it becomes clear that this isn’t your typical dolphin. The shape and features don’t seem to match any known species, which raises the possibility that this could be a scientifically important find. I talk through the techniques I’m using and the decisions behind them as the prep progresses, explaining how each method helps reveal different parts of the fossil while keeping it intact. By the end, we get a full reveal of the skull, showing just how unusual it really is. This specimen dates back to the mid Miocene, around 10 million years ago, and has been incredibly well preserved. Next up, Tyler will be working on preparing the underside of the skull to see what more we can learn from it.