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Recently Asked

Learn what the community is asking about this season, with answers by Museum experts.

“We found this at campus point. Do you know what animal it came from? ”
Terri, Goleta - January 30, 2022

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“Hello- Would you know what type of shells these are? More importantly, I found them buried about 12 to 15 inches in a pit we dug for a fence post. I've also found many other smaller sh...”
Phil, Goleta, CA - January 10, 2022

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“I found some interesting Rocks that look like fossilized eggs but have no ideas to what they are. Size is approximately that of an A4 sized paper. I have uploaded pictures where found the...”
Anthony, Tanzania - January 9, 2022

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“Hello, this funny little bug crawled up onto my phone a few days ago and we have no idea what it is. I’ve asked around and nobody has been able to figure it out. I was hoping you could pas...”
Domanique, Santa Barbara - December 8, 2021

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“Do you know what these are? There are several clusters on one of our tomato plants.”
Jane, Santa Barbara - November 23, 2021

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“Hello Dr. Chaney and Dr. Geiger, I recently procured two scaphopod shells from the nature exchange. I plan to gift them to my brother, who inherited an extensive shell collection from a r...”
Harrison - October 31, 2021

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“Hi, Thsi question is for both your Ornithology and Chumash Artifacts curators. There is a well documented flock of local parrots that have roosted in Montecito for many decades. Yo...”
Christopher, San Roque - October 28, 2021

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“Hello,  My son and I were wondering if this is a grasshopper. If so, which species?”
Hans, Newbury Park, CA - October 28, 2021

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“I am reading The Noontide Sun. In the book by Arlene Benson based off Stephen Bowers. He says he found two mortars. Carved from whale vertebrae. Did these make it to the SBMNH? Very curious to s...”
Joshua, Frazier Park - October 18, 2021

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“Hi, I found this in my yard this morning and thought it was a Clathrus ruber but it has a stalk. Flies are attracted to it but I don't want to smell it. If you could be so kind t...”
Julie, Glen Carbon, Illinois - October 11, 2021

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