Benjamin Mohler
@ptpaleo.bsky.social
Paleontologist, Laboratory Assistant, Independent science writer. Keep up with my work: https://discord.gg/hZbqC2vVPx
patreon.com/PTPALEO
patreon.com/PTPALEO
Pinned
Benjamin Mohler
@ptpaleo.bsky.social
· Jul 8
SHADOWBOX: Mausoleum of Natural History on Steam
Experience the story of life on Earth like never before with SHADOWBOX: Mausoleum of Natural History, a virtual, interactive, and free-to-play museum featuring 3D scans of real fossils.
store.steampowered.com
*Total number of players is actually 390! Steam can take a while to update data, so at the moment I only have download region for 376. If you want to join the Under 400 Club, you gotta download and play the game NOW! store.steampowered.com/app/2993500/...
For the 50th Microstream, I'll be taking some photos of blind trilobites from the ancient Wheeler Shale of Utah! www.youtube.com/live/xnOt_xq...
Photographing Blind Trilobites! | Microstream #50
YouTube video by Benjamin Mohler
www.youtube.com
December 1, 2025 at 11:15 PM
For the 50th Microstream, I'll be taking some photos of blind trilobites from the ancient Wheeler Shale of Utah! www.youtube.com/live/xnOt_xq...
Just updated my SHADOWBOX player map to include some new additions. In recent months, we've picked up our first players in Algeria, Slovenia, Guatemala, and Uruguay! Here's aiming to close out Year 1 of beta testing with 500 total players... 🤞
November 18, 2025 at 5:49 PM
Just updated my SHADOWBOX player map to include some new additions. In recent months, we've picked up our first players in Algeria, Slovenia, Guatemala, and Uruguay! Here's aiming to close out Year 1 of beta testing with 500 total players... 🤞
A spoonful of Menefee helps the Monday go by! For my microstream this week, I'm looking at 80 million year old sand under my microscope, for the next hour, in hopes that we find some fish teeth... www.youtube.com/live/AHEwUS_...
A Spoonful of Menefee Helps the Monday Go By | Microstream #49
YouTube video by Benjamin Mohler
www.youtube.com
November 10, 2025 at 10:57 PM
A spoonful of Menefee helps the Monday go by! For my microstream this week, I'm looking at 80 million year old sand under my microscope, for the next hour, in hopes that we find some fish teeth... www.youtube.com/live/AHEwUS_...
It's time for a Microstream! This week, I'm sifting through yet more 80-million-year-old sediment, which last time yielded this fish tooth... www.youtube.com/live/nGbzLCW...
November 3, 2025 at 10:57 PM
It's time for a Microstream! This week, I'm sifting through yet more 80-million-year-old sediment, which last time yielded this fish tooth... www.youtube.com/live/nGbzLCW...
& also, I might be working on a virtual exhibit to help visually tell the story of Glossopteris as well...
November 1, 2025 at 8:50 PM
& also, I might be working on a virtual exhibit to help visually tell the story of Glossopteris as well...
Just out this morning, a special (& free) bonus blog for Halloween: The Ghost of Glossopteris www.patreon.com/posts/bonus-...
This is a spooky tale about extinction, climate change, and our obligation to protect the living world.
This is a spooky tale about extinction, climate change, and our obligation to protect the living world.
October 31, 2025 at 3:49 PM
Just out this morning, a special (& free) bonus blog for Halloween: The Ghost of Glossopteris www.patreon.com/posts/bonus-...
This is a spooky tale about extinction, climate change, and our obligation to protect the living world.
This is a spooky tale about extinction, climate change, and our obligation to protect the living world.
In case you missed it, here's the recording of Monday's stream showing what's new in my FREE virtual museum project! www.youtube.com/watch?v=iD4z... #fossils #UE5
October 29, 2025 at 3:39 PM
In case you missed it, here's the recording of Monday's stream showing what's new in my FREE virtual museum project! www.youtube.com/watch?v=iD4z... #fossils #UE5
Showing off what's new in my virtual museum as of the most recent update!
SHADOWBOX Virtual Museum Update | Beta 1.55 Devstream
www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVTP...
SHADOWBOX Virtual Museum Update | Beta 1.55 Devstream
www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVTP...
SHADOWBOX Virtual Museum Update | Beta 1.55 Devstream
YouTube video by Benjamin Mohler
www.youtube.com
October 27, 2025 at 11:58 PM
Showing off what's new in my virtual museum as of the most recent update!
SHADOWBOX Virtual Museum Update | Beta 1.55 Devstream
www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVTP...
SHADOWBOX Virtual Museum Update | Beta 1.55 Devstream
www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVTP...
A new update for SHADOWBOX is out now (Windows Beta 1.55)! There are some new fossils on display, such as this dinosaur eggshell... store.steampowered.com/news/app/299...
October 24, 2025 at 2:49 PM
A new update for SHADOWBOX is out now (Windows Beta 1.55)! There are some new fossils on display, such as this dinosaur eggshell... store.steampowered.com/news/app/299...
It's time for another Microstream, LIVE for the next hour! Today, I'm sifting through some 80 million year old sediment in search of teeth, bones, and shells. www.youtube.com/live/sMSwHbG...
Searching Cretaceous Sand! | Microstream #47
YouTube video by Benjamin Mohler
www.youtube.com
October 20, 2025 at 11:02 PM
It's time for another Microstream, LIVE for the next hour! Today, I'm sifting through some 80 million year old sediment in search of teeth, bones, and shells. www.youtube.com/live/sMSwHbG...
Doing another mini-microstream for the next 30 minutes! Today, I'm taking continuing tophotos of fossils from the Bangor Limestone of Alabama; this is a marine deposit that dates back 330 million years old! www.youtube.com/watch?v=vW-5...
Photographing a 330,000,000 Year Old Seafloor! | Microstream #46
YouTube video by Benjamin Mohler
www.youtube.com
October 6, 2025 at 11:34 PM
Doing another mini-microstream for the next 30 minutes! Today, I'm taking continuing tophotos of fossils from the Bangor Limestone of Alabama; this is a marine deposit that dates back 330 million years old! www.youtube.com/watch?v=vW-5...
This week, I'm doing a shorter 30 minute stream to take photographs of fossils from the Bangor Limestone. This is a Mississippian (~330 million year old) deposit that preserves the fossils of many delicate sea animals! www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYXN...
Photographing a 330,000,000 Year Old Seafloor! | Microstream #45
YouTube video by Benjamin Mohler
www.youtube.com
September 29, 2025 at 11:31 PM
This week, I'm doing a shorter 30 minute stream to take photographs of fossils from the Bangor Limestone. This is a Mississippian (~330 million year old) deposit that preserves the fossils of many delicate sea animals! www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYXN...
It's #Microstream Monday! This week, I'm continuing to clean a dinosaur bone under the microscope. This fossil was just recently collected from the Menefee Formation of New Mexico, and is around 80 million years old. www.youtube.com/live/mhbbC1P...
Cleaning a Dinosaur Bone, Week 2 | Microstream #43
YouTube video by Benjamin Mohler
www.youtube.com
September 15, 2025 at 10:58 PM
It's #Microstream Monday! This week, I'm continuing to clean a dinosaur bone under the microscope. This fossil was just recently collected from the Menefee Formation of New Mexico, and is around 80 million years old. www.youtube.com/live/mhbbC1P...
LIVE for the next hour! Today for #microstream I'm cleaning up a dinosaur bone collected just last month from the Menefee Formation of New Mexico: www.youtube.com/live/mr33Q2k...
Cleaning a Dinosaur Toe Bone | Microstream #43
YouTube video by Benjamin Mohler
www.youtube.com
September 8, 2025 at 11:04 PM
LIVE for the next hour! Today for #microstream I'm cleaning up a dinosaur bone collected just last month from the Menefee Formation of New Mexico: www.youtube.com/live/mr33Q2k...
Today marks 3 years since I launched the Parent-Teacher Guide to Paleontology on Patreon! In that time, I've published:
-202,174 words of material utilizing 1,175 scientific sources
-65 Expedition Videos
-42 Microstreams
-1 really awesome virtual museum!
www.patreon.com/posts/ptpale...
-202,174 words of material utilizing 1,175 scientific sources
-65 Expedition Videos
-42 Microstreams
-1 really awesome virtual museum!
www.patreon.com/posts/ptpale...
PTPALEO's 3 Year Anniversary: Milestones & Moving Forward | Benjamin Mohler
Get more from Benjamin Mohler on Patreon
www.patreon.com
August 25, 2025 at 4:02 PM
Today marks 3 years since I launched the Parent-Teacher Guide to Paleontology on Patreon! In that time, I've published:
-202,174 words of material utilizing 1,175 scientific sources
-65 Expedition Videos
-42 Microstreams
-1 really awesome virtual museum!
www.patreon.com/posts/ptpale...
-202,174 words of material utilizing 1,175 scientific sources
-65 Expedition Videos
-42 Microstreams
-1 really awesome virtual museum!
www.patreon.com/posts/ptpale...
Microstream is back with a new scope light! For one more week I'm sorting through sediments collected from the Menefee Formation - Cliff House Sandstone contact. www.youtube.com/live/1xxqj5Y...
Testdriving New Scope Light! | Microstream #42
YouTube video by Benjamin Mohler
www.youtube.com
August 18, 2025 at 11:06 PM
Microstream is back with a new scope light! For one more week I'm sorting through sediments collected from the Menefee Formation - Cliff House Sandstone contact. www.youtube.com/live/1xxqj5Y...
In case you missed the stream, here's my devlog video for SHADOWBOX Beta 1.4!
What's new in this update? Four exhibits (Kaibab Limestone, Moenkopi Formation, Thaynes Group, Blue Lias), a free camera mode, and paleogeographic maps!
youtu.be/XfjV_ZX9U1Q?...
What's new in this update? Four exhibits (Kaibab Limestone, Moenkopi Formation, Thaynes Group, Blue Lias), a free camera mode, and paleogeographic maps!
youtu.be/XfjV_ZX9U1Q?...
Virtual Fossil Museum Update! New Exhibits, Maps, & More! | SHADOWBOX Devlog Windows Beta 1.4
YouTube video by Benjamin Mohler
youtu.be
August 6, 2025 at 3:36 PM
In case you missed the stream, here's my devlog video for SHADOWBOX Beta 1.4!
What's new in this update? Four exhibits (Kaibab Limestone, Moenkopi Formation, Thaynes Group, Blue Lias), a free camera mode, and paleogeographic maps!
youtu.be/XfjV_ZX9U1Q?...
What's new in this update? Four exhibits (Kaibab Limestone, Moenkopi Formation, Thaynes Group, Blue Lias), a free camera mode, and paleogeographic maps!
youtu.be/XfjV_ZX9U1Q?...
Hard at work preparing the next SHADOWBOX update, set to release with FOUR new exhibits! Here is a sneak peek at the Moenkopi Formation, a rock unit that dates back to the Triassic Period...
July 31, 2025 at 6:32 PM
Hard at work preparing the next SHADOWBOX update, set to release with FOUR new exhibits! Here is a sneak peek at the Moenkopi Formation, a rock unit that dates back to the Triassic Period...
Spending some time under the scope for Microstream Monday! www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGiz...
Petri Dish Power Half-Hour | Microstream #41
YouTube video by Benjamin Mohler
www.youtube.com
July 29, 2025 at 12:04 AM
Spending some time under the scope for Microstream Monday! www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGiz...
Sneak peek at the updated SHADOWBOX lobby! Next update (Windows Beta 1.4) should be pushed in the next week or so...
July 22, 2025 at 4:31 PM
Sneak peek at the updated SHADOWBOX lobby! Next update (Windows Beta 1.4) should be pushed in the next week or so...
An integral part of museum exhibit design is hiding pride flags everywhere
July 15, 2025 at 7:29 PM
An integral part of museum exhibit design is hiding pride flags everywhere
Where in the world are SHADOWBOX players? This is a map of (the majority of*) beta testers to date. It's incredible to me that folks around the world have gotten up close and personal with #fossils primarily from here in the Southwest, including many that I've collected myself! 👀 Alt text for list.
July 8, 2025 at 7:52 PM
Where in the world are SHADOWBOX players? This is a map of (the majority of*) beta testers to date. It's incredible to me that folks around the world have gotten up close and personal with #fossils primarily from here in the Southwest, including many that I've collected myself! 👀 Alt text for list.
Throwback to when I got transvestigated in the YouTube comments of a Menefee Expedition video
July 8, 2025 at 12:37 AM
Throwback to when I got transvestigated in the YouTube comments of a Menefee Expedition video
It's Microstream Monday! Today, I'm using a small tool to clean dirt from the pores of a Deinosuchus osteoderm- this is fossilized armor from a very large Cretaceous croc! Live NOW! www.youtube.com/live/ZckxkcG...
Cleaning a Deinosuchus Osteoderm! | Microstream #39
YouTube video by Benjamin Mohler
www.youtube.com
July 7, 2025 at 11:05 PM
It's Microstream Monday! Today, I'm using a small tool to clean dirt from the pores of a Deinosuchus osteoderm- this is fossilized armor from a very large Cretaceous croc! Live NOW! www.youtube.com/live/ZckxkcG...