Although an image of Tyrannosaurus rex adorns the cover of this fantastic new video produced by the prolific Science Education Department at Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI), the surprise is that tiny fossilized protists are the real stars of the show. Intended for “all students in all science classes,” this beautiful and well-produced video offers a glimpse into how scientists constructed an understanding of how and why a mass extinction occurred on Earth 66 million years ago.

Instead of focusing on dinosaurs, the story asks why there are size and diversity differences between tiny fossilized microorganisms called foraminifera (or “forams” for short), between sedimentary rocks found near the boundary of Cretaceous and Tertiary (K-T) periods. The video, available free on DVD or online, is divided into three acts, moving seamlessly between locations, people, and “deep time,” reconstructing scientists’ interdisciplinary approach to solving this mystery. The result was a revolutionary theory...

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