Mark Norell

Dr. Mark Norell tells us about the evolutionary connections between birds and dinosaurs on today's Please Explain!

The debate is over, and paleontologists have confirmed it: The Brontosaurus is both a distinct genus and species. Welcome back, thunder lizard.

The newest exhibit at the Natural History Museum puts pterosaurs on display. They are winged reptiles that flew with their fingers, walked on their wings, and ranged from the size of ...

This week the United States returned a stolen 70-million-year-old Tyrannosaurus skeleton to Mongolia. Dr. Mark Norell, Curator-in-Charge of Paleontology at the American Museum of Natural History, was one of the first people to bring the looted skeleton to the attention of U.S. customs officials, and he'll talk about the skeleton and how it was discovered.

The first silk textiles were created some 5000 years ago. This week's Please Explain is all about silk, and how fibers made by worms create versatile fabrics and have helped shape the culture of much of the world. Mark Norell, Chair of the Division of Paleontology at the American Museum of Natural History, who is currently finishing a book on the Silk Road, talks about the history of silk; Ingrid Johnson, professor of Textile Development and Marketing at the Fashion Institute of Technology; and Rebecca Robertson, Decorating and Home Editor for Martha Stewart Living join us to discuss how silk is produced, processed, used, and how it should be cared for.

Paleontologists Mark Norell and Michael Novacek tell us about the new IMAX film "Dinosaurs Alive!," and the exhibit "Mythic Creatures" at the American Museum of Natural History.