Story Published:
May 11, 2011 at 6:41 AM MDT
Story Updated:
Feb 15, 2012 at 9:04 AM MDT
BILLINGS - Noted Montana paleontologist Nate Murphy is opening a dinosaur lab in downtown Billings. Murphy is known for making many remarkable discoveries but has been relatively quiet since pleading guilty to felony charges of stealing fossils from public land.
Murphy has been collecting dinosaur bones since he had baby teeth.
"When I was about ten I found my first dinosaur remains," Murphy said.
In the 30 years he's been hunting for history, Murphy has unearthed some groundbreaking fossils.
"It can be very emotional," he said. "As you whisk away the dirt that's been covering these bones for 150 million years, you're the first living thing to see it since it died. That gives me goosebumps thinking about it. There's not a feeling like it."
In 1994 15 miles north of Malta Murphy found Elvis, a 32-foot-long Brachylophosaurus. "That animal had all bones in place like the day it died," Murphy said.
The 77-million-year-old specimen is so well preserved that tendons and ligaments are still visible. But, the discovery that launched Murphy to fame was a fully mummified Brachylophosaurus he called Leonardo. The specimen is recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the best preserved dinosaur remains ever discovered.
Murphy's fame took a hit in 2009 when a federal judge sentenced him to three years probation after pleading guilty to stealing fossils from federal land. "I pleaded guilty because I was guilty, but I didn't do it intentionally," Murphy said.
Murphy said he thought he was digging on private land. "Often land owners will represent property lands as inaccurate, that's what happened to me. I was working under the knowledge that this was their property and government property was over there."
Murphy said he spent his life savings defending himself and covering a 17-thousand dollar fine ordered by the judge.
"It has never been about the money, but now I have to start thinking about my well being," he said. "That's why I'm going commercial."
In his newest venture in Billings, Murphy hopes to turn a profit, selling his significant finds to museums and taking people on tours of the lab he uses to prepare his finds.
"The Dino Lab is going to be a hands on mobile exhibit."
On Wednesday, we continue to "Uncover the Past" as we get the first tour of the brand new dino lab. Murphy will show us exactly what it takes to bring dinosaur bones back to life.
The Dino Lab is located at 1518 1st Ave N. Suite 2 in Billings.
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