La Brea Tar Pits

Did you know that people can discover fossils in a major city? Head to the La Brea Tar Pits to see an active dig site in the heart of Los Angeles. The tar pits were formed thousands of years ago, from natural sticky asphalt. The asphalt trapped animals, plants, and insects during the Ice Age. Scientists and researchers have been excavating for more than a hundred years. Artifacts are still being found there, including fossils from dire wolves and saber-toothed cats. Anyone can visit the tar pits, learn about the discoveries made there, and watch paleontologists at work finding and studying fossils. —Karena Phan