The Natural History Museum of Utah has announced the discovery of a new species of dinosaur, which was discovered right here in the Treasure State.

It’s called Lokiceratops Rangiformis. The name means “Loki’s horned face that looks like a caribou.” It is inspired by the distinctive horn pattern similar to the Norse god Loki as portrayed in comic books.

The fossil remains were found in northern Montana’s famous Badlands near the Canadian border in 2019. Details about the Lokiceratops discovery have been published in the scientific journal PeerJ.

The fossil is on display at the Natural History Museum of Utah.

Paleontologists studying Lokiceratops say the species inhabited swamps and floodplains in Laramidia more than 78 million years ago.

“This new dinosaur pushes the envelope on bizarre ceratopsian headgear, sporting the largest frill horns ever seen in a ceratopsian,” said Joseph Sertich, a paleontologist with the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute and Colorado State University, and co-leader of the study. “These skull ornaments are one of the keys to unlocking horned dinosaur diversity and demonstrate that evolutionary selection for showy displays contributed to the dizzying richness of Cretaceous ecosystems.”

Learn more about Lokiceratops at the Natural History Museum of Utah,

Our outstanding UM Griz football defensive back Trevin Gradney is looking handsome in his new accomplishment-boasting apparel.

But you definitely don’t need to be a super athlete to hike one of the most popular trails in Montana. And because it is so popular and receives a tremendous amount of pressure, the University of Montana has developed a new student initiative that is part of a fundraising campaign aimed at generating essential funds to support the trail’s ongoing maintenance and preservation.

UM News Service tells us that hikers reaching the M will now encounter signs showcasing the new “I Hiked the M” logo and a QR code. By scanning the code, visitors can access a dedicated landing page created in partnership with Wear Your Roots, an official collegiate licenser.

The page features a range of branded merchandise, starting with high-quality T-shirts. A portion of the sales from these items will benefit the trail’s maintenance fund, with additional products to be introduced over time.

ONE SOLID “M”

The current concrete M, installed in 1968, measures 125 feet long and 100 feet high, making it one of Missoula’s most prominent feature. The steep three-fourths-mile hike to the M attracts over 1,000 hikers daily. The trail cuts through beautiful native prairie plants and Mount Sentinel is home to an assortment of wildlife.

However, the heavy use of the trail leads to constant erosion issues, making maintenance a critical need. The University urges hikers to stay on well-established trails to help mitigate erosion. And, thanks to grants and donations, $25,000 worth of trail repairs have been completed so far this year.

EVERY YEAR BRINGS NEW CHALLENGES

If you would like to find out more about M Trail fundraising efforts, and get decked out in some new clothing, check out the M Trail website.

Fiber

The ISP is offering speeds from 100 Mbps to 50 Gbps to 29,000 addresses in Montana.

June 20, 2024 – Internet service provider Ziply Fiber announced on Monday its new fiber-optic network to serve a total of 29,000 addresses in Billings and Great Falls, Montana.

Billings, with 19,000 addresses, and Great Falls, with 10,000 addresses, now have access to high-speed internet ranging from 100 megabits per second to 50 gigabits per second through Ziply Fiber plans. These plans surpass the Federal Communications Commission’s minimum residential broadband speed requirements, providing high-speed download and upload capabilities.

Ziply Fiber intends to provide residents with an entry-level fiber plan of 100 Mbps symmetrical speeds for $20 per month, as well as discounted pricing for telephone and internet services for eligible low-income and Tribal households. All residential plans come with no data limits and no yearly contracts.

“Expansion in Montana has been a long time coming and I’m so thankful that the day is finally here,” said CEO of Ziply Fiber Harold Zeitz. “I can’t tell you the number of people and business owners who have reached out to us asking when we’re coming and telling us stories of the limited options they have and what fast, reliable fiber will mean to them. Today we help fulfill that wish.”

In the next few months, the company aims to expand its fiber infrastructure to provide an additional 26,000 addresses with high-speed internet in cities across Montana, including Missoula, Helena, and Butte.

In November 2023,  Ziply Fiber launched its 50 Gbps symmetric fiber plan. Zeitz described the 50 Gbps service tier and other fiber plans, stating that “customers can feel confident they’re on the best and fastest network available, regardless of the speed tier they choose.”