JRE 1918 · June 27, 2024

John from The Boneyard Alaska

sciencehistorybusinessenvironmenttechnology

Who is John from The Boneyard Alaska?

John Reeves is an Alaskan gold miner who first came to public prominence on the 2012 National Geographic docu-series "Goldfathers." More recently, his ongoing search for gold uncovered the remains of thousands of Ice Age animals lying beneath the permafrost on his property. The discovery is featured in the 2019 documentary "Boneyard Alaska" and popular Instagram account @theboneyardalaska. www.fairbanksgoldco.com

Topics and Timestamps

01John Reeves is an Alaskan gold miner who became famous on National Geographic's Goldfathers and discovered thousands of Ice Age animal remains beneath permafrost on his property
02The Boneyard Alaska discovery includes mammoth tusks, bison bones, and other prehistoric megafauna that have been frozen for tens of thousands of years
03Gold mining operations in Alaska involve extreme weather conditions, expensive equipment, and the constant challenge of working with permafrost
04The frozen animal remains are scientifically significant and have attracted researchers studying Ice Age extinction and climate change
05John's Instagram account The Boneyard Alaska has become hugely popular showcasing the fossil discoveries and mining operations
06The combination of gold mining and paleontological discovery on the same property creates a unique intersection of commerce and science
▶John introduces himself and his background in Alaskan gold mining0:00:00
▶Discussion of the massive Ice Age animal bone discovery beneath the permafrost0:15:00
▶John describes the actual excavation process and challenges of extracting fossils0:35:00
▶Explanation of how permafrost preservation works and the scientific significance0:50:00
▶Stories about specific memorable fossil discoveries and their impact1:15:00

The Show

Joe sits down with John Reeves, the Alaskan gold miner whose discovery of thousands of Ice Age animal remains has captivated the internet and scientific community alike. John first gained recognition through his appearances on National Geographic's 2012 series Goldfathers, where viewers got a glimpse into the intense world of Alaskan gold mining. But his real claim to fame came when excavation on his property in Alaska revealed an absolutely staggering collection of prehistoric bones buried beneath the permafrost.

The sheer scale of what John found is mind-blowing. We're talking about mammoth tusks, complete bison skeletons, and remains of other Ice Age megafauna that have been preserved in the frozen ground for tens of thousands of years. The discovery was documented in the 2019 film Boneyard Alaska and has since exploded on social media through his Instagram account The Boneyard Alaska, where followers get real-time updates on excavations and fossil finds.

What makes John's story particularly fascinating is that he's not a paleontologist or scientist by training. He's a gold miner who stumbled into what could be one of the most significant natural history collections in the region. The conversation touches on the logistics of mining in Alaska, the extreme conditions John and his crew face, and how they've adapted their mining operations to carefully extract these invaluable fossils without destroying them.

Joe and John dive into the science behind why these animals are so well preserved. The permafrost acts as a natural freezer, essentially creating a time capsule from the Ice Age. The question of why so many animals died in this particular area leads to discussions about climate change, Ice Age extinction events, and whether humans played a role in the megafauna extinctions. John shares stories about the actual bones they've unearthed and the challenges of excavating them while maintaining the integrity of the site.

The episode also explores the business side of gold mining in Alaska and how the discovery of these fossils has actually changed John's operation. He's had to balance his original mission of finding gold with the scientific importance of preserving these prehistoric remains. It's a unique position to be in, and John discusses how he's navigated it.