JRE 2271 · February 11, 2025
John Reeves
Who is John Reeves?
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.
Topics and Timestamps
- 01John Reeves is an Alaskan gold miner who discovered thousands of Ice Age animal remains frozen beneath his property
- 02The boneyard discovery includes mammoth tusks, bison bones, and other Pleistocene era animals preserved in permafrost
- 03Reeves explains how gold mining operations accidentally uncovered the fossil beds while digging through frozen ground
- 04Permafrost thaw and climate change are exposing these ancient remains at an accelerating rate
- 05The discoveries have attracted scientific attention and led to documentaries and social media following
- 06Reeves discusses the logistics of mining in Alaska and how it intersects with paleontological finds
- ▶John Reeves explains his initial discovery of Ice Age animal bones while gold mining0:00:00
- ▶Discussion of the massive quantities of mammoth tusks and bison bones found in the permafrost0:15:00
- ▶Reeves describes how permafrost thaw is accelerating the exposure of fossil beds0:30:00
- ▶Joe and Reeves discuss the paleontological and scientific significance of the discoveries0:45:00
- ▶Reeves talks about the practical operations of mining in Alaska and the business side of his ventures1:00:00
The Show
Joe sits down with John Reeves, an Alaskan gold miner who stumbled onto one of the most remarkable paleontological discoveries in recent memory. While running his gold mining operation in Alaska, Reeves and his team started pulling massive quantities of Ice Age animal bones out of the frozen ground. We're talking mammoth tusks, bison skeletons, and thousands of other specimens from animals that roamed Alaska during the Pleistocene era, all preserved in permafrost that's been frozen for tens of thousands of years.
The conversation dives deep into how Reeves initially discovered these bones while excavating for gold. What started as an odd curiosity became a full-blown operation documenting and cataloging the remains. Reeves talks about the sheer volume of bones coming out of the ground and how the thawing permafrost is exposing these deposits at an accelerating rate. The scientific implications are massive, and Reeves has become something of an unexpected expert in ice age fauna.
Joe and Reeves explore the mechanics of permafrost and why these animals remained so well preserved. The conversation touches on climate change and how warming temperatures are rapidly exposing fossils that have been locked away for millennia. Reeves explains the practical side of his operation, the challenges of mining in Alaska's extreme conditions, and how he's balanced his gold mining business with the responsibility of preserving these paleontological discoveries.
The episode features Reeves' genuine enthusiasm for both the gold and the bones, giving listeners insight into a unique intersection of commercial mining and scientific discovery. His Instagram account the Boneyard Alaska showcases the incredible finds, and the documentary work has brought attention to the area's paleontological significance. It's a fascinating look at how sometimes the most important discoveries come from unexpected places.
Best Quotes
“We started pulling bones out of the ground and realized we were sitting on something really special”
— John Reeves
From the JRE 2271 conversation with John Reeves.
“The permafrost is melting, and these animals are coming back out after thousands of years”
— Joe Rogan
From the JRE 2271 conversation with John Reeves.
“When you see a mammoth tusk that's been frozen for 40,000 years, it changes your perspective”
— John Reeves
From the JRE 2271 conversation with John Reeves.
“Gold mining and paleontology don't usually go together, but that's what happened here”
— Joe Rogan
From the JRE 2271 conversation with John Reeves.
“The volume of bones we're finding is staggering, and scientists are taking notice”
— John Reeves
From the JRE 2271 conversation with John Reeves.
