Finding Lake Chewaucan

You're a temporal forensics specialist - or, more informally, a time-travelling detective. Between your analytical talent and your ability to visit the past, there aren't many mysteries you can't unravel. But this new client's job might be the coldest case you've ever come across.

You’ve been hired to find the story behind a broken fossil bone from the vast sagebrush deserts of Oregon. Hunt for clues, play minigames to solve puzzles and travel through time to learn as much about this ancient animal as you can – where it came from, how it lived, and when and how it died. Because if you can’t figure those things out... well, not only will you not get paid, but a little girl's birthday party is going to be straight up ruined.

Explore the mysteries of Oregon's Great Basin Desert and its ancient past in this educational game focused on over 50 years of scientific research in the Fort Rock Basin. The bones and clues are real – see how they unlock the past for modern scientists and travel there yourself. You’ll play science-informed minigames like the 3D platformer game where you sample tufa rocks for radiocarbon, or the Match 3 game used to identify fossil animals. This free educational game is supported by NSF Award  #2228632.