When evolutionary biologist Brian Barber first heard that some stuffed birds had been found at a Wyoming high school, he didn't think much of it. But as luck would have it, the mysterious collection would turn out to be a goldmine. On this episode, we tell the story of a treasure trove of forgotten specimens that could help with scientific breakthroughs decades or centuries down the road. The story takes us from the prairies of Wyoming in the 1960s to a fancy research facility today, and shows the surprising things that can come about from a project that started on someone’s kitchen table.
