What it's like curating ancient fossils: a palaeontologist shares her story: "Mrs Ples" (who was actually very likely a "Mr") forms part of the collection at South Africa's Ditsong National Museum of Natural History. Flickr/FlowcommsNot many people can say their working days involve living in the past – but as a museum curator, that’s a big part of what … [Read more...] about What it’s like curating ancient fossils: a palaeontologist shares her story | The Conversation
fossils
Plant fossils have a lot to teach us about Earth’s history | The Conversation
Plant fossils have a lot to teach us about Earth's history: Reconstruction of a Permian swamp. Rose PrevecThere’s a particular feeling of excitement that comes from receiving a gift. It’s a feeling of the unknown, of anticipation – and then you unwrap the package and find something spectacular. As palaeontologists, rocks are our idea of a great gift. That’s because when you … [Read more...] about Plant fossils have a lot to teach us about Earth’s history | The Conversation
How we used the Earth’s magnetic field to date rocks rich in dinosaur fossils | The Conversation
How we used the Earth's magnetic field to date rocks rich in dinosaur fossils: Barkly Pass, the stratotype for the Elliot Formation. These beautiful rocks hold ancient secrets. Lara SciscioCovering two thirds of South Africa the Karoo Basin, visually, is a beautiful space. When looking more deeply into its rock layers, like leafing through the pages of a book, one can read … [Read more...] about How we used the Earth’s magnetic field to date rocks rich in dinosaur fossils | The Conversation
Forgotten fossils hold clues to how ancestors of mammals cared for their young | The Conversation
Forgotten fossils hold clues to how ancestors of mammals cared for their young: We all know that mammals protect and care for their young. In some cases, they also live within complex social groups. Was this always the case? The skeletal anatomy of mammals’ early ancestors has been studied for more than 150 years. But until relatively recently, not much was known about their … [Read more...] about Forgotten fossils hold clues to how ancestors of mammals cared for their young | The Conversation
Frog fossils tell us something new about rain patterns on South Africa’s west coast | The Conversation
Frog fossils tell us something new about rain patterns on South Africa's west coast: Computed tomography scans of a frog skeleton. These fossil frogs are useful to track climatic change. Author suppliedAround 5.1 million years ago, fascinating and now extinct animals like sabre-toothed cats, wolverines and short-necked giraffe roamed the west coast of South Africa. The fossils … [Read more...] about Frog fossils tell us something new about rain patterns on South Africa’s west coast | The Conversation
