PalaeoParty!

Today we talk to Dr Ellen Coombs about her favorite fossil, Cynthiacetus, and have a whale of a time (sorry not sorry). We learn all about extinct whales, why their nostrils are so interesting to scientists, and we chat about their hilarious hind limbs which are utterly tiny! We also chat about the ancient whales that make a weird appearance in the Star Wars films!

If you want to see a picture of a Cynthiacetus then head to our website: https://palaeoparty.weebly.com/

PalaeoParty! Shorts is a new weekly podcast where we ask palaeontologists and allied workers about their favourite fossil. Each episode drops on #FossilFriday and is accompanied by a mini-poster on the website.

This Palaeoparty! Short is about one of the most mysterious and weird fossils - the conodonts. We've known about conodonts since the 1850's, but had no idea what the animal looked like - it wasn't until the 1980s that scientists found a fossil conodont with soft-tissues! In this episode, Dr Duncan Murdock talks to us about his favorite fossil beasties and one conodont in particular: Notiodella keblon, a 450 million year old conodont from South Africa. Find out why these critters are so weird, but also why conodonts are a super important group of fossils. 

If you want to see a picture of a conodont then head to our website: https://palaeoparty.weebly.com/

PalaeoParty! Shorts is a new weekly podcast where we ask palaeontologists and allied workers about their favourite fossil. Each episode drops on #FossilFriday and is accompanied by a mini-poster on your website.

With their coiled shells, ammonites are one of the most iconic and recognizable type of fossils! They are the focus of this episode, where we talk to Dr Valentina Rossi about these mysterious cephalopods and why they are her favorite fossil. We talk about fieldwork, the strict fossil laws of Italy, and about her inspiration: Mary Anning - the fossil collector who lived in Lyme Regis during the 1800s, collecting ammonites from the local cliffs with her dog, Tray.  

If you want to see a picture of an Ammonite head to our website: https://palaeoparty.weebly.com/

PalaeoParty! Shorts is a new weekly podcast where we ask palaeontologists and allied workers about their favourite fossil. Each episode drops on #FossilFriday and is accompanied by a mini-poster on your website.

In this PalaeoParty! Short, Dr Emily Mitchell takes us back in time to the deep ocean 545 million years ago. In this dark world, some of the earliest animals were doing their thing, before being buried under a blanket of volcanic ash that preserved them as fossils. One of these critters is called Fractofusus and is the focus of this episode! Find out all about this wonderfully weird beastie, Emily's research and why you aren't allowed to wear shoes near Fractofusus fossils!

If you want to see a picture of Fractofusus head to our website: https://palaeoparty.weebly.com/   

PalaeoParty! Shorts is a new weekly podcast where we ask palaeontologists and allied workers about their favourite fossil. Each episode drops on #FossilFriday and is accompanied by a mini-poster on your website.

In this PalaeoParty! Short, Dr Nick Crumpton tells us all about his favorite fossil - Sharovipteryx mirabilis. This little reptile was found in Triassic rocks in Kyrgyzstan - pretty normal right? NOPE! Sharovipteryx is unique because of the huge membrane that stretched between it's hind legs. Nick tells us about this truly weird beastie, what did it use this large 'wing' for, and why it interested him so much during his palaeo career. 

If you want to see a picture of Sharovipteryx head to our website: https://palaeoparty.weebly.com/

PalaeoParty! Shorts is a new weekly podcast where we ask palaeontologists and allied workers about their favourite fossil. Each episode drops on #FossilFriday and is accompanied by a mini-poster on your website.

In this PalaeoParty! Short, Dr Aubrey Roberts tells us all about his favorite fossil - a plesiosaur called Ophthalmothule cryostea or 'Britney' to it's friends! Found on fieldwork in Svalbard, an island inside the arctic circle, this long necked marine reptile cruised oceans at the end of the Jurassic hunting for fish. What makes Britney so important is that Aubrey and her team found its skull, which is super rare for plesiosaur fossils. Listen in as Aubrey tells us about freezing fieldwork, dangerous polar bears and how 90s bangers gave Britney her nickname. If you want to see a picture of Britney head to our website: https://palaeoparty.weebly.com/  

PalaeoParty! Shorts is a new weekly podcast where we ask palaeontologists and allied workers about their favourite fossil. Each episode drops on #FossilFriday and is accompanied by a mini-poster on your website.

In this PalaeoParty! Short, Prof Steve Brusatte tells us all about his favorite fossil - a small dinosaur called Zhenyuanlong. Found in China, this diminutive predator is scientifically important because, like a bird, it was covered in feathers, but it couldn't fly - even though it had wings! Steve walks us through the history of Zhenyuanlong, the science behind it, and the team of researchers that that described this beautiful fossil. If you want to see a picture of Zhenyuanlong head to our website: https://palaeoparty.weebly.com/  

PalaeoParty! Shorts is a new weekly podcast where we ask palaeontologists and allied workers about their favourite fossil. Each episode drops on #FossilFriday and is accompanied by a mini-poster on your website. 

In today's *CURSED* episode we chat with Nussaïbah Raja, a geographer/palaeontologist/data scientist undertaking her PhD in Germany. 

We have all sorts of technical hiccups but we do manage to chat about some super exciting climate change science and Nussaïbah's really impactful work investigating colonialism in palaeontology. We also chat about fossils found within amber from Myanmar and highlight the impact that palaeo is having in fueling the humanitarian crisis in the area. Nussaïbah can be found on Twitter @mauritiantales.

In today's episode we chat with Yara Haridy, a bone-obsessed palaeontologist who has just finished her PhD in Germany. We chat about all things bone - how they evolved, what the first bony mudsucking critters were and how to work out the age of a beastie from its bones. Oh, and Emma talks about her obsession with Venus flower basket sponges. Yara can be found on Twitter @Yara_Haridy.

In today's episode we chat with Alex Xafis, a Greek palaeontologist and science communicator based in Austria. We chat about what we can learn about climate change from fossil giraffe and elephant teeth, Alex's path to a career in science communication, and what plants Emma (a famous plant killer) should get next. Alex can be found on Twitter @AlexXafis and has an amazing Instagram @palaeoalex.

In today's episode we chat with Franz Anthony, an Indonesian paleoartist, fossil crab king and #1 invertebrate iNaturalist (T&Cs apply). We chat about why chickens are a seriously underrated animal, how Franz got involved with PBS Eons and Prehistoric Road Trip, the legacy of colonialism in palaeoart, and how he got wrapped up in the dark and mysterious world of crab memes! Franz can be found on Twitter @franzanth.

In today's episode we chat with Dr Katie Collins, a malacologist - a zoologist specializing in the study of mollusks, curator and pupper parent (a guest appearance is made!). We chat about bivalves, eating the animal group you work on, and curators finding mysterious boxes in the collections! Katie also makes us giggle by introducing the mysterious HAM - the hypothetical ancestor to mollusks that lived over 550 million years ago! Katie can be found on Twitter @spissatella

In today's episode we chat with Dr Ross Barnett, a palaeogeneticist, author and sabercat enthusiast. We chat about DNA, what it is and how scientists can use it to figure out who ancient bones belong to! We also chat about mass extinctions, the impact of bring extinct animals back to life, and about why you'd need wellington boots if you were watching a sabercat hunt. Ross's book 'The Missing Lynx' covers many of these topics (and more!) and can be found now at all book retailers or online. Ross regularly tweets @DeepFriedDNA.

PalaeoParty! is a biweekly interactive podcast about palaeontology.

In today's episode we chat  with Dr Orla Bath Enright, a Postdoctoral researcher at Lusanne University, Switzerland. Orla talks us through the disgusting and smell world of experimental taphonomy (learning how fossils form). We learn how she uses flume tanks (think giant washing   machines) to recreate ancient underwater landslides! We also talk about the Burgess Shale, a famous fossil site in Canada that preserves fossils of soft-bodied animals that are over 500 million years old. Orla can be found on twitter @BathEnright.

PalaeoParty! is a biweekly interactive podcast about palaeontology.

In today's episode we chat (and laugh a lot) with Dr Alessandro Chiarenza, a Postdoctoral researcher at UCL, UK. Alessandro introduces the dinosaurs and teaches Thomas why they are important and amazing animals in their own right. We also talk about the moments just before and after the asteroid impact 66 million years ago and why mammals survive. We also learn that Alessandro's least favourite dinosaur is the humble duck.  Alessandro can be found on twitter @AAlechiarenza.

PalaeoParty! is a biweekly interactive podcast about palaeontology.

In today's episode we chat with Dr Richard Dearden, a Postdoctoral researcher at Muséum national d’histoire naturelle, Paris. Richard talks with us about fossil fish, why you might have gills, gives us some advice on how to find fossils and presents his beautiful vision of a palaeontological Eurovision entry. Richard can be found on twitter @Euphanerops. 

PalaeoParty! is a biweekly interactive podcast about palaeontology.

In today's episode we chat with Dr Thomas Wong-Hearing, a Postdoctoral researcher at Ghent University, UK. Thomas explains how we work out the climate of the Earth 550 million years ago - a very important time in the history of the planet, when animals suddenly appear in the fossil record! Thomas can be found on twitter @ThomasHearing. We also get to meet Dr. Deans' two house rabbits: Hank and Mouse! (Don't say we don't give you anything extra here at PalaeoParty!). 

PalaeoParty! is a biweekly interactive podcast about palaeontology.

In todays episode we chat with Cecily Nicholl, a PhD student at University College London, UK. Cecily gives an amazing upgoer five, talks about the amazing fossil record of crocodiles (or green snaps as they will become known), her love of baby dinosaurs, the best song about fossils, and we laugh about her giant crochet crocodile! Cecily can be found on twitter @piginatutu.

PalaeoParty! is a biweekly interactive podcast about palaeontology.

In todays episode we chat with Hannah Byrne, a PhD student at the University of Uppsala, Sweden. Hannah tells us all about how she got into palaeontology, her interest in working out ancient tides, fossil trackways in Ireland, but best of all, she teaches us all about fossil poop! Turns out poop is really useful for palaeontologists trying to understand ancient animals. Who would have thought? Hannah can be found on twitter @HM_Byrne.