Welcome to The Palaeo Minute: Your Source for Prehistoric Knowledge!

Venture into the Lost World…One Minute at a Time

This is one of the two free sample editions of The Palaeo Minute. To unlock the full archive and future editions, subscribe here. This edition gives you a taste of the storytelling, research insights, and fieldwork‑driven commentary you will find in every paid issue.

Explore the depths of the Mesozoic Era, one discovery at a time. Uncover the stories, science, and symbolism behind The Palaeo Minute.

Welcome to this FREE edition of The Palaeo Minute, the official palaeontology newsletter for my website! Join me on a journey through prehistoric discoveries as I share what you can expect from The Palaeo Minute and the exciting palaeontological path ahead.

This edition explores:

My Science Communication Journey: Why I am passionate about making palaeontology accessible.
Why Dinosaurs Matter Today: A unique blend of research, fieldwork, & storytelling bringing the past to life in every edition.
From Idea to Insight: The Origin of The Palaeo Minute: How the idea evolved from a spark to a fully-fledged resource for fossil fans.
What the Newsletter Provides: What subscribers get access to.

Meet the Palaeontologist

Hello, I am James a vertebrate palaeontologist and science communicator with an MSc in Palaeobiology from the University of Bristol. My work ranges from Late Triassic microvertebrates to Cretaceous hadrosaur evolution, supported by fieldwork in the UK and Montana.

Excavating in the Judith River Formation of Montana.

I have spent the past eight years sharing palaeontology through research papers, blogs, children’s magazines, and videos, with publications for the Geologists’ Association, Kennedy Publishing, and the Jurassic Coast Trust.

Why Dinosaurs Matter Today

The Palaeo Minute offers a unique perspective unlike other newsletters out there, combining expert commentary on cutting-edge palaeontological research and fossil discoveries with insights from my fieldwork, academic study, and hands-on experience working within the field.

Dinosaurs, marine reptiles, and pterosaurs do not just fascinate, they inform. These prehistoric creatures reveal powerful lessons about evolution and extinction. Exploring palaeoenvironments and ecosystems does not just deepen our understanding of the past, it connects us to the environment shaping our future.

And beyond the fossils themselves, palaeontology has real-world impact in education, media, and research. Growing engagement with my articles, outreach features, and international readership sparked the creation of The Palaeo Minute. But how did this idea evolve from concept to reality? In the next section, I reveal the journey behind its development and the exciting process of bringing this project to life.

Bringing the Vision to Life

The idea first took shape in mid-2024. After months of planning, refining, and designing, I am thrilled to finally bring this vision to life!

I envisioned a dynamic way to share my knowledge in palaeontology, something engaging, accessible, and informative. The title and logo beautifully designed by palaeoartist Shirin Sheppard had already taken shape in my mind months before I began actively planning.

An iconic image: a Tyrannosaurus rex biting the minute hand off a clock. A playful nod to geological time and a metaphor for readers delving into the Mesozoic one minute at a time.

The Palaeo Minute logo, by Shirin Sheppard a moment frozen in time, and bitten into motion.

The T. rex biting the clock’s minute hand symbolises change. Each new dinosaur discovery reshapes how we understand these animals and the time they lived in. The broken clock represents not time lost, but time reimagined reminding us that palaeontology evolves with each timely discovery.

The logo along with its symbolism is multi-layered in meaning. Discovering a dinosaur fossil in the field often feels like time has stood still, a glimpse into a world long gone.

That first moment of uncovering a fossil, or revealing remains never before seen, can feel suspended in time: exhilarating, surprising, even emotional. For me, The Palaeo Minute logo became the perfect symbol: of discovery, of my newsletter, and the enduring impact of palaeontology.

From Montana fieldwork to feathered dinosaurs, there is always more to uncover in the world of palaeontology.

What the Newsletter Provides

If you would like to keep reading work like this, you can unlock the full archive and receive every new edition by subscribing. Your support directly enables the creation of future issues. Be part of this journey by purchasing a subscription for exclusive insights into fossil discoveries, prehistoric life, and the science behind palaeontology.

Subscribers get:

Exclusive dispatches that are not available anywhere else.
Behind-the-scenes insights drawn from real Cretaceous fieldwork.
Clear & engaging breakdowns of cutting‑edge palaeontology.
FREE Bonus editions on dinosaurs in media & science outreach.
Full access to every locked issue & new editions delivered straight to your inbox.

Only £9.99/month

Discover the next FREE edition, featuring the mighty tyrannosaurs and their fascinating evolution and growth. Be sure to explore it today! Paid editions offer new insight into scientific research, fossil discoveries, and the life of a palaeontologist.

The Secrets of Tyrannosaurs: Growth, Dominance, and Evolution

5 Jul 2025

Stay connected and explore even more discoveries by following The Palaeo Minute on social media. Check out the palaeontology fact of the month and the new social media channels below.

Palaeontology Fact of the Month

*Iguanodon* or Megalosaurus footprints on display at Dorset Museum. Image credit: James Ronan, 2022.

Trace fossils like trails, burrows, and footprints, can be found across the globe. Dinosaur footprint sites can provide significant palaeontological insight into dinosaur biomechanics, including gait and speed. Above are a selection of tridactyl (three toed) dinosaur footprints (ichnites) possibly from Iguanodon or Megalosaurus on display at Dorset Museum in Dorchester. These footprints were made in the 142 million years old Purbeck Group in Swanage, Southeast Dorset in the United Kingdom.

Enjoyed this edition? Unlock the full archive and receive every new issue by subscribing.

explore the palaeo vault

Thanks for venturing into the Mesozoic with me—see you next edition!