James Ronan Avian Dinosaurs, Birds, Darwin Finches, Dinosaurs, Education, Evolutionary Biology, Feathers, Fossil Discoveries, Fossils, Learning, Natural History, Natural World, Newsletter, Palaeobiology, Palaeontology, Parrot, Rainbow lorikeet, The Palaeo Minute, Unlock Dino Insights

Birds The Living Dinosaurs Explained

Venture into the Lost World…One Minute at a Time

Your source for prehistoric knowledge!

A warm welcome to The Palaeo Minute!

Plumage & Legacy: Birds as Living Dinosaurs: Welcome to The Palaeo Minute, your bite-sized window into prehistoric wonders. This edition dives into how birds retain evolutionary and genetic advancements inherited from their dinosaur ancestors.

I explore the seven distinct types of bird feathers and examine how natural selection has shaped bird development for survival and feeding. From modern plumage to beak morphology, birds tell a remarkable story one that links their vibrant diversity to their prehistoric lineage.

I hope you enjoy this evolutionary journey into the origins of feathers, structures that first emerged not just for flight, but for insulation, communication, and display. Together, let’s uncover how birds are not merely descended from dinosaurs, they are dinosaurs, alive and thriving in our world today.

This edition explores:

  • Feather Types: The seven distinct types of bird feathers & their specialised functions.
  • Avian Success: Why birds thrive today, with over 11,000 species adapted to diverse habitats.
  • Natural Selection & Darwin’s Finches: Darwin’s Finches how evolutionary pressures shaped birds’ anatomy, & survival strategies.
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James Ronan Curiosity, Dinosaurs, Earth, Education, Fossil Discoveries, Fossils, Geology, Learning, Lyme Regis, Museums, Natural History, News, Palaeobiology, Palaeontology, Prehistory, Pterosaurs, Science Communication

Experience the Jurassic Coast at Lyme Regis Fossil Festival

Lyme Regis Fossil Festival is happening on the 8th and 9th June this year. You can check out the details below!

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James Ronan Dinosaurs, Documentary, Earth, Education, Fossil Discoveries, Fossils, Geology, Learning, Life on Our Planet, Morgan Freeman, Natural History, Netflix, News, Palaeobiology, Palaeontology, science, Steven Spielberg

Exciting News: Life on Our Planet Netflix Documentary Episode Titles Revealed

In this article you can find out the episode list for the upcoming Netflix documentary series Life on Our Planet, dropping this October.

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James Ronan Education, Fossil Discoveries, Fossils, Geology, Learning, Natural History, Notebook, Palaeobiology, Palaeontology, science, Writing

Inspire Your Science Passion with Atoms to Astronauts Palaeontology Notebook

In this article I highlight an excellent notebook which is sure to be a great gift for all palaeontology enthusiasts out there.

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James Ronan Dinosaur Isle Museum, Dinosaurs, Education, Fossil Discoveries, Geological Processes, Geology, Isle of Wight, Learning, Museums, Natural History, Natural History Museum, Palaeontology

Uncover Isle of Wight Dinosaur Diversity with Professor Paul Barrett and Dr. Susannah Maidment

The Natural History Museum in London has created a new YouTube series focusing on the palaeontology of the Isle of Wight. You can find out more below!

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James Ronan BBC Iplayer, BBC Studios, Documentary, Earth, Education, Fluvial Processes, Geological Processes, Geology, Learning, meteorological processes, Natural History, Pangaea, Prehistory, Volcanoes

Unveiling Earth’s Geological Tales: BBC iPlayer Documentary Series

In this article I share some info about a new five part series on the history of the Earth available to watch on BBC iPlayer.

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James Ronan Dinosaurs, Education, Geology, Learning, Museums, Paleontology

Studying Palaeontology: From Setbacks to Success

In this article I cove my academic experience of getting into palaeontology and share my story of how I got to where I am.

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James Ronan Dinosaur Locomotion, Dinosaurs, Fossil Discoveries, Geology, Isle of Skye, Learning, Paleontology, Sauropod, Theropod, Tyrannosaurus Rex

Rare Middle Jurassic Dinosaur Footprints Discovered at Brothers’ Point, Isle of Skye

On the 2nd of April 2018 research was published by Palaeontologists from the University of Edinburgh, Staffin Museum and the Chinese Academy of Sciences in the Scottish Journal of Geology.

This research focused on the discovery and analysis of sauropod and theropod Dinosaur fossil footprints from the Mid Jurassic found in the Lealt Shale Formation at Rubha nam Brathairean (Brothers’ Point) on the Isle of Skye. This article will examine this discovery, the research that took place and what was found.

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