Tyrannosaur Skulls & Evolution: Welcome to The Palaeo Minute your fossil dispatch from the Mesozoic frontier. In this edition I delve into the bone-crunching bite of tyrannosaurs, from their teeth to their skull adaptations. Get ready for the latest palaeobiology insights and jaw dropping discoveries, all packed into one mighty read.
At the Feet of the Dinosaurs: Unearthing Ancient Secrets: This edition of The Palaeo Minute revisits the project that helped launch my palaeontology career, from fossil-rich bonebeds and storm-blown sediments to my first academic publication. Join me on a journey through prehistoric environments and the microscopic clues they left behind. I hope you enjoy unearthing Triassic insights in this edition.
This edition explores:
Palaeontology in Action: My research at the University of Bristol (2018–2020).
Behind-the-Scenes: Of my palaeontological internship, hands-on exploration & discovery.
A Geological Field Site: Like no other, the fascinating terrain I investigated.
This project, though rooted in past research, set the foundation for the skills crucial to my palaeontological journey, skills I honed during my transformative At the Feet of the Dinosaurs internship.
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.
The Ginger-Tailed Dinosaur That Changed Everything: Welcome to The Palaeo Minute, where feathered secrets come to life, one filament at a time. In this edition, I spotlight Sinosauropteryx prima with its ginger-striped tail and “bandit mask” camouflage. I also examine Zhenyuanlong suni a spectacular dromaeosaurid from China with elaborate plumage.
From display and thermoregulation to evolutionary signalling, fossils continue to reshape our understanding of feather function in non-avian dinosaurs. I hope you enjoy this deep dive into their fossil stories and the evolutionary insights they continue to reveal.
This edition explores:
Sinosauropteryx prima: A feathered dinosaur with a fascinating history.
Melanosome & Pigmentation: How we can identify colour in dinosaurs.
How Scientific Discoveries: Have reshaped our understanding of dinosaur appearance.
Zhenyuanlong suni: A unique feathered dromaeosaurid from China.
Feathers Before Flight The Dinosaur–Bird Connection: Welcome to The Palaeo Minute, where feathered dinosaurs rise from the geological record to rewrite natural history. This edition traces how feathers once seen as bird-exclusive evolved deep within the dinosaur lineage.
I examine one of the most important fossil discoveries Archaeopteryx and how this feathered dinosaur not only bridges the evolutionary gap between birds and their theropod ancestors, but also provides direct evidence of feather pigmentation through microscopic melanosomes.
From Archaeopteryx’s wings to Sinosauropteryx’s striped tail, fossils reshape the story of flight, appearance, and evolution. I hope you enjoy this deep dive into the evolutionary history of feathered dinosaurs.
This edition explores:
Feather Function: Feather evolution & their usage.
Avian Character Development: The key traits which arose through avian evolution.
Archaeopteryx: The first feathered bird-like dinosaur that changed everything.
Step into Montana’s Late Cretaceous wilderness, where dreams came true and 79-million-year-old fossils saw daylight again. In this edition of The Palaeo Minute, I take you behind the scenes of my fossil-hunting adventure in the Judith River Formation where ancient environments, incredible discoveries, and a lifelong dream came to life. I hope you enjoy the insights from the field and a closer look at this remarkable chapter in palaeontological exploration.
This edition explores:
My Fossil Fieldwork in Montana: Digging deep into natural history!
Excavating Dinosaur Fossils: The discoveries I made & the skills I gained.
Step into the Late Cretaceous: Exploring this fossil rich site’s incredible dinosaur biodiversity.
A Glimpse into a Lost World: The palaeoenvironment where dinosaurs thrived 79–75 million years ago.
Welcome to The Palaeo Minute your one-stop dispatch from the fossil frontier. In this thunderous edition I spotlight the mascot of the newsletter delving into the life and growth of tyrannosaurs, from their evolution to their ontogeny (development). Get ready for the latest palaeobiology insights and fossil-fuelled discoveries, all packed into one mighty read.
Explore the depths of the Mesozoic Era, one discovery at a time. Uncover the stories, science, and symbolism behind The Palaeo Minute.
Your source for prehistoric knowledge!
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.
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