Podcasts about Ichthyosaur

Mary Anning was a pioneer in the field of paleontology, working in the early 19th Century, she discovered many famous dinosaurs and marine reptiles such as Ichthyosaurus. Her contributions were often overlooked due to her gender and social status, which let to her being ineligible to join the Geological Society of London or often receive no credit for her contributions.  Among other things she is considered to be the subject of the well known tongue twister "she sells sea shells by the sea shore".  Take a listen an learn all about her unique story.

Ann Wolfe is the Chief Curator at the Nevada Museum of Art, the only art museum in the state of Nevada accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. Collaborating with paleontologist Dr. Martin Sander, she has co-curated a new exhibition at the museum titled "Deep Time: Sea Dragons of Nevada." You might know these Sea Dragons by their actual name- Ichthyosaur. On this week's episode of Renoites, Ann join Conor to discuss the exhibition and how it was created, the process of combining arts and science in museum exhibitions, working with artifacts and fossils millions of years old, the important scientists who have spearheaded expeditions into the Nevada desert, as well as the more art-focused elements of the exhibition including an 85 foot digital "point cloud" projection, a collection of thousands of dinosaur toys from around the world (note: Ichthyosaurs aren't dinosaurs!), and even the art gracing the cans of a local favorite beer, Icky IPA by Great Basin Brewing. In addition to the current exhibition, Conor and Ann discussed the importance of Land Art to the state of Nevada, including Michael Heizer's "City," a land art piece spanning over a mile of the Nevada desert and taking decades to complete, and the "Seven Magic Mountains" installation- currently a major tourist destination in Las Vegas but which is now planned to be relocated here to Northern Nevada. Renoites is a fully listener-supported project, and we need your support! Please tell people about the show and help spread the word, and consider contributing financially to help the show become more sustainable. Learn more at http://patreon.com/renoites If you have feedback, guest suggestions, or want to get in touch, please email me at conor@renoites.com and follow on social media at http://renoites.bsky.social Thank you so much for listening and for your support!

When the dinosaurs walked the Earth, massive marine reptiles swam. Among them, a species of Ichthyosaur that measured over 80 feet long. Today, we look into how a chance discovery by a father-daughter duo of fossil hunters furthered paleontologist's understanding of the "giant fish lizard of the Severn." Currently, it is the largest marine reptile known to scientists.Read more about this specimen in the study published in the journal PLOS One. Have another ancient animal or scientific revelation you want us to cover? Email us at shortwave@npr.org — we might talk about it on a future episode!Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

In the Jurassic seas lived a monstrous marine reptile. But was he really that bad?Written especially for this podcast by Simon. If you enjoyed this story, please do leave us a review. And, if you'd like to suggest an animal for a future Animal Tales story, you can do so by emailing podcast@animaltales.uk. We would love to hear from you. Animal Tales Books!Collections of Animal Tales stories are available to buy exclusively at Amazon. Simply search for Animal Tales Short Stories or follow this link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CLJQZ9C9?binding=paperback&ref=dbs_dp_sirpi Become a PREMIUM SubscriberYou can now enjoy Animal Tales by becoming a Premium Subscriber. This gets you:All episodes in our catalogue advert freeBonus Premium-only episodes (minimum of one per month) which will never be used on the main podcastWe guarantee to use one of your animal suggestions in a storyYou can sign up through Apple Podcasts or through Supercast and there are both monthly and yearly plans available.  Discover a brand new story every Monday, Wednesday and Friday – just for you! You can find more Animal Tales at https://www.spreaker.com/show/animal-tales-the-kids-story-podcast A Note About The AdvertsIn order to allow us to make these stories we offer a premium subscription and run adverts. The adverts are not chosen by us, but played automatically by our podcast host, Spreaker. These adverts will be different depending on what part of the world you listen in, and may even be different if you listen to the story twice. We have had a handful of instances where an advert has played that is not suitable for a family audience, despite Spreaker knowing who this podcast is aimed at. If you're concerned about an advert you hear, please let Spreaker know directly at https://help.spreaker.com/en/articles/3803834-how-to-get-in-contact-with-spreaker-s-support-team# As creators, we want your child's experience to be a pleasurable one. Running adverts is necessary to allow us to operate, but please do consider the premium subscription service as an alternative – it's advert free.

Research shows some rapidly evolving trout are altering Wyoming's aquatic ecosystems. Plus, paleontologists pieced together a level of apex predators with no modern equivalent. In Wyoming's Mountain Lakes, Stocked Trout Are Evolving QuicklyAnglers across the West love to fish in high, alpine lakes, and Wyoming's Wind River Range is nearly unbeatable for this experience. Around this time of year, frost covers the tips of trees at sunrise, and there's plenty of room along the lonesome blue waters above 10,000 feet.Those who do make the trek—which usually takes more than 15 miles of hiking—are greeted by hungry golden, brook or cutthroat trout looking to fatten up for the winter. They'll take almost any fly, from a yellow foam grasshopper, to a Parachute Adams to a tiny ant. And the fish are often big, colorful and photogenic.But as untamed, historic and relaxing as a day on the water feels, it's anything but natural. New research is shedding light on how the history of fish stocking has impacted alpine lake ecosystems in the Wind Rivers. In many cases, the genetics of trout have evolved rapidly, allowing them to survive in harsh mountain environments.Read the rest at sciencefriday.com. Hyper-Apex Predators: Colombian Fossils Reveal Big Reptilians Atop Ancient Marine Food ChainThe Paja Formation, located in central Colombia, is a treasure trove of fossils. The site is integral to scientists' understanding of ancient creatures who roamed the seas during the Early Cretaceous period, about 130 million years ago.Now, paleontologists have pieced together the food chain of this marine ecosystem. Surprisingly, they found it supported an additional level of apex predators—think massive marine reptiles—for which there is no modern equivalent.SciFri producer Kathleen Davis talks with Dirley Cortés, paleontologist at the Centro de Investigaciones Paleontológicas in Colombia and PhD candidate at McGill University's Redpath Museum, and Dr. Hans Larsson, paleontologist and professor at McGill University's Redpath Museum. They discuss their fascinating findings, and the importance of better understanding this part of the fossil record.   To stay updated on all things science, sign up for Science Friday's newsletters. Transcripts for each segment will be available the week after the show airs on sciencefriday.com.

In world news for kids this week: What to do with a forest of wood planted for paper production not needed now in the digital age? Well, a company in Finland is innovating – creating sustainable batteries out of the wood! Also, Taylor Swift sings 44 songs in 3 hours during her first concert in five years. We'll also explain Int'l Autism Day and how researchers think the “fish-lizard” – ichthyosaur – sea monster lived much earlier than the “Great Dying” when nearly all life on earth was wiped out. 

Do you love digging for buried treasure? It's time to explore the incredible story of a real-life treasure hunter. Her name was Mary Anning and she is best known for discovering an Ichthyosaur fossil—an animal that many people today would call a sea monster! The most amazing part? She was just a kid when she found this amazing treasure. As Mary grew up, she challenged the conventional understanding of prehistoric life and inspired generations of scientists and women. Join us as we uncover the thrilling journey of this remarkable treasure hunter. About Honest History Honest History creates award-winning books, magazines, and this show for young historians across the world. Our mission is to inspire kids to create a positive impact on history themselves. Learn more at honesthistory.co and @honesthistory. Credits This episode was hosted by Nikki Bon, written by Alexandra Petrocelli, and produced by Randall Lawrence. Original theme music was written and recorded by Luke Messimer.  More Enjoy this episode? Share with your friends and don't forget to rate and review. See you next time!

They sound like a kind of dinosaur – what kind of animal were Ichthyosaurs? When was the very first Ichthyosaur fossil discovered and by who?   Anika and Esther get the lowdown on Ichthyosaurs from Tim Ziegler who is a palaeontologist and geologist at Melbourne Museum  This episode of The Fact Detectives is a Kinderling co-production with Melbourne Museum. To find out more about the world around you, head to museumsvictoria.com.au  Enjoy a new episode every fortnight, and if YOU have a big Fact Detective question, send it to factdetectives@kinderling.com.au    Guest: Tim Ziegler who is a palaeontologist and geologist at Melbourne Museum Hosts: Anika and Esther  Production: Cinnamon Nippard  Sound design: Josh Newth  Executive Producer: Lorna Clarkson    Hear it first on LiSTNR.    Listen ad-free on Kinderling.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Hita speaks with Dr. Sarah Bezan who is a scholar of environmental humanities currently employed as a Lecturer in Literature and the Environment at the Radical Humanities Laboratory at University College Cork in Ireland. Previously she was a post-doctoral Research Associate at the Leverhulme Centre for Anthropocene Biodiversity in The University of York in the United Kingdom. In this conversation, they chat about how participating in a paleo dig and uncovering a Mosasaur skeleton sparked in her a curiosity that led to her current engagement with making sense of extinction. They speak about artistic representations of extinct animals such as Harri Kallio's representations of the dodo bird on an island in Mauritius or Mark Dion's Ichthyosaur installation, and how they manipulate imaginaries surrounding the temporal and spatial boundaries of the extinct species. In describing these imaginaries, they discuss the idea of animal atopias, a term she coined to refer to those placeless places surrounding extinction, where the animal exists not on a spatially defined space but a constructed one, evoking a nostalgia for what once was. They discuss about Sarah's experiences on the Galapagos Islands where she studied the taxidermic specimen of Lonesome George, the last representative of the Pinta island tortoises and her observation that the extinct body is essentially an exploded one raising questions about what it means to be the last representative of a species and the responsibility that death places upon such individuals. They reflect upon how practices of taxidermy and museum curatorship are essentially performative, designed to evoke a specific emotion or knowledge, rendering them hyper visible, while subsuming others. They discuss de-extinction projects such as the Jurassic World like attempts at reviving the woolly mammoth or even theoretical ideas of re-creating Neanderthals as proposed by George Church are all ways in which we attempt to revive prehistoric fantasies of the human – a fantasy nevertheless that is separate from the idea of the modern human. The conversation concludes with some reflections on interdisciplinary research and the responsibility that early career scholars are placed with when attempting to straddle multiple schools of thought. Sarah's personal website: https://www.sarahbezan.com/ Some of the references we cite during the conversation are listed below: “Dodo Birds and the Anthropogenic Wonderlands of Harri Kallio.” Parallax, 25, no. 4, 2019: 427-445. (*To be reprinted as a foreword to Harri Kallio, The Dodo and Mauritius Island: Imaginary Encounters, 2nd Edition. Stockport, UK: Dewi Lewis Publishing, 2023). “The Endling Taxidermy of Lonesome George: Iconographies of Extinction at the End of the Line.” Configurations: A Journal of Literature, Science, and Technology, vol. 27, no. 2, 2019, pp. 211-238. Co-Edited by Sarah Bezan and Susan McHugh. “A Darwinism of the Muck and Mire: Decomposing Eco- and Zoopoetics in Stephen Collis and Jordan Scott's decomp.” In Texts, Animals, Environments: Zoopoetics and Ecopoetics. Ed. Roland Borgards, Catrin Gersdof, Frederike Middelhoff, and Sebastian Schönbeck. Freiburg: Rombach Verlag “Cultural Animal Studies Series,” 2019, 241-253. Animal Remains. Co-edited by Sarah Bezan and Robert McKay. Routledge Perspectives on the Non-Human in Literature and Culture Series. London: Routledge, 2022. “Taxidermic Forms and Fictions.” A special issue of Configurations: A Journal of Literature, Science, and Technology, 27, no. 2, 2019, pp. 131-138. Co-Edited by Sarah Bezan and Susan McHugh, Johns Hopkins University Press. Heise, Ursula K. Imagining Extinction: The Cultural Meanings of Endangered Species, Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2016. Jørgensen, Dolly. “Endling, the Power of the Last in an Extinction-Prone World.” Environmental Philosophy 14, no. 1 (2017): 119–38.  

Credits: Written by Annabel Worth, Kirsten Huffer and Emma Pratt Read by Kirsten and Annabel Audio editing and soundscape by Emma This piece concerns Mary Anning's Icthyosaur in the Sedgwick museum. Once upon a time, 200 million years ago, dolphin-like marine reptiles, or ichthyosaurs, like this one roamed the Jurassic Sea. About 200 years ago, Mary Anning, mother of paleontology, found this ichthyosaur fossil along the craggy cliffs of England's southern coast. If fossils could talk, what would this ichthyosaur say? What could it tell us about the experiences of its collector, Mary Anning, who was widely excluded from scientific circles of her day? And what could it tell us about Adam Sedgwick, who purchased it—possibly with the money that he gained from the labour of enslaved people? What stories of power and memory, gender and colonialism, could this ichthyosaur bring to life?

Rutland Water is home to a rich array of wildlife, including osprey, but beneath the water there may be much more natural history to discover. Last year Joe Davis found the largest and most complete Ichthyosaur skeleton yet seen in the UK. This inland reservoir was once a tropical ocean and there may be many more fossilised remains that remain beneath the water. In fact, there was a recent discovery of the fossilised jaw of a Jurassic crocodile-like creature. Today the habitat around the reservoir provides a perfect home for waders and wildfowl, as well as sand martins and other birds. Helen Mark discovers how this watery world also hides the most fascinating aquatic insects. Once the reservoir was hated by locals who lost their land and homes, but today it provides the perfect setting to make the most of our natural world and understand more about both the wildlife of today and the creatures that swam here millions of years ago. Presented by Helen Mark. Produced by Helen Lennard and Perminder Khatkar.

This is the story of Mary Anning, the fossil collector, dealer and paleontologist, who started collecting fossils at a tender age of five. her discoveries include Ichthyosaur, plesiosaur and pterosaur skeletons and fossils. Despite her remarkable skills and discoveries she never received her due recognition in the male-dominant scientific community. She struggled most of her life but her grit and passion for her work is still an inspiration for many girls. For more stories, visit https://storytokri.com

This week we're talking about the Ophthalmosaurus, as well as Ichthyosaurs more generally! We're so excited to dive into the history and discovery of these amazing prehistoric reptiles. Listen to learn more about how they evolved, how big they could get, and so much more! As we approach our 100th episode, we want to hear from you!  Until July 6th, we're asking you to send us a DM on Instagram or Twitter @beyondblathers or send us an email to beyondblathers@gmail.com and answer one of these three questions: 1) If you work with animals, share with us one of your coolest/weirdest stories from working with wildlife or specimens. 2) What was a time you were totally in awe of bugs, sea creatures, or fossils? 3) tell us about an animal encounter you had that you'll never forget! We'll pick some to share in our 101st episode. Don't forget to subscribe and leave us a rating and review. To stay up to date and see our weekly episode illustrations, make sure to follow us on Instagram and Twitter. And don't forget to check out our TikTok! Beyond Blathers is hosted and produced by Olivia deBourcier and Sofia Osborne, with art by Olivia deBourcier and music by Max Hoosier. This podcast is not associated with Animal Crossing or Nintendo, we just love this game.

Today's stories include:- Bride in India Marries Wrong Groom-Forbidden Churro Found in Ireland- 139 Million Year Old Pegnant Ichthyosaur Fossil Found in Chile- Tennessee Couple Wakes Up To Find Strange Dog In Bed With ThemFacebook: @3MPodcastTwitter: @3MPodcast3TikTok: @3MPodcastYouTube: https://bit.ly/3apYTV0Intro music: Phoenix Tail/ The Scenery / courtesy of www.epidemicsound.comBackground music: Arthur Benson / She Is Whimsical / courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com Research assistance provided by: Stevie the Cat

On this Episode Bart & Vicky talk about Just say yes to the potatoes, a 3 state long lightning bolt, Finding a Ichthyosaur in the UK, Cyclops goat is born, Noisy toilet is taken to court, Cosmic mystery is found. Email at TFTDpodcast@gmail.com with your own crazy stories We are part of Webegeekspc.com Tangentboundnetwork.com On […]

The astonishing discovery of this jurassic era creature has been covered on our show before, but this recording features special insight into the dig itself. Mark Evans from the British Antarctic Survey and Emily Swaby from The Open University describe the significance of finding the skeletal remains of this marine reptile to Harry Lewis... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Can you generate electricity with hamster wheels? What was the Christmas carol beef this year? And what the FUCK is going on with Star Wars musical terminology?! -------- Ichthyosaur discovery: https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/news/2022/january/britains-largest-ever-ichthyosaur-is-discovered-rutland-water.html  Dan Choral Piece of the Week: Cana's Guest, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILLAlxtbiGw  Carol World Cup: https://twitter.com/theevensongcup  Murder by Numbers: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1140290/Murder_by_Numbers/  Jizz wailers: https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Jizz-wailer  Our patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thewikicast -------- Email us at: spongyelectric@gmail.com Follow us on Twitter: @DanielJMaw @simonoxfphys This week's article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Hills_Wind_Farm  Fan discord channel: https://discord.gg/SZu6e2F This episode was edited by the wonderful Fergus Hall! https://fergushallcomposer.com/about 

About King Tides  NOAA Tide Predictions  Send your King Tide photos (with subject “King Tides”) to ssekich@surfrider.org 5th Annual State of the Beach Report 7 COMMON FOODS THAT CONTAIN MICROPLASTICS Extinct swordfish-shaped marine reptile discovered

An interview about Marine Reptiles with Keirsten Formso @formophology. To get more free bonus content FIRST become a Terrible Lizards Patron on patreon.com/terriblelizards In the third series of Terrible Lizards we finally edged away from dinosaurs to cover pterosaurs, but in the Mesozoic, there were far more reptiles in the sea than in the air so we really need to do them too. Happily to this end we can welcome Kiersten Formoso from the University of Southern California who is working on her PhD about the transition back to the water by various reptiles from the time of the dinosaurs. Over the course of this bonus episode we look at the rise and fall of various different groups that took to the water and the evolutionary changes that occurred to them as they adapted to a watery way of life. So sit back and enjoy an hour of live bearing giant dolphin-mimics and all kinds of others.    Links: Kiersten's webpage with links to all her projects: https://www.formorphology.com    Photos taken at the Carnegie Museum of some of the groups discussed in the pod: https://archosaurmusings.wordpress.com/2011/12/12/western-interior-seaway/    

I is for... From the extinct to the unique. This week's episode, I is for..., brings all the chat about the dinosaur, Ichthyosaur, the largest Lemur the Indri & one of the only marine lizards, the Marine Iguana. Joining Ryan this week is stand up comedians Alasdair Beckett-King (@misterabk) & Abigoliah Schumaun (@abigoliah).

Judith studied Biology in the University of Magallanes in Punta Arenas, Chile. doing her Ph.D in the University of Heidelberg in Germany. Completing postdoc in Paleopathologies which were developed in the Natural History Museum of Stuttgart in Germany under the supervision of Dr. Erin Maxwell currently working as a paleontologist in the University of Magallanes in Punta Arenas, south of Chile on the exploration and findings of the Ichthyosaur. Dinosaurs were around long ago and the more and more we look for these prehistoric beings the more we uncover more about common species and the worlds secret history.

How did a 19th-century English working-class woman with no formal education end up becoming one of the most influential fossilists of all time?

Team Nasty sit down with director Madeleine Skipsey and lead actress Antonia to talk about their work on a new play - She Sells Sea Shells - by Helen Eastman. ABOUT THE SHE SELLS SEA SHELLS 'It ain't a fossil. It's fossilised dung. But if he wants to pop it in a cabinet I don't want to spoil his day'. In 1811, the daughter of a Lyme Regis carpenter discovered the world's first Ichthyosaur. She was twelve. Before she was thirty, Mary Anning made discoveries that transformed our understanding of the universe. Then she was written out of history. Nearly. Scandal and Gallows bring their blend of movement and storytelling to this extraordinary story of genius, gender and dinosaurs. Catch the show in the Iron Belly at Underbelly Cowgate at 1.30pm until 25-Aug (ex 12th). You can buy tickets here - https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/she-sells-sea-shells ABOUT SCANDAL AND GALLOWS Scandal and Gallows are a young theatre company who stage classic stories using intimate and innovative storytelling. Follow them... on Twitter @SCAGTheatre on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SCAGTheatre/

21. Ichthyosaur & #Menaretrash: I'll Be In The Lesbian CommuneIn this episode of Secret Dinosaur Cult, we discuss the Ichthyosaur, the hashtag #menaretrash, hecklers, social media, the reality of patriarchy, and as always, try and fill our daddy holes.Hosted by Sofie Hagen and Jodie Mitchell.Produced by Justine McNichol for Dying Alone Ltd.Jingle by Harriet Braine.Photo by Gavin Smart.Logo by Annaliese Nappa.Recorded at The Phoenix Arts Club, London.Follow Secret Dinosaur Cult:Twitter: https://twitter.com/secretdinocultInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/secretdinosaurcult/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SecretDinosaurCult/ See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In 1804, when she was 5 years old, Mary Anning began to dig in the cliffs that flanked her English seaside town. What she found amazed the scientists of her time and challenged the established view of world history. In this week's episode of the Futility Closet podcast we'll tell the story of "the greatest fossilist the world ever knew.” We'll also try to identify a Norwegian commando and puzzle over some further string pulling. Intro: William Rowan Hamilton was so pleased with the fundamental formula for quaternions that he carved it into the bridge on which it occurred to him. On Christmas morning 1875, Mark Twain's daughter discovered a letter from the moon. Sources for our feature on Mary Anning: Shelley Emling, The Fossil Hunter: Dinosaurs, Evolution, and the Woman Whose Discoveries Changed the World, 2009. Thomas W. Goodhue, Fossil Hunter: The Life and Times of Mary Anning (1799-1847), 2004. Hugh Torrens, "Presidential Address: Mary Anning (1799-1847) of Lyme; 'The Greatest Fossilist the World Ever Knew,'" British Journal for the History of Science 28:3 (September 1995), 257-284. Crispin Tickell, "Princess of Palaeontology," Nature 400:6742 (July 22, 1999), 321. Adrian Burton, "The Ichthyosaur in the Room," Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 10:6 (August 2012), 340. Tom Huntington, "The Princess of Paleontology," British Heritage 26:2 (May 2005), 44-59. Michael A. Taylor and Hugh S. Torrens, "Fossils by the Sea," Natural History 104:10 (October 1995), 66. Renee M. Clary and James H. Wandersee, "Mary Anning: She's More Than 'Seller of Sea Shells at the Seashore,'" American Biology Teacher 68:3 (March 2006), 153-157. Peggy Vincent et al., "Mary Anning's Legacy to French Vertebrate Palaeontology," Geological Magazine 151:1 (January 2014), 7-20. Michael A. Taylor and Hugh S. Torrens, "An Anonymous Account of Mary Anning (1799–1847), Fossil Collector of Lyme Regis, England, Published in Chambers's Journal in 1857, and its Attribution to Frank Buckland (1826–1880), George Roberts (c.1804–1860) and William Buckland (1784–1856)," Archives of Natural History 41:2 (2014), 309–325. Justin Pollard and Stephanie Pollard, "Mary Anning: Born 21 May 1799," History Today 68:3 (March 2018), 22-23. Sarah Zielinski, "Mary Anning, an Amazing Fossil Hunter," Smithsonian, Jan. 5, 2010. Shelley Emling, "Mary Anning and the Birth of Paleontology," Scientific American, Oct. 21, 2009. "Mary Anning," Discover 38:4 (May 2017), 47. "Mary Anning, the Fossil Finder," All the Year Round 13:303 (Feb. 11, 1865), 60-63. John P. Rafferty, "Mary Anning," Encyclopaedia Britannica, May 17, 2018. "Mary Anning (1799-1847)," University of California Museum of Paleontology (accessed May 27, 2018). "Mary Anning," University of Bristol Paleobiology Research Group (accessed May 27, 2018). In 1830 the geologist Henry De la Beche painted this watercolor depicting every one of Mary's finds -- he sold lithographs and gave the proceeds to her. This increased her security, but apparently not beyond worry. Listener mail: Ryan Osborne, "'America's Spirit Animal 2018:' Twitter Loves the Bear Who Ate Two Dozen Cupcakes," WFAA, May 12, 2018. Michael George, "New Jersey Baker Says Bear Broke Into Car, Ate 2 Dozen Cupcakes, Left Only Paw Print," NBC New York, May 11, 2018. Gene Myers, "Cupcake-Eating Bear Celebrated With Bear-Shaped Cupcakes by Bakery," North Jersey, May 11, 2018. Thomson Reuters, "Alaska Bear Falls Through Skylight Into Party, Eats All the Cupcakes," CBC News, June 25, 2014. Lindsay Deutsch, "Bear Falls Through Skylight, Eats Birthday Cupcakes," USA Today, June 26, 2014. Brendan Rand, "5-Year-Old Girl Attacked, Dragged by Black Bear," ABC News, May 14, 2018. Courtney Han, "5-Year-Old Girl Who Was Attacked and Dragged by Bear Is Released From Hospital," ABC News, May 19, 2018. To Tell the Truth, Jan. 17, 1966. Wikipedia, "To Tell the Truth" (accessed June 9, 2018). This week's lateral thinking puzzle was contributed by listener Stefan, who sent this corroborating link (warning -- this spoils this puzzle). You can listen using the player above, download this episode directly, or subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Google Play Music or via the RSS feed at http://feedpress.me/futilitycloset. Please consider becoming a patron of Futility Closet -- you can choose the amount you want to pledge, and we've set up some rewards to help thank you for your support. You can also make a one-time donation on the Support Us page of the Futility Closet website. Many thanks to Doug Ross for the music in this episode. If you have any questions or comments you can reach us at podcast@futilitycloset.com. Thanks for listening!

This week we're learning about the hammerhead worm and the ichthyosaur, two animals that really could hardly be more different from each other. Thanks to Tania for the hammerhead worm suggestion! They are so beautifully disgusting! Make sure to check out the podcast Animals to the Max this week (and always), for an interview with yours truly. Listen to me babble semi-coherently about cryptozoology and animals real and maybe not real! Here are hammerhead worms of various species. Feast your eyes on their majesty! An ichthyosaur: More ichthyosaurs. Just call me DJ Mixosaurus: Show transcript: Welcome to Strange Animals Podcast. I’m your host, Kate Shaw. This week we’re looking at a couple of animals that have nothing in common. But first, a big thank you to the podcast Animals to the Max. The host, Corbin Maxey, interviewed me recently and the interview should be released the same day this episode goes live. If you don’t already subscribe to Animals to the Max, naturally I recommend it, and you can download the new episode and listen to me babble about cryptozoology, my favorite cryptids, and what animal I’d choose if I could bring back one extinct species. There’s a link to the podcast in the show notes, although it should be available through whatever app you use for podcast listening. This week’s first topic is a suggestion from Tania, who suggested hammerheaded animals. We’ve covered hammerhead sharks before way back in episode 15, but Tania also suggested hammerhead worms. I’d never heard of that one before, so I looked it up. I’ve now been staring at pictures of hammerhead worms in utter fascination and horror for the last ten minutes, so let’s learn about them. There are dozens of hammerhead worm species. They’re a type of planarian, our old friend from the regenerating animals episode, and like those freshwater planarians, many hammerhead worms show regenerative abilities. They’re sometimes called land planarians. Most are about the size of an average earthworm or big slug, with some being skinny like a worm while others are thicker, like a slug, but some species can grow a foot long or more. Unlike earthworms, and sort of like slugs, a hammerhead worm has a flattened belly called a creeping sole. Some hammerhead worms are brown, some are black, some have yellow spots, and some have stripes running the length of their bodies. Hmm, it seems like I’m forgetting a detail in their appearance. …oh yeah. Their hammerheads! Another name for the hammerhead worm is the broadhead planarian, because the head is flattened into a head plate that sticks out like a fan or a hammerhead depending on the species. The hammerhead worm’s head contains a lot of sensory organs, especially chemical receptors and some eye-like spots that probably can only sense light and dark. Researchers think the worms’ heads are shaped like they are to help the worm triangulate on prey the same way many animals can figure out where another animal is just by listening. That’s why most animals’ ears are relatively far apart, too. One species of hammerhead worm, Bipalium nobile, can grow over three feet long, or one meter, although it’s as thin as an earthworm. It has a fan-shaped head and is yellowish-brown with darker stripes. It’s found in Japan, although since it wasn’t known there until the late 1970s, researchers think it was introduced from somewhere else. That’s the case for many hammerhead worms, in fact. They’re easily spread in potted plants, and since they can reproduce asexually, all you need is one for a species to spread and become invasive. While hammerhead worms do sometimes reproduce by mating, with all worms able to both fertilize other worms and also lay eggs, when they reproduce without a mate it works like this. Every couple of weeks a hammerhead worm will stick its tail end to the ground firmly. Then it moves the rest of its body forward. Its body splits at the tail,

Ichthyosaurs are large marine reptiles that existed for most of the Mesozoic Era. The most familiar forms superficially represent dolphins, but some earlier ichthyosaurs were more eel like. They could attain huge proportions, with some genera reaching up to 21m long. They were active predators feeding on belemnite, fishes and even other marine reptiles! In this episode, we talk to Dr Ben Moon and Fiann Smithwick, researchers at the University of Bristol, UK. Both have recently been involved in producing a documentary with the BBC entitled ‘Attenborough and the Sea Dragon’, so we have used this as an opportunity to discuss in great detail what ichthyosaurs are and get insights into the kind of work required to produce such a documentary.

What's the Word: Liminal; News Items: 40 Years of Voyager, Ichthyosaur, Strongest Resistive Magnet, GMO and Dunning Kruger, Banning Mention of Global Warming; Who's That Noisy; Science or Fiction

What's the Word: Liminal; News Items: 40 Years of Voyager, Ichthyosaur, Strongest Resistive Magnet, GMO and Dunning Kruger, Banning Mention of Global Warming; Who's That Noisy; Science or Fiction

The shape of an animal is a reflection of the way it interacts with the physical world around it. By studying the mechanical laws which influence the evolution of modern animals, we can better understand the lives of their ancestors. Hydrodynamics examines the movement of water in contact with an organism, and can include everything from body shape to blood flow. In this episode we spoke to Dr Tom Fletcher, University of Leicester, about hydrodynamics in palaeontology, and his research looking at fossil fishes and modern sharks. Tom and others have published a paper on the hydrodynamics of fossil fishes, and he continues to work on the biomechanics of fossil animals.  

In celebration of the podcast's one year anniversary, the gang decides to discuss two papers about live birth in the fossil record. At least.... that was the plan.... however the second paper proves to be far more problematic than the gang had bargained for. What started off as a simple, breezy pun takes a... darker turn. Isn't that how all birthdays go, though? Meanwhile, James discusses the importance of proper breeding in selecting your animal metaphors, Curt tells the apocryphal story of the podcast's “history”, and the whole gang talks at length about the secret xenomorph invasion during the Triassic. Also, the gang gets a whole new set of microphones and everyone is super excited about them, especially James' heater which occasionally stops by to say hello.   Sound effects used in this episode come from http://www.freesfx.co.uk/

In this episode we talk to Jørn Hurum, Associate Professor of Vertebrate Paleontology at the Natural History Museum Oslo, Norway.  Jørn has varied research interests including dinosaurs and mammals (being one of the team of researchers who described Darwinius masillae, more commonly known as 'Ida'), but perhaps his most productive work has been with the Spitsbergen Jurassic Research Group. The Jurassic sediments of the Svalbard archipelago, north of mainland Norway, are rich in fossils of marine reptiles.

The history of life in the oceans spans over 3.5 billion years. In this Naked Oceans we'll take a whistlestop tour of that story... For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy

The history of life in the oceans spans over 3.5 billion years. In this Naked Oceans we'll take a whistlestop tour of that story... See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.