Podcasts about palaeobiology

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the evolution of lungs and of the first breaths, which can be traced back 400 million years to when animal life spread from rock pools and swamps onto land, as some fish found an evolutionary advantage in getting their oxygen from air rather than water. Breathing with lungs may have started with fish filling their mouths with air and forcing it down into sacs in their chests, like the buccal pumping that frogs do now, and slowly their swimming muscles adapted to work their lungs like bellows. While lungs developed in different ways, there are astonishing continuities: for example, the distinct breathing system that helps tiny birds fly thousands of miles now is also the one that once allowed some dinosaurs to become huge; our hiccups are vestiges of the flight reaction in fish needing more oxygen; and we still breathe through our skins, just not enough to meet our needs.With:Steve Brusatte Professor of Palaeontology and Evolution at the University of EdinburghEmily Rayfield Professor of Palaeobiology at the University of BristolAndJonathan Codd Professor of Integrative Zoology at the University of ManchesterProducer: Simon Tillotson Reading list:Roger B. J. Benson, Richard J. Butler, Matthew T. Carrano and Patrick M. O'Connor, ‘Air-filled postcranial bones in theropod dinosaurs: physiological implications and the ‘reptile'–bird transition' (Biological Reviews: Cambridge Philosophical Society, July 2011)Steve Brusatte, The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs: A New History of a Lost World (Mariner Books, 2018)Jennifer A. Clack, Gaining Ground: The Origin and Evolution of Tetrapods (2nd edition, Indiana University Press, 2012)Camila Cupello et al, ‘Lung Evolution in vertebrates and the water-to-land transition' (eLife, July 2022)Andrew Davies and Carl Moore, The Respiratory System (Elsevier, 2010) Kenneth Kardong, Vertebrates: Comparative Anatomy, Function, Evolution (8th edition, McGraw-Hill Education, 2018)Ye Li et al, ‘Origin and stepwise evolution of vertebrate lungs' (Nature Ecology & Evolution, Feb 2025) P. Martin Sander and Marcus Clauss, ‘Sauropod Gigantism' (Science, Oct 2008)Goran Nilsson, Respiratory Physiology of Vertebrates: Life With and Without Oxygen (Cambridge University Press, 2010)Steven F. Perry et al, ‘What came first, the lung or the breath?' (Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology, Part A: Molecular & Integrative Biology, May 2001)Michael J. Stephen, Breath Taking: The Power, Fragility, and Future of Our Extraordinary Lungs (Grove/Atlantic, 2022)Mathew J. Wedel, ‘The evolution of vertebral pneumaticity in sauropod dinosaurs' (Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, Aug 2010)In Our Time is a BBC Studios Audio ProductionSpanning history, religion, culture, science and philosophy, In Our Time from BBC Radio 4 is essential listening for the intellectually curious. In each episode, host Melvyn Bragg and expert guests explore the characters, events and discoveries that have shaped our world.

Andrew Copson speaks to Professor of Palaeobiology and Humanists UK patron Anjali Goswami about how her study of the history of life on Earth profoundly shapes her humanist worldview and sense of interconnectedness. Anjali discusses how a childhood encounter with a tiger has led the course of her career as well as humanity's responsibility towards a sustainable future in the face of ‘‘selfish nihilism'. Please note, this episode unfortunately has some audio quality issues.  What I Believe was the title of two separate essays by the philosopher Bertrand Russell and the philosopher EM Forster in the early 20th century. These two humanists set out their approach to life, their fundamental worldview, in a way that was accessible to all. In this podcast, Chief Executive of Humanists UK, Andrew Copson, speaks to humanists today to understand more about what they believe, to understand more about the values, convictions, and opinions they live by. Humanists UK is the national charity working on behalf of non religious people to advance free thinking and promote a tolerant society. If you'd like to support the podcast or find out more about the humanist approach to life or the work that we do, please visit humanists.uk. If you like what you see, please consider joining as a member. You can follow Humanists UK on Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram, X, and TikTok – and please remember to leave a 5 star review! What I Believe is produced by Sophie Castle.

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss one of the greatest changes in the history of life on Earth. Around 400 million years ago some of our ancestors, the fish, started to become a little more like humans. At the swampy margins between land and water, some fish were turning their fins into limbs, their swim bladders into lungs and developed necks and eventually they became tetrapods, the group to which we and all animals with backbones and limbs belong. After millions of years of this transition, these tetrapod descendants of fish were now ready to leave the water for a new life of walking on land, and with that came an explosion in the diversity of life on Earth.WithEmily Rayfield Professor of Palaeobiology at the University of BristolMichael Coates Chair and Professor of Organismal Biology and Anatomy at the University of ChicagoAndSteve Brusatte Professor of Palaeontology and Evolution at the University of EdinburghProducer: Simon TillotsonIn Our Time is a BBC Studios Audio Production

First, we go back to 1992, when off the coast of Ireland, a Swiss geology student accidentally discovered the longest set of footprints made by the first four-legged animals to walk on earth.They pointed to a new date for the key milestone in evolution, when the first amphibians left the water 385 million years ago.Dr Frankie Dunn, who is a senior researcher in palaeobiology at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History in the UK, then dives into landmark discoveries in geological history. Plus, the story of Winifred Atwell, a classically-trained pianist from Trinidad who was admired by Queen Elizabeth II and Sir Elton John. She became one of the best-selling artists of the 1950s in the UK. Then, how the Guarani, an indigenous language of South America, was designated an official language in Paraguay's new constitution, alongside Spanish.Also, the lesser known last eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 1944.Finally, Indian badminton player Rajeev Bagga who has won 14 gold medals at the Deaflympics. In 2001, he was given the ‘Deaflympian of the Century' award.Contributors: Iwan Stössel - Swiss Geologist. Dr Frankie Dunn - Senior Researcher in Palaeobiology at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History in the UK. David Olivera - Paraguayan Linguist and Anthropologist. Angelina Formisano - Evacuated from the village of San Sebastiano during the 1944 eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Rajeev Bagga - Indian Badminton Player.(Picture: Illustration of a tetrapod from the Late Devonian period. Credit: Christian Jegou/Science Photo Library)

Join Superstar of STEM Sally Hurst as we discuss how she teaches paleobiology at the Australian Museum and describes her passion for helping rural girls to get involved in STEM. Hosted by Ben Newsome from Fizzics Education About Sally Hurst Growing up on a farm where the closest city was over an hour away made the road to STEM careers and becoming a palaeontologist a little difficult. So, after finding her passion for the past through her work experience at the National Dinosaur Museum in Canberra, Sally moved to Sydney to find a university where she could indeed study dinosaurs. Sally completed her Bachelors at Macquarie University in Palaeobiology, and Ancient Egyptian Archaeology, and is now completing her Masters of Research in Science. While learning about the past has been a highlight, Sally's favourite job is being able to get others just as excited about science and palaeontology, this encouraged through her role as a science communicator at the Australian Museum, and as a mentor for young rural girls through various scholarship and coaching programs. Sally would love to become the passionate role model in STEM for other young girls that she never had growing up. http://www.foundafossil.com/https://twitter.com/sallykhurst About the Superstars of STEM program Superstars of STEM is a game-changing Australian initiative to smash gender assumptions about who can work in science, technology, engineering and maths. Since it was created by Science & Technology Australia in 2017, it has made a powerful contribution to start to tackle the serious gender inequity of visible diverse role models featured in the media as experts in STEM.  Open to women and non-binary people, the program equips brilliant diverse STEM experts with advanced communication skills and opportunities - in the media, on stage and in schools. The result: we're growing a critical mass of more diverse celebrity scientists appearing regularly in the Australian media to inspire our next generations of young Australians into STEM study and careers.https://scienceandtechnologyaustralia.org.au/  Hosted by Ben Newsome from Fizzics Education With interviews with leading science educators and STEM thought leaders, this science education podcast is about highlighting different ways of teaching kids within and beyond the classroom. It's not just about educational practice & pedagogy, it's about inspiring new ideas & challenging conventions of how students can learn about their world! https://www.fizzicseducation.com.au/ Know an educator who'd love this STEM podcast episode?  Share it!The FizzicsEd podcast is a member of the Australian Educators Online Network (AEON )http://www.aeon.net.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Join Superstar of STEM Sally Hurst as we discuss how she teaches paleobiology at the Australian Museum and describes her passion for helping rural girls to get involved in STEM. Hosted by Ben Newsome from Fizzics Education About Sally Hurst Growing up on a farm where the closest city was over an hour away made the road to STEM careers and becoming a palaeontologist a little difficult. So, after finding her passion for the past through her work experience at the National Dinosaur Museum in Canberra, Sally moved to Sydney to find a university where she could indeed study dinosaurs. Sally completed her Bachelors at Macquarie University in Palaeobiology, and Ancient Egyptian Archaeology, and is now completing her Masters of Research in Science. While learning about the past has been a highlight, Sally's favourite job is being able to get others just as excited about science and palaeontology, this encouraged through her role as a science communicator at the Australian Museum, and as a mentor for young rural girls through various scholarship and coaching programs. Sally would love to become the passionate role model in STEM for other young girls that she never had growing up. http://www.foundafossil.com/https://twitter.com/sallykhursthttps://scienceandtechnologyaustralia.org.au/  About the Superstars of STEM program Superstars of STEM is a game-changing Australian initiative to smash gender assumptions about who can work in science, technology, engineering and maths. Since it was created by Science & Technology Australia in 2017, it has made a powerful contribution to start to tackle the serious gender inequity of visible diverse role models featured in the media as experts in STEM.  Open to women and non-binary people, the program equips brilliant diverse STEM experts with advanced communication skills and opportunities - in the media, on stage and in schools. The result: we're growing a critical mass of more diverse celebrity scientists appearing regularly in the Australian media to inspire our next generations of young Australians into STEM study and careers. Hosted by Ben Newsome from Fizzics Education With interviews with leading science educators and STEM thought leaders, this science education podcast is about highlighting different ways of teaching kids within and beyond the classroom. It's not just about educational practice & pedagogy, it's about inspiring new ideas & challenging conventions of how students can learn about their world! https://www.fizzicseducation.com.au/ Know an educator who'd love this STEM podcast episode?  Share it!The FizzicsEd podcast is a member of the Australian Educators Online Network (AEON )http://www.aeon.net.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Mallon is the head of Palaeobiology and Research Scientist at Canadian Museum of Nature in Ottawa, Canada. He specializes in dinosaur ecology and systematics. He recieved his Ph.D. from University of Calgary and was a post-doctoral fellow at the Canadian Museum of Nature in Ottawa, Ontario. In this conversation, we talk about the history of research on dinasaurs, what we used to know, what we know now, how our previous assumptions and knowledge has changed, how we go about daiting dinasaur fossils, how dinasaurs (which went extinct around 66 million years ago) relates to the age of the earth, and what do we do with "death" (among dinasaurs) happening long before the sin of Adam. https://nature.ca/en/our-science/science-experts/jordan-mallon/ Twitter Handle @Jordan_Mallon

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss one of the greatest changes in the history of life on Earth. Around 400 million years ago some of our ancestors, the fish, started to become a little more like humans. At the swampy margins between land and water, some fish were turning their fins into limbs, their swim bladders into lungs and developed necks and eventually they became tetrapods, the group to which we and all animals with backbones and limbs belong. After millions of years of this transition, these tetrapod descendants of fish were now ready to leave the water for a new life of walking on land, and with that came an explosion in the diversity of life on Earth. The image above is a representation of Tiktaalik Roseae, a fish with some features of a tetrapod but not one yet, based on a fossil collected in the Canadian Arctic. With Emily Rayfield Professor of Palaeobiology at the University of Bristol Michael Coates Chair and Professor of Organismal Biology and Anatomy at the University of Chicago And Steve Brusatte Professor of Palaeontology and Evolution at the University of Edinburgh Producer: Simon Tillotson

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss one of the greatest changes in the history of life on Earth. Around 400 million years ago some of our ancestors, the fish, started to become a little more like humans. At the swampy margins between land and water, some fish were turning their fins into limbs, their swim bladders into lungs and developed necks and eventually they became tetrapods, the group to which we and all animals with backbones and limbs belong. After millions of years of this transition, these tetrapod descendants of fish were now ready to leave the water for a new life of walking on land, and with that came an explosion in the diversity of life on Earth. The image above is a representation of Tiktaalik Roseae, a fish with some features of a tetrapod but not one yet, based on a fossil collected in the Canadian Arctic. With Emily Rayfield Professor of Palaeobiology at the University of Bristol Michael Coates Chair and Professor of Organismal Biology and Anatomy at the University of Chicago And Steve Brusatte Professor of Palaeontology and Evolution at the University of Edinburgh Producer: Simon Tillotson

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Steve Brusatte about the rise and fall of dinosaurs and the rise and reign of mammals. They discuss how his two books are connected and overlap, first dinosaurs, and how dinosaurs survived the great dying and diversified. They talk about the taxonomy of dinosaurs, the T. Rex, and dinosaurs connection with birds. They also discuss what makes a mammal a mammal, importance of the jaw, and how mammals coexisted with dinosaurs. They also mention how mammals survived the asteroid, their proliferation, humans, and the future of mammals.  Steve Brusatte is a Palaeontologist who has a Bachelors in Geophysical Sciences from the University of Chicago, a Masters in Palaeobiology from the University of Bristol, and a PhD in Earth and Environmental Studies from the Columbia University, New York. He has over 150 peer-reviewed studies published and has discovered over a dozen dinosaur and mammal species. He is the author of The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs and his latest book, The Rise and Reign of the Mammals. He has also been a lead consultant on BBC's Walking with Dinosaurs, Prehistoric Planet, and Jurassic World: Dominion. You can find his work here. Twitter: @stevebrusatte

The Smart 7 is the daily news podcast that gives you everything you need to know in 7 minutes, at 7am, 7 days a week… With over 8 million downloads and consistently charting, including as No. 1 News Podcast on Spotify, we're a trusted source for people every day. If you're enjoying it, please follow, share or even post a review, it all helps… Today's episode includes the following guests: David Julius, PhD, Professor and Chair of the Department of Physiology at UC San FranciscoArdem Patapoutian, PhD, Professor and Investigator at Howard Hughes Medical Institute Department of NeuroscienceNeil Gostling, Lecturer in Evolution and Palaeobiology at the University of SouthamptonAudrey Martin, Graduate Research Assistant at Northern Arizona UniversityRyan Shearman, CEO and founder of AetherKendra Kuhl, CTO of TwelveJohn Rogers, Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, and Neurological Surgery at Northwestern UniversitySamantha Cristoforetti, Astronaut at European Space AgencyWilla Brenowitz, PhD, MPH, from the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences at University of California San Francisco In Ireland? Why not try our Ireland Edition? Contact us over at Twitter or visit www.thesmart7.com Presented by Jamie East, written by Liam Thompson, researched by Olivia Davis and produced by Daft Doris. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss theories about the origins of teeth in vertebrates, and what we can learn from sharks in particular and their ancestors. Great white sharks can produce up to 100,000 teeth in their lifetimes. For humans, it is closer to a mere 50 and most of those have to last from childhood. Looking back half a billion years, though, the ancestors of sharks and humans had no teeth in their mouths at all, nor jaws. They were armoured fish, sucking in their food. The theory is that either their tooth-like scales began to appear in mouths as teeth, or some of their taste buds became harder. If we knew more about that, and why sharks can regenerate their teeth, then we might learn how humans could grow new teeth in later lives. With Gareth Fraser Assistant Professor in Biology at the University of Florida Zerina Johanson Merit Researcher in the Department of Earth Sciences at the Natural History Museum and Philip Donoghue Professor of Palaeobiology at the University of Bristol Producer: Simon Tillotson

Born in Lyme Regis in 1799, Mary Anning was a pioneering palaeontologist and fossil collector whose story continues to inspire so many scientists to this day. The Jurassic Coast on the south coast of England is one of the richest locations for fossil hunting in the UK, if not in the world. During the early 19th century Mary Anning, and her brother Joseph, made a living discovering and selling fossils to tourists and scientists alike. Although uneducated and poor Mary's knowledge and skills became much sought after by palaeontologists of the period and she made some remarkable discoveries particularly around fossilised dinosaur poo! Despite her contribution to science Mary, as a woman and Dissenter, was often not given the credit she deserved in her lifetime. In this episode, Emma Bernard Curator of Palaeobiology, Natural History Museum, joins Dan to celebrate the life and achievements of this pioneering fossil hunter.You can also watch History Hit's new film Mary Anning: The Forgotten Fossil Hunter See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Born in Lyme Regis in 1799, Mary Anning was a pioneering palaeontologist and fossil collector whose story continues to inspire so many scientists to this day. The Jurassic Coast on the south coast of England is one of the richest locations for fossil hunting in the UK, if not in the world. During the early 19th century Mary Anning, and her brother Joseph, made a living discovering and selling fossils to tourists and scientists alike. Although uneducated and poor Mary's knowledge and skills became much sought after by palaeontologists of the period and she made some remarkable discoveries particularly around fossilised dinosaur poo! Despite her contribution to science Mary, as a woman and Dissenter, was often not given the credit she deserved in her lifetime. In this episode, Emma Bernard Curator of Palaeobiology, Natural History Museum, joins Dan to celebrate the life and achievements of this pioneering fossil hunter.You can also watch History Hit's new film Mary Anning: The Forgotten Fossil Hunter See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Professor of Palaeobiology, David Martill, talks about discovering the incredible secret to the success of the flying pterosaur with a neck longer than a giraffe.

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the origins of horses, from their dog sized ancestors to their proliferation in the New World until hunted to extinction, their domestication in Asia and their development since. The genetics of the modern horse are the most studied of any animal, after humans, yet it is still uncertain why they only have one toe on each foot when their wider family had more, or whether speed or stamina has been more important in their evolution. What is clear, though, is that when humans first chose to ride horses, as well as eat them, the future of both species changed immeasurably. With Alan Outram Professor of Archaeological Science at the University of Exeter Christine Janis Honorary Professor in Palaeobiology at the University of Bristol and Professor Emerita in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Brown University And John Hutchinson Professor in Evolutionary Biomechanics at the Royal Veterinary College Producer: Simon Tillotson

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the origins of horses, from their dog sized ancestors to their proliferation in the New World until hunted to extinction, their domestication in Asia and their development since. The genetics of the modern horse are the most studied of any animal, after humans, yet it is still uncertain why they only have one toe on each foot when their wider family had more, or whether speed or stamina has been more important in their evolution. What is clear, though, is that when humans first chose to ride horses, as well as eat them, the future of both species changed immeasurably. With Alan Outram Professor of Archaeological Science at the University of Exeter Christine Janis Honorary Professor in Palaeobiology at the University of Bristol and Professor Emerita in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Brown University And John Hutchinson Professor in Evolutionary Biomechanics at the Royal Veterinary College Producer: Simon Tillotson

Steve Brusatte is a palaeontologist on the faculty of the School of GeoSciences at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. He grew up in the Midwestern United States and has a BS in Geophysical Sciences from the University of Chicago, MSc in Palaeobiology from the University of Bristol (UK), and PhD in Earth and Environmental Sciences from Columbia University in New York. At age 31, Steve is widely recognized as one of the leading palaeontologists of his generation. He has written nearly 90 peer-reviewed scientific papers during his decade of research in the field, discovered and named 10 new species of dinosaurs, and led groundbreaking studies on how dinosaurs rose to dominance and went extinct. Steve is the author of The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss theories about the origins of teeth in vertebrates, and what we can learn from sharks in particular and their ancestors. Great white sharks can produce up to 100,000 teeth in their lifetimes. For humans, it is closer to a mere 50 and most of those have to last from childhood. Looking back half a billion years, though, the ancestors of sharks and humans had no teeth in their mouths at all, nor jaws. They were armoured fish, sucking in their food. The theory is that either their tooth-like scales began to appear in mouths as teeth, or some of their taste buds became harder. If we knew more about that, and why sharks can regenerate their teeth, then we might learn how humans could grow new teeth in later lives. With Gareth Fraser Assistant Professor in Biology at the University of Florida Zerina Johanson Merit Researcher in the Department of Earth Sciences at the Natural History Museum and Philip Donoghue Professor of Palaeobiology at the University of Bristol Producer: Simon Tillotson

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss theories about the origins of teeth in vertebrates, and what we can learn from sharks in particular and their ancestors. Great white sharks can produce up to 100,000 teeth in their lifetimes. For humans, it is closer to a mere 50 and most of those have to last from childhood. Looking back half a billion years, though, the ancestors of sharks and humans had no teeth in their mouths at all, nor jaws. They were armoured fish, sucking in their food. The theory is that either their tooth-like scales began to appear in mouths as teeth, or some of their taste buds became harder. If we knew more about that, and why sharks can regenerate their teeth, then we might learn how humans could grow new teeth in later lives. With Gareth Fraser Assistant Professor in Biology at the University of Florida Zerina Johanson Merit Researcher in the Department of Earth Sciences at the Natural History Museum and Philip Donoghue Professor of Palaeobiology at the University of Bristol Producer: Simon Tillotson

Joseph Hubbard is a speaker, writer, and researcher for Creation Research, mainly based in the UK. Otherwise known as "Indiana Jo," In 2012, he founded the Genesis Museum of Creation Research. Joseph has been collecting fossils since the age of six, a passion which has continued throughout his life. His research finds are often reported on in CR's 'Evidence News', and often on Facebook and Instagram. He is currently completing a degree in geology, specialising in palaeobiology, and has completed specialist courses and diplomas in genetics, dinosaurian palaeontology, Biblical archaeology, and British archaeology, mycology, and zoology. Listen in to his faith journey, and the impact of homeschooling in his life.

Jan Zalasiewicz, Professor of Palaeobiology at Leicester University, talks to Jim al-Khalili about the Anthropocene, the concept that humans now drive much geology on the earth. He's one of the leading lights in the community of scientists who are working to get the Anthropocene, the Age of Man, recognised. They discuss the controversy about the date of when it began- some say it was a thousand years ago, or the Industrial revolution, others that it was the Second World War, and yet others that it's as recent as the 1960s. It all turns on finding the Golden Spike, a layer in rock strata above which the geology changes. Jan Zalasiewicz began his career as a traditional geologist studying rocks 500 million years old in Welsh border. After years out in the field mapping the landscape for the British Geological Survey he moved into academia at Leicester University.

Melvyn Bragg and guests Martin Brasier, Richard Corfield and Rachel Wood discuss the Ediacara Biota, the Precambrian life forms which vanished 542 million years ago, and whose discovery proved Darwin right in a way he never imagined. Darwin was convinced that there must have been life before the Cambrian era, but he didn't think it was possible for fossils like the Ediacara to have been preserved. These sea-bed organisms were first unearthed in the 19th century, but were only recognised as Precambrian in the mid-20th century. This was an astonishing discovery. Ever since, scientists have been working to determine its significance. Were the Ediacara the earliest forms of animal life? Or were they a Darwinian dead end? Either way, it is argued, they reveal some of the secrets of the workings of evolution. Richard Corfield is Senior Lecturer in Earth Sciences at the Open University; Martin Brasier is Professor of Palaeobiology at the University of Oxford; Rachel Wood is Lecturer in Carbonate Geoscience at the University of Edinburgh.

Melvyn Bragg and guests Martin Brasier, Richard Corfield and Rachel Wood discuss the Ediacara Biota, the Precambrian life forms which vanished 542 million years ago, and whose discovery proved Darwin right in a way he never imagined. Darwin was convinced that there must have been life before the Cambrian era, but he didn't think it was possible for fossils like the Ediacara to have been preserved. These sea-bed organisms were first unearthed in the 19th century, but were only recognised as Precambrian in the mid-20th century. This was an astonishing discovery. Ever since, scientists have been working to determine its significance. Were the Ediacara the earliest forms of animal life? Or were they a Darwinian dead end? Either way, it is argued, they reveal some of the secrets of the workings of evolution. Richard Corfield is Senior Lecturer in Earth Sciences at the Open University; Martin Brasier is Professor of Palaeobiology at the University of Oxford; Rachel Wood is Lecturer in Carbonate Geoscience at the University of Edinburgh.