Palaeo Jam

We’re back for Season 3, and we begin in the palaeo lab at Flinders University! We’re delighted that in this first episode of the new season, Palaeo Jam host Michael Mills chats with Dr Isaac Kerr about a remarkable research paper, just published, that seeks to more clearly define what is and what isn’t a Protemnodon… AKA a giant, prehistoric kangaroo! During the course of the conversation, we hear from Isaac about the features that define this particular group of giant, prehistoric marsupials, but also, the fascinating differences amongst them. We talk about about who’s in, and who’s out of the genus, and along the way, we hear about the fascinating ways in which these extraordinary kangaroos lived their lives, depending upon where they lived. As a bonus, we also hear about how Isaac and his team were able to ditch a previously described species by none other than Sir Richard Owen! You can follow Dr Isaac Kerr on Twitter at @isaacarkerr https://twitter.com/IsaacARKerr You can read the full 250 plus pages of this remarkable paper, here… https://mapress.com/mt/article/view/megataxa.11.1.1 Check out the following article by Isaac in The Conversation… https://theconversation.com/we-found-three-new-species-of-extinct-giant-kangaroo-and-we-dont-know-why-they-died-out-when-their-cousins-survived-227857 Here’s a link to the Flinders University palaeo team… https://sites.flinders.edu.au/palaeontology/ And here’s an article on the ABC about this amazing paper… https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-04-15/three-unique-extinct-kangaroo-species-discovered-flinders-uni/103699606 You can find Michael Mills at @heapsgood https://twitter.com/Heapsgood To connect with Dinosaur University on Facebook, follow us at https://www.facebook.com/DinosaurUniversity At Palaeo Jam, we now have an Instagram account at https://www.instagram.com/palaeo_jam

There’s something quite delightful about seeing the skeleton of a prehistoric animal move in a way that it might have moved when the bones were covered in flesh, and the animal was alive. Jack O Conner is a PhD candidate at Monash University, and that’s exactly what he's doing at the Evans EvoMorph Lab. In this episode of Palaeo Jam, host Michael Mills chats with Jack about how he came to be doing what he does, explores the process of creating the models, and what it’s like to see such creatures brought to life in this way. Such work, of course, fits well into the science communication field for which Michael has built a career, and both Michael and Jack discuss some of the important elements of science communication, and why it matters. You can find Jack’s models of Thylacoleo carnifex, Zygomaturus trilobus, Siderops kehli, and Perucetus colossus on Sketchfab at… https://skfb.ly/oPsJs We think it’s well worth checking out the models before you listen to the podcast if you can, or even while you’re listening to it. Be sure, too, to check out our episode on the Virtual Australian Museum of Palaeontology (VAMP), at https://palaeojam.podbean.com/e/vamp-it-up/ to hear about where some of the source material come from for Jack’s work. It is an absolutely brilliant resource. You can follow Jack O’Conner on Instagram at @jackodesign https://www.instagram.com/jackocdesign/ And follow Monash Science at @monash_science https://www.instagram.com/monash_science/ The Evans EvoMorph Lab is on Twitter at @EvansEvoMorph https://twitter.com/evansevomorph You can find Palaeo Jam host Michael Mills on Twitter at @heapsgood https://twitter.com/Heapsgood To connect with Dinosaur University on Facebook, follow us at https://www.facebook.com/DinosaurUniversity On Instagram at @dinosauruniversity https://www.instagram.com/dinosauruniversity/ And on Twitter at @DinosaurUni https://twitter.com/DinosaurUni Palaeo Jam also now has its own Instagram account at @palaeo_jam https://www.instagram.com/palaeo_jam

Australia is currently home to 17 species of hawks and eagles. Tens of thousands of years ago, however, there were more. What were they like? What happened to them? And what can we learn about past ecosystems and the extinction that wiped out the Australian mega-fauna, in studying such prehistoric birds? In this episode of Palaeo Jam, host Michael Mills chats with Dr Ellen Mather, Adjunct Associate lecturer at Flinders University discuss all of these things and more, as they talk about several extinct species of eagle, including a much somewhat “chunky” eagle that could have plucked koalas from the tree! You can read more in The Conversation article authored by Ellen, Professor Mike Lee, and Associate Professor Trevor Worthy… “Giant eagles and scavenging vultures shared the skies of ancient Australia” https://theconversation.com/giant-eagles-and-scavenging-vultures-shared-the-skies-of-ancient-australia-216358 Here’s a direct link to the research… “Pleistocene raptors from cave deposits of South Australia, with a description of a new species of Dynatoaetus (Accipitridae: Aves): morphology, systematics and palaeoecological implications” https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/03115518.2023.2268780 A great article examining Ellen’s recent work on the discovery of vultures in Australia can be found here… https://theconversation.com/it-was-long-thought-these-fossils-came-from-an-eagle-turns-out-they-belong-to-the-only-known-vulture-species-from-australia-187017 Ellen was also co-author for an article on a prehistoric species of eagle… https://theconversation.com/meet-the-prehistoric-eagle-that-ruled-australian-forests-25-million-years-ago-168249 You can find Ellen on Twitter at @Ellenaetus https://twitter.com/Ellenaetus Ellen previously spoke to us on Palaeo Jam in the following episode… Season 1, Episode 5 “Vultures and flamingoes Down Under? https://palaeojam.podbean.com/e/vultures-and-flamingoes-down-under/ You can find Palaeo Jam host Michael Mills on Twitter at @heapsgood https://twitter.com/Heapsgood To connect with Dinosaur University on Facebook, follow us at https://www.facebook.com/DinosaurUniversity On Instagram at @dinosauruniversity https://www.instagram.com/dinosauruniversity/ And on Twitter at @DinosaurUni https://twitter.com/DinosaurUni Palaeo Jam also now has its own Instagram account at @palaeo_jam https://www.instagram.com/palaeo_jam

The fossil record of Theropod dinosaurs in Australia is sparse, and our understanding of them is poor. In a recent publication of the first chapter of his PhD, PhD Candidate Jake Kotevski is on his way to changing that. In this episode of Palaeo Jam, host Michael Mills chats with Jake about the recent identification of the oldest-known Megaraptorid skull fragment, found on an Eastern Victorian beach in Australia, nearly 20 years ago. What does this unique and important fragment tell us about Australian Theropods and their place in the world? In just one of the concepts they discuss, it supports the theory that Megaraptorids originated in Australia. Tune in for more! To read the paper, “A megaraptorid (Dinosauria: Theropoda) frontal from the upper Strzelecki Group (Lower Cretaceous) of Victoria, Australia”, head to… https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0195667123002975#sec7 You can find Jake on Twitter at @Dinoman_Jake https://twitter.com/Dinoman_Jake And on Instagram at @theropods_down_under https://www.instagram.com/theropods_down_under/ The Evans EvoMorph Lab where Jake is based for his PhD is on Twitter at @EvansEvoMorph https://twitter.com/evansevomorph For information on visiting the Dinosaur Dreaming site mentioned in the podcast, head to… https://www.visitgippsland.com.au/do-and-see/arts-culture-and-heritage/historical-towns-attractions/dinosaur-dreaming And also Bunurong Coast Education at http://sgcs.org.au/programs.php You can find Palaeo Jam host Michael Mills on Twitter at @heapsgood https://twitter.com/Heapsgood To connect with Dinosaur University on Facebook, follow us at https://www.facebook.com/DinosaurUniversity On Instagram at @dinosauruniversity https://www.instagram.com/dinosauruniversity/ And on Twitter at @DinosaurUni https://twitter.com/DinosaurUni Palaeo Jam also now has its own Instagram account at @palaeo_jam https://www.instagram.com/palaeo_jam

In August 2023, Michael Mills travelled to various communities in Australia, to record multiple episodes of the Palaeo Jam podcast for National Science Week. One of the enduring conversations born of the tour was how a community might engage with its local fossil heritage, and In this episode, recorded in Naracoorte, South Australia, in front of a live audience, we discuss a range of ideas of what local communities might do to better engage, and what the challenges and opportunities might be. Do you know the fossil heritage of where you live? Do you have any ideas for better engaging your local community with that heritage? And even if you do, do you know how to go about doing something about it? In the 15th episode of this season recorded for National Science week, host Michael Mills explores the possibilities with Site Manager, Naracoorte & Tantanoola Caves, Tom Short; University of Adelaide PhD candidate Nerita Turner; Site Interpreter at Naracoorte Caves National Park, Georgia Blows, and with an awesome appearance towards the end from Isla aged 9 and Quinny, aged 7. Thanks to the Naracoorte Lucindale Council whose commitment to engaging with their community has helped make this project possible. You can find them on Facebook at… https://www.facebook.com/naracoortelucindalecouncil And their website at https://www.naracoortelucindale.sa.gov.au/ You can find Palaeo Jam host Michael Mills on Twitter at @heapsgood https://twitter.com/Heapsgood To connect with Dinosaur University on Facebook, follow us at https://www.facebook.com/DinosaurUniversity We’ve recorded several episodes in Naracoorte across both seasons of Palaeo Jam. Subscribe now to listen to the rest, in which we chat about the fossils of the Caves while in the Caves. Here are direct links to 3 Naracoorte episodes. “Professor Wells and the Chamber of Secrets” with Professor Rod Wells… https://palaeojam.podbean.com/e/professor-wells-and-the-chamber-of-secrets/ “Caves- Ecosystems of the past, the present and the future” with Dr Elizabeth Reed… https://palaeojam.podbean.com/e/caves-ecosystems-of-the-past-the-present-and-the-future/ “A Career in a Cave”, with Nicola Bail, Nerita Turner and Georgia Blows. https://palaeojam.podbean.com/e/a-career-in-a-cave/

12 months ago, Palaeo Jam host Michael Mills chatted with three students from Flinders University in South Australia who had just completed the first year of a palaeontology degree, about their experiences in first year. In this episode of Palaeo Jam, Michael chats with the same three students… Dylan Slinn, Natalie Jackson and Thomas Khajeh… about their experiences in second year. Having finished for the year, and while waiting for their final results, we explore the challenges and the highlights of what was a very different year to first year. We find out how each of them are getting clarity in where they see themselves heading. We learn about what they have found matters for each of them in this important year in the journey. And just as we got a commitment from all three at the end of last year to come together 12 months later, no matter what… Dylan, Natalie and Thomas have all made the same commitment to do it all again, same time, same place, in 2024. Bring on third year! And bring on what lies beyond! You can find last year’s podcast episode, featuring Dylan, Natalie and Thomas on your preferred platform. You can also hear it here… https://palaeojam.podbean.com/e/the-dinosaur-kids-part-1/ You can find Natalie at: Tik Tok - @nataliemaree_art https://www.tiktok.com/search?q=nataliemaree_art Twitter - @PalaeoNat https://twitter.com/PalaeoNat Thomas’ sister, who he mentioned in season 1 is on Insta is at @thelostgirldraws https://www.instagram.com/thelostgirldraws/ Her etsy is at https://www.etsy.com/shop/LizzysStickerCo Dylan Slinn can be found as Dylan Slinn on Facebook Michael on Twitter at @HeapsGood https://twitter.com/Heapsgood And Dinosaur University on Twitter at @DinosaurUni https://twitter.com/DinosaurUni And Facebook at @DinosaurUniversity https://www.facebook.com/DinosaurUniversity

Plants matter. Without them, there’d be no us! There’d have been no dinosaurs! There’d have been no animals of any kind. When we go into our gardens, the thing we see most clearly, are the plants. In this episode, Palaeo Jam host Michael Mills chats with Director of the N.C.W. Beadle Herbarium, and Lecturer in Plant Systematics, at the University of New England, Dr Andrew Thornhill about the evolution of plants, and why they’re rather important to all of us! Recorded in the controlled environment that is the N.C.W. Beadle Herbarium, amongst thousands of plant specimens, Michael and Andrew talk about what a herbarium is and why it matters, and explore key moments in plant evolution. For more information on Dr Andrew Thornhill check out the following blog from the University of New England… https://blog.une.edu.au/pulsenews/2023/09/25/meet-andrew-thornhill-director-of-the-n-c-w-beadle-herbarium/ You can find links to Andrew’s research at https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=8QZdc_0AAAAJ&hl=en Palaeo Jam host Michael Mills can be found on Twitter as @heapsgood https://twitter.com/Heapsgood For more on the work Michael and HeapsGood Productions, check out the link… https://linktr.ee/HeapsGoodProductions

Eight million years ago, in what is now Alcoota, in central Australia, it is thought that a catastrophic event occurred leading to the death of hundreds of individual animals. While devastating for the individuals, it’s also an event that was followed by a process of fossilisation that has ensured we have a remarkable record of who lived in that place at the time, and who died in those moments. In this episode of Palaeo Jam, recorded in the very place of its discovery, in the very week that its discovery was published, aside from getting a sense of what it was like in Alcoota eight million years ago, we get to learn about Baru iylwenpen, the single most complete known mekosuchine crocodile in Australia, if not the world. The species name was taken from the Anmetyerre language, meaning excellent and skilled hunter. The fossils suggest Baru iylwenpen had the strength to prey on other megafauna such as the giant flightless bird Dromornis stirtini, also known as the Thunder Bird! Indeed, Baru iylwenpen was the largest and most dangerous predator that's found at the Alcoota fossil bed, and would have pretty much munched on whatever it wanted! Here’s a link to the original paper on Baru iylwenpen… https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/spp2.1523 Dr Adam Yates is the Senior Curator of Earth Sciences at the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory. He is a palaeontologist with a broad interest in extinct fauna of Australia and South Africa where he spent 8 years prior to joining MAGNT in late 2011. You can read some of Adam’s research here… https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Adam-Yates-3 Megafauna Central can be found at… https://www.magnt.net.au/megafauna-central You can find Adam on Mastodon at https://sauropods.win/@alcootatooter You can find Palaeo Jam host Michael Mills on Twitter at @heapsgood https://twitter.com/Heapsgood To connect with Dinosaur University on Facebook, follow us at https://www.facebook.com/DinosaurUniversity

Being able to access field trips to dig up fossils has long been a central feature of studying palaeontology, and being a palaeontologist. But what if you have been born with a rare and severe genetic condition, such as Spinal Muscular Atrophy type 1 like Eleanor Beidatsch? As a nine year old, Eleanor dreamed of being a palaeontologist, but always presumed her advanced physical disability, and use of a wheelchair would make “digging about in the dirt for fossils” impossible. But Eleanor Beidatsch is many things, and being passionate and determined, is just a part of of it. In this episode of Palaeo Jam, recorded as part of our National Science Week tour, host Michael Mills chats with Eleanor about the challenges faced by students with disabilities in accessing opportunities to study, her own amazing journey to studying palaeontology at the University of New England, about her fascinating research into velvet worms, and about what comes next. Check out this video from Eleanor’s YouTube channel of her remarkable adventure in 2016, to a paleontological dig in the opal rich desert town of Lightning Ridge, New South Wales… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTGxIR_yaNo Stay up top date with a documentary project involving Eleanor, her family, and colleagues during their time at the 2023 Palaeo Down Under conference and the Kalbarri field-trip… https://www.australasianpalaeontologists.org/documentary Here’s a story about Eleanor’s journey on the University of New England’s website… https://www.une.edu.au/connect/news/2022/09/unearthing-discrimination-in-science Along with studying palaeontology, Eleanor is a disability rights journalist, and writes for the ABC… https://www.abc.net.au/news/eleanor-beidatsch/101651018 You can find Eleanor on Instagram at… https://www.instagram.com/eleanor.beidatsch/ And on Twitter at… https://twitter.com/EBeidatsch Here’s a link to Eleanor’s blog Accessible 4 Me… https://accessible4me.wordpress.com/ For more information on the research being undertaken by the team at University of New England’s Palaeoscience Research Centre, head to https://www.une.edu.au/research/research-centres-institutes/palaeoscience-research-centre Palaeo Jam host Michael Mills is on Twitter at https://twitter.com/Heapsgood For more info on his work as Creative Director, HeapsGood Productions, head to… https://linktr.ee/HeapsGoodProductions

What do we know about the boundary between the Ediacarans and the Cambrians, an astonishing predator from the early Cambrian, and one of the things palaeontologists get asked about more than just about anything… How did some dinosaurs get so big? We’re LIVE for a second time in Armidale for National Science Week at The Welder’s Dog Brewery, on Anaiwan country, also known as high country, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. In this episode, we discuss some of the fascinating paleontological research going on at the University of New England through the Palaeoscience Research Centre. To do this, Palaeo Jam host Michael Mills is joined by Professor John Paterson, Dr Marissa Betts, and Dr Nic Campione. You can find our more about John’s research from his University of New England profile at https://www.une.edu.au/staff-profiles/ers/jpater20 Marissa’s UNE profile at https://www.une.edu.au/staff-profiles/ers/marissa-betts And Nic’s UNE profile at https://www.une.edu.au/staff-profiles/ers/dr-nicolas-campione For more information on the research being undertaken by the team at University of New England’s Palaeoscience Research Centre, head to https://www.une.edu.au/research/research-centres-institutes/palaeoscience-research-centre Palaeo Jam host Michael Mills is on Twitter at https://twitter.com/Heapsgood For more info on his work as Creative Director, HeapsGood Productions, head to… https://linktr.ee/HeapsGoodProductions

We’re LIVE in Armidale for National Science Week at The Welder’s Dog Brewery, and in this episode, recorded on Anaiwan country, we’re talking about the creatures that once dwelt in this place, and nearby. Of dinosaurs such as “Lightning Claw”, giant marsupials that left teeth marks on the bones of other giant marsupials, and tiny fossils too small for the naked eye to see. Along the way, we talk about the extraordinary changes that have taken place in the geology of the region that at one time during the Permian, was a volcanic wasteland, at an earlier time, was under the sea, and that is now, the highest city in Australia. In this episode we are reminded that wherever you are, there are fascinating prehistoric stories just waiting to be discovered! To discuss all this and more, host Michael Mills is joined by Professor John Paterson, Dr Marissa Betts, and Dr Nic Campione, all from the University of New England, right here in Armidale. You can find our more about John’s research from his University of New England profile at https://www.une.edu.au/staff-profiles/ers/jpater20 Marissa’s UNE profile at https://www.une.edu.au/staff-profiles/ers/marissa-betts And Nic’s UNE profile at https://www.une.edu.au/staff-profiles/ers/dr-nicolas-campione For more information on the research being undertaken by the team at University of New England’s Palaeoscience Research Centre, head to https://www.une.edu.au/research/research-centres-institutes/palaeoscience-research-centre Palaeo Jam host Michael Mills is on Twitter at https://twitter.com/Heapsgood For more info on his work as Creative Director, HeapsGood Productions, head to… https://linktr.ee/HeapsGoodProductions

In a special edition of Palaeo Jam, recorded LIVE at the Western Australian Museum Boola Bardip, guest host Professor Flint chats with some of his Western Australian palaeo pals, about their favourite fossils, their best moments in the field, and a broad range of other palaeo-themed topics. In a chat amongst friends, we hear about the group’s favourite fossils that include a giant skink, a tree kangaroo on the Nullarbor Plain, an Aussie sauropod, and a kangaroo with fangs! Favourite moments of discovery include finding an ancient Bilby, the skull and brain case of a sauropod, and a Western Australian plesiosaur. We also learn about stinky days in the lab, and what brought each of the panel to be involved with palaeontology. This episode was recorded during the Museum’s “Biggest Science Lab Ever” event during National Science Week. The panelists for this episode are Dr Kenny Travouillon, Mammalogy Curator at the Western Australian Museum Boola Bardip; Dr Kailah Thorn, Technical Officer for Terrestrial Vertebrates at the Western Australian Museum Boola Bardip; Associate Professor Natalie Warburton, of Murdoch University; and Dr Stephen F. Poropat, School of Planetary and Earth Sciences, Curtin University. For more info on Prof Flint, including links to his albums of palaeo songs, head to https://linktr.ee/ProfessorFlint You can find Kailah on Twitter at https://twitter.com/kailah_thorn Kailah’s research profile is at… https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Kailah-Thorn Kenny can be found here… https://twitter.com/TravouillonK Kenny’s research profile is here… https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Kenny-Travouillon You can find Natalie on Twitter at https://twitter.com/aNATomy_Lab You can also find Natalie’s profile at Murdoch University at http://profiles.murdoch.edu.au/myprofile/natalie-warburton/ Stephen’s research profile can be found here… https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Stephen-Poropat

World renowned geologist, Professor Walter Alvarez once noted that… “Rocks are the key to Earth history, because solids remember but liquids and gases forget.” In this episode of Palaeo Jam, host Michael Mills chats with Professor Tom Raimondo about how learning about our local geology can help us better connect to where we live. Of how rocks are places where stories from the past are etched, and that by learning to read the rocks around us, we open ourselves to a whole new world of connection to the past, and understanding. Tom Raimondo is Professor of Geology and Geochemistry and Professorial Lead for STEM at the University of South Australia. He is a passionate science communicator who has been recognised as the 2019 SA Science Excellence Awards STEM Educator of the Year, and in 2017 was named in the ABC Top 5 Under 40. For more info on Tom and his work, head to… https://people.unisa.edu.au/tom.raimondo https://twitter.com/ROKmondo https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8nlPNwP0bcho0tTVomlwyg The iconic landscape of the Flinders Ranges in South Australia holds a remarkable history, cultural heritage and scientific value that has been unlocked through the power of the ground breaking 360VR Flinders Ranges experience mentioned in this episode. You can get free access to this brilliant experience at https://www.projectlive.org.au/ Palaeo Jam host Michael Mills is on Twitter at https://twitter.com/Heapsgood For more info his work as Creative Director, HeapsGood Productions, head to… https://linktr.ee/HeapsGoodProductions This episode was recorded LIVE during South Australia’s Science Alive event, the STEM Day Out, as part of National Science Week.

The Virtual Museum of Australian Palaeontology, or VAMP, as it is known, was launched several months ago to much acclaim. So, what is it, why does it matter, and how has it been going? In another episode recorded live during the Palaeo Jam National Science Week tour, we discuss why in an age of of misinformation, it is important that researchers and the public have access to information, and why projects such as VAMP are a great way of doing just that. In this episode we also talk in a more general sense about access to academic collections and research, touching on a model that sees a great deal of publicly funded research hidden behind paywalls, and not accessible to the public. Joining Palaeo Jam host Michael Mills are three of the original VAMPers, all from Flinders University, in Dr Alice Clement, Dr Aaron Camens, and PhD candidate Jacob van Zoelen. You can check out the VAMP website at… https://sites.flinders.edu.au/vamp/ You can follow Aaron on Twitter at https://twitter.com/DiprotoRon, and check out his Flinders University profile at https://sites.flinders.edu.au/palaeontology/home/people/academics/aaron-camens/ Check out Alice’s blog posts at https://draliceclement.com, and follow Alice on Twitter at https://twitter.com/DrAliceClement You can follow Jacob at https://twitter.com/Zoelenotherium Michael is on Twitter at https://twitter.com/Heapsgood For more info on the project team we are a part of, head to… https://linktr.ee/HeapsGoodProductions

Before there were dinosaurs, Queensland, Australia was home to a fascinating array of reptiles, amphibians, and the ancestors of mammals. And then, 252 million years ago, just about everything on Earth died! So let’s talk who survived, and why! In an episode supported by National Science Week, host Michael Mills is joined by Dr Espen Knutsen, Senior Curator of Palaeontology at the Museum of Tropical Queensland, and James Cook University, and Ash Turner, PhD Candidate at James Cook University. Along the way, the three talk about some of the many and varied creatures of the Permian and the subsequent Triassic Periods. While Michael discovers an awesome new term for a particular group of animals... the Pigs of the Permian, which he's decided may well be the name of his next album or band! Dr Espen Knutsen is the Senior Curator of Palaeontology at the Museum of Tropical Queensland and James Cook University. He has a special interest in the diversity, evolution and ecology of Mesozoic reptiles, such as ichthyosaurs, plesiosaurs and dinosaurs. You can check out his research portfolio at James Cook University at https://research.jcu.edu.au/portfolio/espen.knutsen/ and can follow him on Twitter at https://twitter.com/e_m_knutsen Ash Turner is a palaeontologist from Adelaide, looking at vertebrates of Triassic South East Queensland, particularly the temnospondyl amphibians both large and small. You can find Ash on ResearchGate at https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ashten-Turner-2 You can find Palaeo Jam host Michael on Twitter at https://twitter.com/Heapsgood To connect with Dinosaur University on Facebook, follow us at https://www.facebook.com/DinosaurUniversity And on Twitter at… https://twitter.com/DinosaurUni

A palaeontologist and an archaeologist walk into a bar… The Afterlife Bar, that is, at the Western Australian Museum, Boola Bardip, thanks to National Science Week. So, then what happened? Listen in, to find out! We’re in Perth, Whadjuk Country, Western Australia, and we’re here to talk about dead things, how we find them, what we do with them when we’ve found them, and what those dead things might tell us about the past! We’re also here to demystify the differences between these two popular sciences, and explore the things the two sciences share. In this special edition of Palaeo Jam, Palaeo Jam host Michael Mills, palaeontologist Professor Kate Trinajstic and archaeologist Dr Sven Ouzman discuss all of these things, and more! To follow the unfoldingly odd thing that is Twitter in regard to each of this episode’s human panel, head to https://twitter.com/KateTRINAJSTIC, https://twitter.com/crar_m, https://twitter.com/UWAArchaeology, and https://twitter.com/Heapsgood You can find out more about Dr Sven Ouzman at https://www.uwa.edu.au/Profile/Sven-Ouzman Kate Trinajstic’s research profile can be found at… https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Kate-Trinajstic To learn more about Michael, and all of his incarnations, you can begin by heading to https://www.heapsgood.com.au/', and see what happens frome there!

Join us on a journey to explore the remarkable fossil heritage of South Australia, and why its prehistoric story matters not just to South Australians, but to the the whole world. In this episode of Palaeo Jam, recorded live at Flinders University, on Kaurna Country, host Michael Mills is joined by PhD Candidate Phoebe McInerney of Flinders University, Associate Professor Diego Garcia-Bellido from the University of Adelaide. and PhD Candidate Tory Botha, also of the University of Adelaide. Along the way, the panel discuss a range of discoveries found in South Australia, including the first big life, opalised sea creatures, the story of the first predators, along with some fascinating palaeo pathologies. Yo can follow Phoebe on Twitter at https://twitter.com/Phoebyornis Check out Phoebe’s article in The Conversation about disease in giant prehistoric birds, discussed in this episode… https://theconversation.com/fossil-find-reveals-giant-prehistoric-thunder-birds-were-riddled-with-bone-disease-173745 Diego is on Twitter at https://twitter.com/DGarciaBellido Check out the recent research paper from Diego with a revised understanding of two species of Radiodonta foun d in Emu Bay, South Australia. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14772019.2023.2225066?journalCode=tjsp20 You can find some information about Tory’s research interests here… http://www.emmasherratt.com/quantitative-morphology-group.html You can find Michael, on Twitter at https://twitter.com/Heapsgood If you're ever in Adelaide and want to see some of the amazing fossil heritage discussed in this episode, head to the South Australian Museum... https://www.samuseum.sa.gov.au/

The Naracoorte Caves in South Australia are a World Heritage fossil site whose stories are many and varied. Part of the story of the Caves is the story of the people who work there, do their research there, or in the case of Palaeo Jam host Michael Mills, occasionally record podcasts and sing songs there. In another fascinating episode, recorded as part of National Science Week, we explore the connection of several different people to the Naracoorte Caves, and how what the Caves has to offer has been central to their developing careers. You can find host Michael Mills on Twitter at @heapsgood https://twitter.com/Heapsgood. You can find his alter ego, Professor Flint, along with songs inspired by the creatures of the Naracoorte Caves at… https://linktr.ee/ProfessorFlint For information on visiting the Naracoorte Caves in South Australia, head to… https://www.naracoortecaves.sa.gov.au/ Nicola Bail is a PhD candidate at the University of Adelaide studying the population dynamics of Southern Bent-wing Bats) in order to understand the subspecies’ decline, population structure and overall state of the South Australian population. You can find on on Twitter at https://twitter.com/NicolaBail Follow this link for a Cosmos article about her research https://cosmosmagazine.com/nature/pregnant-pause-researcher-ultrasounds-tiny-bats-in-amazing-breeding-study/ Nerita Turner is also a PhD Candidate at the University of Adelaide. Her research focuses on the modes of accumulation of large animal remains in caves, with a particular focus on fossil sites within the Naracoorte Caves region. You can find Nerita on Twitter at https://twitter.com/nerita_turner Check out the following article, by Nerita and Dr Elizabeth Reed… “Using historical research to constrain the provenance and age of the first recorded collection of extinct Pleistocene large mammal fossils from the Naracoorte Caves, South Australia.” https://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/M7JARRBWBXBWDCFDGIIY/full?target=10.1080/03721426.2023.2188442 Georgia Blows is Site Interpreter at the Naracoorte Caves, and is passionate about all things wildlife and natural history. Georgia is one of the youngest staff at the Naracoorte Caves, and got the position fresh from Naracoorte High School, after a work a work experience placement convinced both her, and most likely Caves management, that Georgia and the Caves were a perfect fit.

In 2022, the first fossil body of an Australian long-necked plesiosaur with the head still attached was discovered in outback Queensland. In this episode, recorded live in Townsville, Wulgurukaba Country, for National Science Week, Palaeo Jam host Michael Mills, is joined by palaeontologist Dr Espen Knutsen, and public programmes officer Claire Speedie, in an exploration of the importance of this extraordinary discovery, and why it matters, not just to science, but to the community as well. Dr Espen Knutsen is the Senior Curator of Palaeontology at the Museum of Tropical Queensland and James Cook University. He has a special interest in the diversity, evolution and ecology of Mesozoic reptiles, such as ichthyosaurs, plesiosaurs and dinosaurs. You can check out his research portfolio at James Cook University at https://research.jcu.edu.au/portfolio/espen.knutsen/ and can follow him on Twitter at https://twitter.com/e_m_knutsen Claire Speedie is Public Programmes Officer at the Museum of Tropical Queensland, and is also currently studying at Deakin University. Claire has worked across many years in the public programmes space, both developing and delivering a range of programmes across multiple different themes. You can find Palaeo Jam host Michael on Twitter at https://twitter.com/Heapsgood To connect with Dinosaur University on Facebook, follow us at https://www.facebook.com/DinosaurUniversity And on Twitter at… https://twitter.com/DinosaurUni

Naracoorte Caves in South Australia are home to a remarkable fossil heritage of Pleistocene life. The story of Naracoorte, though, is not just the story of it’s fossil heritage. It’s the stories of the community and the connection of lots people to the caves and that heritage. In this first episode for Season 2 of Palaeo Jam, we speak to several community members to hear their stories of the Naracoorte Caves. In so doing, we seek to explore what a site such a site with such a close proximity to a town, might mean to the local community. Note: Our first attempt at uploading this episode saw only part of it uploaded! This is the full episode. In this episode, host Michael Mills chats with former Mayor , Erika Vickory, former Caves Manager Steve Bourne, long time Caves site interpreter Barb Lobban, and a member of the audience, Pat Gericke, who was able to bring to our attention an amazing story about one of her ancestors, who was a key staff member of the Naracoorte Caves in its earliest days. Thanks to National Science Week, Heaps Good Productions, the Naracoorte Caves, the Naracoorte Lucindale Council, and most importantly, the people of Naracoorte, for making this episode possible. And in case you missed it, during Season 1 of Palaeo Jam, we recorded an episode with Prof Rod Wells while sitting in the very spot in Victoria Cave where he’d sat more than 50 years beforehand in discovering the fossil bed. We also chatted with Dr Liz Reed about her research in the Caves as a local, and in so doing, were reminded that while caves can be wonderful places for discovering fossils, they continue to be living ecosystems. Check out this and the rest of of the Palaeo Jam episodes through your preferred platform, and subscribe.