Fossils and Fiction

Compsognathus in a handbag. Microraptor as a pet crow. Sauropod methane energy. You're welcome. We sit down with Professor Amy Brock-Hon from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga — Alyssa's old alma mater — to talk caves, karst, and why a good geology degree might be the most versatile qualification you've never considered. Then we dig into a 2025 paper claiming scientists have found origina...

The ocean had apex predators long before sharks — and this week, we're diving into the extraordinary world of ichthyosaurs with one of the world's leading experts on them. Alyssa sat down with Dr Dean Lomax — palaeontologist, author, broadcaster, and all-round ichthyosaur evangelist — ahead of his first-ever visit to Australia for Queensland Dinosaur Week (4–10 May 2026) . It's a conversation abou...

We're road tripping across Queensland for Queensland Dinosaur Week. Featuring interviews with experts from the Queensland Museum, Eromanga Natural History Museum, Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum (Winton), and Kronosaurus Korner (Richmond), we find out what's happening across the state from May 4-10, 2026. For more info, check out https://dinosaurexperiences.com/queensland-dinosaur-week-2026/

Travis just spent three weeks galavanting around the museums of Europe, and he's here to tell you all about it. From Naturalis in Leiden, to Oslo, Oxford, London and Lyme Regis, you'll get the low down on the visitor experience at museums across the continent. __ More info: Australia Post's 'creatures of the palaeozoic' https://collectables.auspost.com.au/stamp-issues/view-all-stamp-issues/creatur...

Travis went to Europe and Alyssa went to Chattanooga. All to find out more about your favourite fossils. We bring you some news on extraordinary palaeo discoveries, a fascinating interview with Dr Indrani Mukherjee about the state of geoscience in Australia and her research into Earth's earliest life, and Alyssa ranks 2025's big hits (come at her). __ Tess Gallagher, Dan Folkes, Michael Pittman, T...

Dinosaur mating? Two new tyrannosaurs? We discuss a couple of groundbreaking papers followed by a trip to Wellington Caves, the site of some of Australia's earliest and greatest palaeontological discoveries. More info: Join us in Adelaide for Fossils and Fiction live on November 29! https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/1964100016020?aff=oddtdtcreator Visit Wellington Caves https://www.wellingtoncaves.c...

Seals. What do they know? Do they know things? Let's find out. Dr James Rule gives lets us in on the secrets of the seals, covering their evolution, fossil history, and some challenges with modern marine mammal research. James tells us the best and worst seal and lays down the terms to the whales. Also, it's Halloween, so we take a look at some creepy museum exhibitions. __ Flynn, A. G., Brusatte,...

Travis and Alyssa discuss the challenges and implications of open access publishing in science. They explore the paywall paradox, the role of jargon in scientific communication, and the peer review process, particularly in the context of palaeontology. The conversation also touches on global inequities in access to research, innovations in open access publishing, and the importance of data accessi...

Virtual Paleo Art Gallery curator Karim talks the intersection of art, technology, and community building. Meanwhile, Alyssa and Travis discuss some historical paleo and museum heists. Check out the palaeo art gallery here https://extinctfineart.com/virtual-paleoart-gallery/

Artist, cartoonist, communicator Zev Landes talks through his experiences and process. We get the low-down on how he created the Fossils and Fiction logo featuring Scratch and Skitters, as well as his work with museums, palaeo-tourism initiatives, and much more. Check out Zev's website https://www.zevlandes.com/ or Instagram @ZevLandes .

Alyssa and Travis delve into a fascinating new paper on dinosaur tracks, dubbed the 'Dinosaur Dance Floor.' They discuss the implications of the findings, including the behavior of ceratopsians and tyrannosaurs. The conversation shifts to exciting announcements in paleontology, including a new season of Prehistoric Planet. They also interview shark palaeontologist Ben Francischelli, exploring the...

Poo and poetry. George Frandsen is founder of the Poozeum in Williams, Arizona. He shares the story of the Poozeum and its mission to educate the world about coprolites. George also introduces us to Barnum - the world's biggest T. rex poop. Alyssa and Travis review Walking with Dinosaur s and Jurassic World: Rebirth before Travis unleashes his softer side with a little palaeo poetry ('Species' by...

From Part 2 of our interview with palaeontologist and palaeoartist Mark Witton featuring chat on AI, to news about the origins of teeth, and a very difficult game of 'guess that fossil', this episode has a little bit of everything. More info: King Tyrant on Amazon Haridy, Y., Norris, S.C.P., Fabbri, M. et al. The origin of vertebrate teeth and evolution of sensory exoskeletons. Nature 642 , 119–12...

Can they spell it? No, they can't! This episode features renowned palaeoartist Mark Witton talking about his new book King Tyrant and other topics in palaeoart. Plus, news on the world's first sauropod gut contents. Then, Travis and Alyssa challenge each other to a prehistoric spelling bee. More info: Mark Witton's website https://www.markwitton.co.uk/ Poropat, S. F., Tosolini, A.-M. P., Beeston,...

Palaeo artist James Pascoe shares his lifelong fascination with dinosaurs and how it has shaped his journey. He discusses the importance of community in the paleo art world and the role of engagement in science communication. We discuss new research showing the origin of tyrannosaurs may have been in Asia and also how megaraptors arose and spread throughout Gondwana. And another new paper pushes b...

Visit the 'La Brea of the East' with us. Shay Maden from Gray Fossil Site and Museum tells us about the history and importance of this amazing Tennessean lagerstatten. And, we can't help but chat about the controversial claims by Colossal Biosciences that they have resurrected the dire wolf. ___ Check out: Gray Fossil Site https://gfs.visithandson.org/ Dinosauria Season 2 https://www.youtube.com/w...

This conversation explores the fascinating and often humorous world of paleontology hoaxes, from the infamous Piltdown Man to the Cardiff Giant. Alyssa and Travis discuss various historical and modern examples of scientific fraud, the implications of these hoaxes on the scientific community, and the lessons learned about integrity in research. They also touch on the cultural significance of these...

It's time for a nostalgia kick. Travis and Alyssa discuss James Gurney's Dinotopia: an idealised vision of a world where humans and dinosaurs peacefully co-exist and everyone has their place. We explore the storytelling approaches, links to other media and what Dinotopia could look life if it were written today.

Alyssa interviews Dr. Phoebe McInerney about her research on Genyornis, a giant flightless bird from Australia. The conversation explores Phoebe's journey into palaeontology, her research, and the significance of outreach and education in the field. We also touch on the brilliant new research on Australian theropods published by Jake Kotevski and friends and play a little game of 'Who Am I? Extinc...

Geo. Sassie joins Travis to talk about the Jurassic Coast UNESCO World Heritage Site. Meanwhile, Alyssa designs a prehistoric four course feast, prepares for a dig, and shows off some palaeoart. Also, we finally name our mascots. __ More: Virtual paleoart exhibition https://extinctfineart.com/virtual-paleoart-gallery/ Ammonite movie https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7983894/ Lovelace, D. M., Kufner, A....

Join hosts Alyssa and Travis as they welcome palaeontologist Colin Boisvert for a chat about Allosaur diversity, sauropod niche partitioning and more. Colin offers an insider's look at the challenges and excitement of studying dinosaurs, from complex taxonomies to ecological mysteries. The episode takes a fun turn with a special segment where listeners help name the show's mascots, and the hosts f...

Hosts Alyssa and Travis discuss the mummified homotherium, play a game of 'fossil fact or fiction', and learn all about the Emu Bay Shale with special guest Steph Richter-Stretton. ___ Follow Steph-Richter-Stretton on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/biostephigraphy/ Lopatin, A. V., Sotnikova, M. V., Klimovsky, A. I., Lavrov, A. V., Protopopov, A. V., Gimranov, D. O., & Parkhomchuk, E. V. (2024...

Some exciting news about the future of Fossils and Fiction followed by an episode of the Common Descent Podcast 'spotlighting' our show. _____________ Links: Holland, T. A. (2024). Palaeo podcasting: A practice-led extended-mixed methods case study. Media International Australia , 0 (0). https://doi.org/10.1177/1329878X241265824 Fossils and Fiction Episode 26, Alyssa Fjeld's Ancient Bugs https://w...

Pterosaur expert and PhD student Adele Pentland discusses the discovery and description of the newest and most complete Australian pterosaur, Haliskia peterseni . The fossil was found in Australia and is 100 million years old. Adele explains the unique features of Haliskia , including its large wingspan, interlocking teeth, and long throat bones. The conversation places Haliskia in context with ot...

Children's author Sandra Bennett discusses the importance of literacy and her journey as an author, including the Adamson Adventure series, a number of which feature prehistoric animals. Sandra shares how she started writing stories for her students, which sparked their interest in reading. She also talks about her book series, which combines adventure, history, and extinct Australian wildlife. In...