Palaeo Jam

When a palaeo-artist and a palaeontologist are the same person!

Dr Brian Choo is both a palaeontologist and a palaeo-artist. In this fascinating episode of Palaeo Jam, host Michael Mills chats with Brian about the path to becoming both, and how his understanding in each area, informs the other. Along the way, the two explore Brian’s passion for natural history, his inspirations, the process of creating art from science, the role of palaeo-art in the public understanding of science, and, of course, touch on the horrors of AI.
 
Brian’s amazing artwork has been featured in a number of scientific journals. You can find an extensive catalogue of his work at…
https://www.deviantart.com/gogosardina
 
Brian has a profile for his scientific work on ResearchGate at…
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Brian-Choo
 
Brian is a also regular judge in the Mary Anning Art Prize, a natural history art prize for young South Australians…
https://www.sasta.asn.au/student_activities/mary-anning-art-prize
 
You can find Michael on Blue Sky at…
https://bsky.app/profile/heapsgood.bsky.social
 
You can find links to much of his creative work at…
https://linktr.ee/heapsgoodproductions
 
 
To connect with Dinosaur University on Facebook, follow us at…
https://www.facebook.com/DinosaurUniversity
 
At Palaeo Jam, we have an Instagram account at…
https://www.instagram.com/palaeo_jam

Making a mammal

Carl Sagan once said "If you wish to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first invent the universe".  As it happens, that very same universe is the one that made possible the making of mammals. So, what are some of the essential ingredients and conditions that made the making of a mammal possible? 
 
In this episode of Palaeo Jam, host Michael Mills chats with Dr Peter Bishop, an Aussie abroad, currently engaged in palaeo research at Harvard University. Through his background in physics and mathematics Peter has applied biomechanical principles to understand extinct animals, particularly synapsids, which has led to some fascinating insights in to how to do just that- to make a mammal!
 
Michael begins the discussion by asking Peter about his journey from an outback Queensland mega-fauna site where the two first met several years ago, while digging up giant, prehistoric kangaroos, extinct , to Harvard…
 
You can find Peter’s work at…
 
https://www.mcz.harvard.edu/people/peter-bishop
 
https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=M5u3GysAAAAJ&utm
 
Host Michael Mills can be found on Insta as The HeapsGood Guy at https://www.instagram.com/heapsgood/
 
On Bluesky at https://bsky.app/profile/heapsgood.bsky.social
 
Palaeo Jam has its own Insta account at
https://www.instagram.com/palaeo_jam/

Let's talk about fish!

Let’s talk about fish… Those creatures of the rivers and oceans that we often think of as somehow distant from us, but that from an evolutionary perspective, are central to the story of who we are.
 
In a wide ranging conversation, Palaeo Jam host Michael Mills chats with Dr Alice Clement of Flinders University about why understanding fish evolution matters in trying to understand ourselves, some key moments in fish evolution, and the key role that the Australian fossil record tells us about this remarkable story.
 
You can find Alice’s blog at https://draliceclement.com
 
And her Research Gate profile… https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Alice-Clement
 
Alice posts from time to time on Twitter at… https://x.com/DrAliceClement
 
Alice has been a guest  in several previous Palaeo Jam episodes, including the important “Life as a Palaeo Mum” recorded LIVE at the launch of the Palaeo Jam podcast. You can find it here… https://palaeojam.podbean.com/e/s01e03/
 
You can find Michael on Blue Sky at https://bsky.app/profile/heapsgood.bsky.social
 
To connect with Dinosaur University on Facebook, follow us at https://www.facebook.com/DinosaurUniversity
 
At Palaeo Jam, we have an Instagram account at https://www.instagram.com/palaeo_jam

The Curious Life of Mary Anning

What happens when you hurl the definitive biographer of palaeontology pioneer Mary Anning, and the writer of a musical about Mary Anning together?
 
In this episode of Palaeo Jam, host and writer of musicals, Michael Mills, is joined by Mary Anning biographer Tom Sharpe to explore the life, science, and enduring legacy of Mary Anning, one of the most important figures in the history of palaeontology. Drawing on years of meticulous research, Tom paints a vivid picture of Mary Anning as not just a fossil collector, but a formidable scientific mind operating at the birth of palaeontology. We explore her groundbreaking discoveries including the first complete plesiosaur, her close (and often complicated) relationships with leading scientists of the day, and the steep barriers she faced as a working-class woman.
 
Beyond the science, this episode digs into the human story of Mary, what she might have been like to meet, personal losses, precarious finances, unanswered questions about her private life, and how myth, film, and modern retellings have sometimes distorted her legacy.
 
The conversation closes by connecting Mary’s enduring legacy to contemporary creative work, including the development “A Curious Thing”, a new musical inspired by her life, making this episode a must-listen for anyone interested in deep time, women in science, and how we tell history responsibly and creatively.
 
This is the first ever episode of Palaeo Jam to ever exceed the strict time limit of 30 minutes per episode, because, well… Michael and Tom decided to just keep talking! We can confirm, that once the mics were turned off, the conversation about this remarkable woman continued!
 
Tom’s book “The Fossil Woman- A Life of Mary Anning” is the most deeply researched book on her life and legacy. It is available through most book stores. Tom regularly shares moments in Mary’s life on BlueSky at https://bsky.app/profile/tomsharperocks.bsky.social @tomsharperocks.bsky.social
 
You can follow Michael’s telling of Mary’s story through the various links at…
https://linktr.ee/TheseCuriousThings
This link includes a booking link to the 2026 Adelaide Fringe show "A Curious Thing- The Story of Mary Anning."
 
You can find Michael on Blue Sky at https://bsky.app/profile/heapsgood.bsky.social
 
To connect with Dinosaur University on Facebook, follow us at https://www.facebook.com/DinosaurUniversity
 
At Palaeo Jam, we have an Instagram account at https://www.instagram.com/palaeo_jam

The Art and Science of Gondwanarama!

How do you go from being a young kid growing up around Riversleigh terrified of a reconstructed Thylacoleo, and a Diprotodon exhibit at the Queensland Museum, to be one of Australia’s most talented, interesting, emerging palaeo-artists? And how did her emotional responses to these exhibitions help shape the delightful career that Nellie Pease is now creating to much acclaim?
 
In the latest episode of Palaeo Jam, host Michael Mills chats with palaeo-artist Nellie Pease about her palaeo-artist origin story, while discussing the origin of her fabulous website name, Gondwanarama, a website that describes her as a big fan of marsupials, bugs, & ancient supercontinents. Why those three?
 
Along the way, they also discuss Nellie’s unique creative process, providing insights for anyone interested in how the creative process works in conjunction with the scientific process. They also chat about a transformational conversation Nellie once had with one of Australia’s most palaeo-artists Dr Peter Trusler, and how it has helped shape where she’s at today.
 
You can find Nellie on Instagram at @Gondwanarama
https://www.instagram.com/gondwanarama
 
And definitely check out her Etsy shop at…
https://www.etsy.com/au/shop/Gondwanarama
 
Her website is at…
https://gondwanarama.com/
 
You can find Michael on Blue Sky at https://bsky.app/profile/heapsgood.bsky.social
 
To connect with Dinosaur University on Facebook, follow us at https://www.facebook.com/DinosaurUniversity
 
At Palaeo Jam, we have an Instagram account at https://www.instagram.com/palaeo_jam

The story of Australian Theropods... So far!

In season 2 of Palaeo Jam, host Michael Mills chatted with Jake Kotevski about the identification of the oldest-known Megaraptorid skull fragment, found on an Eastern Victorian beach in Australia, and what that unique and important fragment might tell us. In this episode, Michael again chats with Jake to find out if any more fossils have been discovered, and if we’ve learnt anything new since then. 
 
Spoiler alert- A big YES! They chat about some fascinating new discoveries and with that, what those discoveries might tell us abut the story of Australian Theropods. At least, what we know of that story, so far!
 
Along the way, they also chat about Nanotyranous/T.rex, with Jake giving his view on where things now sit.
 
This is our 50th episode and we could not think of a better topic to celebrate that milestone than theropods from the Land Down Under!
 
This is Jake’s second appearance on Palaeo Jam. His first was in Season 2, “Theropods Down Under”…
https://palaeojam.podbean.com/e/theropods-down-under/
 
Be sure to check out the following paper that gives a new sense of theropod diversity from Early Cretaceous Australia thata now includes: megaraptorids, an unenlagiine, and for the first time, carcharodontosaurians…
 
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02724634.2024.2441903
 
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 Michael on Blue Sky at https://bsky.app/profile/heapsgood.bsky.social
 
To connect with Dinosaur University on Facebook, follow us at https://www.facebook.com/DinosaurUniversity
 
At Palaeo Jam, we have an Instagram account at https://www.instagram.com/palaeo_jam

The Lie of De-extinction

When is a Dire Wolf not a Dire Wolf? When it’s a Grey Wolf made white and fluffy with a few tiny changes. When is a Woolly Mammoth not a Woolly Mammoth? When it's an elephant made hairy by a few tiny changes.
And yet one organisation has claimed, with much fanfare, to have brought back the Dire Wolf, and has plans to bring back other species, such as the Woolly Mammoth.
In this episode of Palaeo Jam, host Michael Mills chats with Dr Nic Rawlence, Associate Professor of Ancient DNA at the University of Otago – Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka about the issue of de-extinction, and how what is claimed to have happened, whatever it is, is definitely not that!
Nic is a palaeontologist and ancient DNA specialist working at the sharp end of what genetic science can genuinely tell us about the past. He is a prominent voice pushing back against the hype surrounding so-called “de-extinction,” arguing that what we are seeing is not the recreation of lost species. Such sensational claims can also distract from the more urgent work of conserving species that still exist, and give a false sense that extinction doesn't matter so much anymore, when it does.
You can check out Nic’s extensive research profile at…https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Nicolas-Rawlence
 
Nic was recently awarded the prestigious New Zealand Association of Scientists’ Cranwell Medal for excellence in communicating science to the general public in any area of science or technology…https://www.otago.ac.nz/news/newsroom/prestigious-medal-for-science-communicator
 
You can follow Nic on Twitter at…https://x.com/nic_rawlence_nz
 
You can find Michael on Blue Sky at…https://bsky.app/profile/heapsgood.bsky.social
 
To connect with Dinosaur University on Facebook, follow us at…https://www.facebook.com/DinosaurUniversity
 
At Palaeo Jam, we have an Instagram account at…https://www.instagram.com/palaeo_jam

On the public understanding of science

Adele Pentland (Curtin University) and Sally Hurst (Macquarie University), are both Superstars of STEM with extensive experience in public engagement and media communication. They are both palaeontologists, which we think gives them a bit of an advantage over some of the other sciences, since we’re the ones with dinosaurs!
 
In a wide ranging conversation, host Michael Mills chats with Adele and Sally about why effective communication matters for the public understanding of ancient life Along the way, they discuss several successful outreach strategies, science heroes, and offer practical advice for scientists and educators looking to communicate their research more engagingly.
 
This is the first in a series of episodes recorded during the 2025 CAVEPS Conference in vertebrate palaeontology at Flinders University in South Australia in November, 2025.
 
You can find Adele’s podcast, “Pals in Palaeo” through the following link… https://linktr.ee/palsinpalaeo
 
Be sure to follow the podcast on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/palsinpalaeo/
 
You can also head to the Pals in Palaeo website at https://palsinpalaeo.com/
 
Check out Sally’s website at https://www.sallyhurst.com.au
 
And her Found a Fossil website at https://www.foundafossil.com/
 
Found a Fossil also has an Insta account at https://www.instagram.com/foundafossil
 
And a Tik Tok account at https://www.instagram.com/foundafossil
 
You can find Michael on Blue Sky at https://bsky.app/profile/heapsgood.bsky.social
 
To connect with Dinosaur University on Facebook, follow us at https://www.facebook.com/DinosaurUniversity
 
At Palaeo Jam, we have an Instagram account at https://www.instagram.com/palaeo_jam