Palaeo Jam

A Career in a Cave

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.

A most remarkable discovery!

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

Tales from the Naracoorte Caves

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.

The life of a singing palaeontologist

In our final episode for Season 1, Palaeo Jam host Michael Mills chats with Dinosaur University Dean of Science, and singing palaeontologist, Professor Flint. During the conversation, The Prof is asked what came first... His love of dinosaurs, or his love of music? He also gives some insights into why he thinks art and science are two sides of the same thing. And when asked about where he would go back in time to, if he had the chance, The Prof gives a most interesting answer.
To find the Prof's music on Spotify, Bandcamp and all the places, check out the link... https://linktr.ee/ProfessorFlint
You can find The Prof on Twitter at @dinosdownunder https://twitter.com/DinosDownUnder
Palaeo Jam host Michael Mills can be found on Twitter as @heapsgood https://twitter.com/Heapsgood
You can connect with him on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-mills-86906335/

The challenge to be curious!

 
Following the world premiere of “A Curious Thing- The story of Mary Anning” at the 2023 Adelaide Fringe, Palaeo Jam host, and writer/director of the Mary Anning Fringe show Michael Mills sat down with three brilliant women in science to explore their thoughts on the show, its themes, Mary’s legacy, and their own experiences as women in science.
 
In a wide ranging discussion, Flinders University space archeologist, Dr Alice Gorman, University of Adelaide Palaeontologist Dr Liz Reed, and University of Adelaide PhD Candidate Tiah Bampton speak about key moments in their lives, role models that have inspired them, and give some important insights into some of the challenges still faced by women in science, 176 years after Mary Anning’s death.
 
The podcast ends with each guest being asked the one thing they might say to Mary Anning, had they the opportunity to do so.
 
You can find Dr Alice Gorman on Twitter at @drspacejunk  https://twitter.com/drspacejunk
Amongst many things, Alice has written extensively for The Conversation, including a recent article, “Prejudice, poor pay and the ‘urinary leash’: naming and claiming Australia’s forgotten women scientists”.
 
Read the article here… https://theconversation.com/prejudice-poor-pay-and-the-urinary-leash-naming-and-claiming-australias-forgotten-women-scientists-198407
 
And if you don’t already have a copy, find yourself a copy of Alice’s book, “Dr Space Junk vs The Universe: Archaeology and the Future.”
 
You can find Dr Liz Reed on Twitter at… @LizReed_palaeo https://twitter.com/LizReed_palaeo
 
Liz’s extensive profile, with links to research papers and articles can be found at… https://researchers.adelaide.edu.au/profile/liz.reed
 
Liz appeared on a previous episode of Palaeo Jam in which she and host Michael Mills chatted about the importance of caves not just as repositories of fossils, but as living ecosystems, while sitting in Blanch Caves in the Naracoorte Caves of South Australia. Check out the episode here… https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-rnthh-1379952
 
To learn about Tiah Bampton’s journey, and the delightful connection to PhD supervisor Dr Liz Reed, tune in to the podcast! And also check out this story with the ABC… https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-05-03/tiah-bampton-living-dream-at-naracoorte-caves-palaeontology-dig/12209876
 
You can check out Tiah’s research profile here… https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Tiah-Bampton And read the paper referred to in the Research gate link, here… https://helictite.caves.org.au/pdf1/46.Bampton.pdf
 
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 have been involved with in exploring the story of Mary Anning, check out the link… https://linktr.ee/TheseCuriousThings

The Dinosaur Kids... Part 1

Imagine you’re that dinosaur kid! The one who knows all the names of all the things, and dreams of one day going to university to study palaeontology in order to become a palaeontologist. Of course, most dinosaur kids don’t get to do that. But imagine you are one who makes it. You do get accepted into a palaeontology degree, and even better, make it through the first year!
 
In this episode of Palaeo Jam, host Michael Mills chats with three students who’ve just completed their first year of a palaeontology degree at Flinders University. During the episode, we find out from Dylan Slinn, Natalie Jackson and Thomas Khajeh, what brought them to Flinders University, what they were expecting when they got here, and how it turned out across the year, both good and bad.
 
So, why the title of the episode, “The Dinosaur Kids… Part 1”? At the end of the episode, we get a very definite commitment from all three to get back together at the end of second year, and record a follow-up episode. That’ll be Part 2… and we’re pretty sure we’ll get a Part 3 and beyond as we follow the journey of these three dinosaur kids in pursuit of their dream! We can’t wait to see how the journey for each of them unfolds!
 
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's 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
The dinosaur book Natalie talks about is “The Complete Illustrated Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs & Prehistoric Creatures” by Dougal Dixon It can be found online at Book Depository, Dymocks and Booktopia.

How it started... How it’s going!

Late last year, while on a trip to Naracoorte, South Australia, Palaeo Jam podcast host Michael Mills sat down with three students from the University of Adelaide, all at different stages as palaeontology students.
 
One, Stephanie Massacci, was just at the beginning of Honours, where the focus will be on seeking to clarify the taxonomy of the Pleistocene Tasmanian Devil, compared with the extinct giant Tasmanian Devil. The second, Isabella Donato, was at the end of Honours, in a project that explores the identification of skull bones in monitor lizards so that we know what species have lived here in the past. The third, Caitlin Mudge, was getting ready for PhD submission, through the Australian Centre for Ancient DNA on how species genetics relates to geographic location. The results of this research will help us understand the faunal landscape and historic diversity of several Australian mammal groups during the Holocene.
 
The wide ranging conversation touches on a number of topics relevant to palaeo students, along with each of their areas of study. They also discuss the idea of whether to reintroduce Tasmanian Devils back into mainland Australia, the merits of trying to bring back Thylacines and other extinct animals, and offer some sound advice to other students at different stages of their student life.
 
You can follow Caitlin on Twitter at @CaitlinMudge522 https://twitter.com/caitlinmudge522
Isabella on Twitter at @IzTheeScientist https://twitter.com/IzTheeScientist
Michael on Twitter at @HeapsGood https://twitter.com/Heapsgood
And Dinosaur University at @DinosaurUni https://twitter.com/DinosaurUni
 

Caves- Ecosystems of the past, the present, and the future

Caves can be the holders of great fossil collections. It’s important to remember, though, that they still exist as living ecosystems, and will continue to do so. In this episode of Palaeo Jam, host Michael Mills chats with Dr Liz Reed of the University of Adelaide, and South Australian Museum. This episode was recorded inside Blanch Cave, in the World Naracoorte listed Naracoorte Caves, where Liz is one of many to have conducted research into its remarkable trove of fossils.
 
On the ongoing nature of caves as living ecosystems, Liz notes during the conversation that caves are…
 
“…some of the most fragile ecosystems on the planet, and very susceptible to anything coming in to the caves”.
 
There are important conservation issues that need to be addressed if such caves as the Naracoorte Caves are to continue to be the delightful repositories of life that they are. They are not just places where fossils are to be found.
 
Along the way, Michael and Liz also talk about the inaugural Australian Mammal of the Year, the Southern BentWing bat, and why Liz thinks bats are awesome.
 
You can find Dr Liz Reed on Twitter at… @LizReed_palaeo https://twitter.com/LizReed_palaeo
 
Liz’s extensive profile, with links to research papers and articles can be found at… https://researchers.adelaide.edu.au/profile/liz.reed
 
You can find host Michael Mills on Twitter at @heapsgood https://twitter.com/Heapsgood
 
For information on visiting the Naracoorte Caves in South Australia, head to… https://www.naracoortecaves.sa.gov.au/
 
And for more info on the Australian Mammal of the Year, head to… https://cosmosmagazine.com/nature/amoty/