17. Thylacoleo with Aaron Camens

Adele’s joined by special guest Dr Aaron Camens from Flinders University to talk about the original drop bear and so-called marsupial lion, Thylacoleo carnifex! We talk about combining fossils with footprints and bite marks to get the facts on the ankle-biting hunting tactics of this ambush predator, its weird opposable thumbs, and the roles of climate change and First Nations peoples in the megafauna mass extinction. Plus a teaser for National Science Week involving ABC Catalyst with mechanical bite force experiments, honourable mentions for Microleo, and the parallels between panic buying toilet paper and competitive exclusion. Random Fossil Fact:The Natural History Museum at South KensingtonArchitect Alfred Waterhouse and his iconic Natural History Museum buildingThylacoleo Australian Museum - Thylacoleo carnifexQueensland Museum - Thylacoleo sp.Pals in Palaeo @palsinpalaeoHost: Adele Pentland @palaeodelOnline StoreTranscriptsThe Pals in Palaeo Cover ArtJenny Zhao Design @jennyzdesignCrumpet Club House@crumpetclubhouse The Pals in Palaeo Theme MusicHello Kelly @hellokellymusic Podcast Producer + Editor Jean-César Puechmarin @cesar_on_safariPodcast EditorFrançois "Francy" Goudreault @hellofrancy