PODCAST · science
Fossils and Fiction
by Travis Holland and Alyssa Fjeld.
🎙️The culture and science of palaeontology.
Episodes
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Dinosaurs on Mars
A supermarket tabloid once ran a front page reading "Space Probe Finds Dinosaurs on Mars." That issue ended up pinned to the wall of the Montana dig trailer in Jurassic Park — and it's the starting point for a wander through everything that connects palaeontology and space. Travis and Alyssa…
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It's a Kronosaurus Eat Ichthyosaur World
A three-course food web from the Cretaceous seas of Queensland: a Platypterygius australis ichthyosaur that had been snacking on fish, cephalopods and pterosaurs — before it, in turn, got chewed on by a Kronosaurus queenslandicus. Travis and Alyssa dig into what the bite marks and gut contents…
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Sam the Dinosaur Man
Dr Jake Kotevski didn't become a palaeontologist because of a fossil. He became one because of Sam Neill. In this tribute episode, Travis and Alyssa talk with Jake about Alan Grant's quiet, unglamorous masculinity, the "sense of wonder" the movie chose over the book's horror, and why Grant's...
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Where's our Jeff Goldblum?
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...
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Secrets of the Sea Monsters - with Dr Dean Lomax
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…
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Queensland Dino Week
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...
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The Cliffs of Lyme Regis
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...
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The crisis in geoscience
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...
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The dinosaur mysteries
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!...
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The deals with seals
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…
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Opening up palaeontology
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...
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Palaeo Art and Palaeo Heists
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/
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Zev Landes Doesn't Like Palaeontology
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...
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Megalodon and more with Ben Francischelli
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...
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That is one big pile of Poozeum
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 Dinosaurs and...
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King Tyrant Tackles AI
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.,...
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Mark Witton's Palaeoart Journey
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...
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T. rex: the Asian king?
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…
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Do direwolves dream of extinct sheep?
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. ___...
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Don't do palaeo fraud
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...
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Dinotopia Dreaming
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…
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You Are a Horrible Gigagoose
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...
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Feasts and Beasts
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...
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Could you fight a Meg?
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…
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Ancient kitty and biostratigraphy
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,...
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Common Descent Spotlight featuring Fossils and Fiction
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)....
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Aussie pterosaur round up with Adele Pentland
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...
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Kids Fossil Frenzy with Sandra Bennett
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...
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BONUS: Tales from a Jurassic World S2 Preview
Friend of the podcast Tom Jurassic previews season 2 of his audio fan production 'Tales from a Jurassic World'. Check out the full series on YouTube or via the Jurassic Park Podcast.
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Nature is not drab: Amanda Perry's Palaeo Art
Amanda Perry, science communicator and palaeoartist, discusses her love for bugs and extinct animals. Amanda believes it is important to show vibrancy in representing animals, including extinct ones, through her artwork. She shares her journey into becoming a palaeoartist and science…
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The Science of Dance at Prehistoric Body Theater
Ari Dharminalan Rudenko, the artistic director of Prehistoric Body Theater, discusses his background and how his childhood fascination with dinosaurs led him to combine dance and science communication. He explains the formation of Prehistoric Body Theater in Surakarta, Indonesia, and its focus on...
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PalaeoAstrid's Art and Science
Astrid O’Connor is a PhD researcher in the Evans EvoLab at Monash University. Astrid undertakes a fascinating mix of research and creative work including immensely detailed 3D reconstructions of extinct animals. This conversation charts Astrid's journey into and through palaeo. Check out...
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A dinosaur travel agent
Zach Vanasse, founder and director of Dinosaur Trips, discusses his journey in creating a unique travel company that offers dinosaur-themed trips. He shares his childhood fascination with dinosaurs and how it led him to combine his passion for palaeontology with his experience in the travel...
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'The Jurassic Park Book' Part 2
In this conversation, Dr. Catherine Pugh and Dr. Ross Garner discuss their chapters in 'The Jurassic Park Book' and provide new perspectives on the classic 1990s blockbuster. Dr. Pugh analyses a play called 'The Jurassic Parks' that riffs on the film and explores themes of family and grief. Dr....
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Diprotodon with Bronwyn Saunders
Bronwyn Saunders, a children's author and citizen scientist, discusses her book 'Diprotodon: A Megafauna Journey' and the importance of Australian megafauna. She shares her journey as a writer and the research process she went through to write the book. Bronwyn also mentions her author…
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Aussie theropods with Jake Kotevski
Jake Kotevski is a PhD candidate at Monash University studying Australian theropods, specifically megaraptorids. Are they just big raptors? Find out in our wide-ranging discussion about the known knowns, the known unknowns, and some speculation on the unknown unknowns. Jake also describes his...
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'The Jurassic Park Book' - Part 1
Dr Matthew Melia introduces and discusses The Jurassic Park Book, published by Bloomsbury. The Jurassic Park Book is the second in a three-part series by Matt on Steven Spielberg's biggest creature features: Jaws, Jurassic Park, and ET. Following Matt, global film specialist Peter Kramer…
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Ancient bugs with Alyssa Fjeld
Alyssa Fjeld discusses her research on early arthropods, especially tomotiids, a group that appeared over 520 million years ago. Alyssa's research focuses on the growth patterns of early arthropods. She explores the concept of the inhibitory cascade model and its implications for understanding…
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Found a Fossil with Sally Hurst
Do you know what to do if you find a fossil or First Nations artifact? Sally Hurst made it her business to find out as part of her Masters study at Macquarie University. We talk about the Found a Fossil project, Sally's journey to palaeontology, and her outreach work with school children. More...
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A trip to Dinosaur Valley
Each summer in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales, a prehistoric landscape comes alive with the sound and sights of dinosaurs. This is Scenic World's Dinosaur Valley. For more information on Scenic World and Dinosaur Valley visit https://scenicworld.com.au/
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Garret Knows Dinosaurs
From a dino-themed wedding to running the world’s biggest dinosaur podcast, it’s Garret from I Know Dino! Garret joins Fossils and Fiction to chat about the lessons he and Sabrina have learned while covering new dinosaur discoveries every week for the past decade. Check out I Know Dino on their...
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Dinosaurs will always be awesome
Jimmy Waldron once told Conan O’Brien he looked like a therizinosaurus. He also founded a non-profit called Dinosaurs Will Always Be Awesome that takes dinosaur experiences out to those who might not otherwise access them. After you’ve listened to the episode, check out more info on DWABA:...
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Age of Mammals with Dr Chris Manias
Dinotherium, diprotodon, mastodon and more! Dr Chris Manias discusses his book The Age of Mammals: Nature, Development and Paleontology in the Long Nineteenth Century. Chris is Senior Lecturer in the History of Science & Technology at Kings College London. Books mentioned: Manias, C. (2023). The...
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'Dig Up Stupid' - Adele Pentland Talks Pals in Palaeo
Palaeontologist Adele Pentland makes her second appearance on Fossils and Fiction to talk about... The Simpsons? Oh, and also her podcast Pals in Palaeo and her tips for science communication. ___ Find out more about Adele's work and Pals and Palaeo here: Adele's website...
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Travis talks Jurassic
I've been writing, thinking, and talking about Jurassic Park *a lot* lately. It's time to wrap all that work up into something listenable for Fossils and Fiction. ___ Articles/interviews mentioned: Shaye Ganam, 770 CHQR/630 CHED Edmonton and Toronto, Thirty years after Jurassic Park hit movie...
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Teaching Dinosaurs!
If there's one thing that will spark an interest in palaeontology, it might just be finding 450 million-year-old fossil as a child. That's exactly what happened to Dr Nic Campione. Nic is originally from Canada but is now a Senior Lecturer in Earth Sciences (Palaeontology) at the University of…
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Littlefoot's Family Ties
Packed with emotion and pulling the nostalgia heartstrings, how does The Land Before Time (1988) hold up today? Clemson University English Lecturer Peter Cullen Bryan takes us through the links between Don Bluth's classic film and other palaeomedia. _______________ Follow Dr Peter Cullen Bryan on...
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'Seven years of very chill nerds' - Lucas Zellers talks Book of Extinction
Creative all-rounder Lucas Zellers recently worked on a D&D handbook that presents the real-life stories of extinct animals, and then twists them into D&D-suitable monsters. ____ Check out Lucas' work: Scintilla Studio https://scintilla.studio/ Book of Extinction...
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Dinosaur safari with Tom Jurassic
Dino-obsessed content creator Tom Jurassic joins me for a visit to Prehistoric Domain, an immersive dinosaur wildlife park that can be viewed in a web browser or in virtual reality. __ Prehistoric Domain https://www.prehistoricdomain.com/ Check out Tom Jurassic's 'Tales from a Jurassic World'...
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Fossils and Fiction have?
Fossils and Fiction currently has 65 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Fossils and Fiction about?
🎙️The culture and science of palaeontology.
How often does Fossils and Fiction release new episodes?
Fossils and Fiction has 65 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Fossils and Fiction?
You can listen to Fossils and Fiction on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Fossils and Fiction?
Fossils and Fiction is created and hosted by Travis Holland and Alyssa Fjeld..
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