Using my new thylacine sewing pattern I have created another lifesize thylacine plushie! This big friend is available over here: www.palaeoplushies.com/shop/thylaci...

Some great jobs in evolutionary morphology / palaeo now available @sunyofficial.bsky.social: apply.interfolio.com/172502 and apply.interfolio.com/172517

Two weeks working at the ESI in Joburg, one paper on another new Zimbabwean dino about to be submitted, another on a potentially new South African dino well on the way, two new grant ideas to work on, prelim work done on other projects. Amazing how much you can get done without meetings ...

JOBS JOBS JOBS! Stony Brook are advertising two assistant professorships in vertebrate palaeo/evolution, one focused on (in the words of the SVP programme) NOT DINOSAURS and the other on evolutionary neurology: apply.interfolio.com/172502 apply.interfolio.com/172517

Early registration (and the best possible rates) still open for the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology annual meeting 2025 in Birmingham, but it closes on Thursday. Register now if you haven't already! #SVP2025 #2025SVP vertpaleo.org/2025-registr...

Walking through the woods and heard hammering, the source being this Nuthatch that was in the process of successfully extracting an acorn lodged in the bark of a mature Ash tree, presumably by one of the very vocal and industrious jays that were about at the time. #birding

For #FossilFriday, contemplating trace fossils made just after "The Fall" (the end-Cretaceous meteorite impact) preserved in <66 million-year-old sediments in central Colorado, while finishing a research article with @denvermuseumns.bsky.social colleagues on these survivors' traces. 🧪🐾

Species interaction over millions of years. Limpets sheltering in a dinosaur footprint seen at the impressive Triassic track site at the Bendricks, Barri, Cymru. #FossilFriday

Scientific illustrations? I create those! Simple or complex, 2D or 3D, for any subject illustrations can communicate complex research, processes and concepts effectively. Plus scope for re-usage across a range of channels of delivery. Get in touch! #SciArt

Last week in Nature: ooo look at my spiky dino. This week in Nature: EVERYTHING YOU KNOW ABOUT BIOLOGY IS WRONG www.nature.com/articles/d41...

The beautifully preserved skeleton of the Kimmeridgian theropod Juravenator from Germany, as seen at Jura-Museum Eichstätt. #FossilFriday

What's up? I'll tell you What's Up, Bluesky! A NEW EPISODE OF THE FOSSIL FILES, THAT'S WHAT! And it's on nothing less than the Triassic punk, Mirasaura. Listen here and on all your favourite podcast platforms: fossils.libsyn.com/mirasaura-tr...

I've got plenty of capacity so if you, your clients and or institution need any scientific visualisation, graphic design or motion graphic work then get in touch!

Heads up for #SVP2025 attendees: I'm running a day-long workshop about UK #paleoart on Nov 11th (the day before the meeting). Essentially a mini-conference, it's a day of talks on UK palaeoart history, conservation and current projects, as well as... 1/3

Rather chuffed to have been awarded first prize in two photography categories at our village show today. Alan Garner fans might know the location of the colour photo.

I absolutely love this story by @jamesashway.bsky.social on he background about how we found Spicomellus

If you don't have access to Nature, but would like to read our paper on the new specimen of #Spicomellus, you can read it online at this link with no subscription: rdcu.be/eCJK3

Out today in Nature is the most exciting dinosaur paper I've ever been involved in - led by @tweetisaurus.bsky.social we describe a partial skeleton of the UTTERLY BIZARRE Spicomellus from the Middle Jurassic of Morocco, the oldest known ankylosaur. (1/x) www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Introducing a crazy new look for Spicomellus, based on new osteoderms unlike anything we've ever seen before. I was brought in to produce a life reconstruction based on the new material, published today in Nature by Maidment et al:

Wow, a new specimen of Spicomellus, a mega-spiky ankylosaur from Morocco is nothing short of spectacular! Congratulations @tweetisaurus.bsky.social, @richardjbutler.bsky.social and team.

🦕 Don't miss it! The registration for the 69th Annual Meeting of the Palaeontological Association is now open! 📅 Early-bird deadline and abstract submission: Sep 19, 2025 👇

Say hello to Istiorachis macaruthurae, a new sail-backed iguanodontian from the Lower Cretaceous rocks of the Isle of Wight, discovered by @valdosaurus.bsky.social www.theguardian.com/science/2025...

Are you a palaeontologist doing exciting, novel research on the systematics of extinct organisms? Consider submitting to @journalsystpal.bsky.social. UNLIKE SOME OTHER VERTEBRATE PALAEO JOURNALS, initial submission is format-free and we accept manuscripts of any length. We are also Q1....

Do you want to go to grad school in #paleontology 🦖, #geology ⚒️, or #biology🧪? Join the @societyofvertpaleo.bsky.social Graduate School Application Prep Group! We’ll walk you through the application process in weekly workshops. Sign up with this form! docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

There’s a campaign underway for a new dinosaur museum and science park on the Isle of Wight. Lend your support here 👇 www.change.org/p/support-a-...

A polished section of iguanodontian dinosaur jaw #IsleofWight. The detail revealed in a 125 million year old bone by a bit of cut and polish is exquisite. Mostly empty alveolar sockets but the arrow marks an emergent tooth moving in to replace a fractured erupted crown. #FossilFriday.

Really pleased to see this paper out! Our exciting Middle Jurassic Moroccan site now has a steg, ank, cerapodan ornithischian and turiasaurian sauropod, some of which are the oldest of their clades. And there's more cool stuff to come, folks!

Funded PhD claxon!! Bill Sellers at University of Manchester is advertising a fully-funded PhD position on the evolution of quadrupedal gaits. Exact focus is open and *could* include fossils. Deets here: www.findaphd.com/phds/project...

This lovely little bird poo mimic caterpillar hitched a ride home from the woods on my trousers this morning before being released back into the wild. #wildlife

For #FossilFriday a mass of fragile #IsleofWight spinosaurid caudal vertebrae and chevrons rescued from heavy seas in 2017 on my dining room table. Mapped out, labelled and stabilised and safely transported to #DinosauIsleMuseum where much prep brought together a large part of the tail.

Photogrammetry of a sauropod trackway from the site at Duntulm, Skye. #FossilFriday

Remarkable soft tissue anatomy recorded in titanosaur (Sauropoda) tracks from the latest Cretaceous of Mongolia (open access) academic.oup.com/zoolinnean/a...

Scientific illustrations are vital for communicating research, and I make them along with animations, figures and a range of other graphic design services across a wide range of subjects. Get in touch for a chat if I can help with your projects! #ScientificVisualisation #illustrations #SciArt

Registering for #2025SVP #SVP2025? Why not get your hands on some of the merchandise featuring our amazing logos designed by @markwitton.bsky.social vertpaleo.org/2025-svp-ann...

Registration for the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology Annual Meeting in the fine city of Birmingham, UK is now open: vertpaleo.org/2025-registr...

New dromaeosaurid dinosaur Shri rapax: www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.... Known from a nearly complete skeleton! Closely related to Velociraptor but with a more robust skull and hands. 🪶🧪 (📷Moutrille et al.)

Did you know #geology students from the #UniversityofBirmingham went on a icy field trip to Svalbard in 1951? For more fascinating stories about student life and research centred around the Museum, visit our new temporary exhibition now: www.birmingham.ac.uk...#geology#UniversityofBirmingham#LapworthRocks

I don’t share job news often, but I’m pleased to announce I’m now Head of Science Engagement @nhm-london.bsky.social, a part-time role alongside my other research duties, where I’m the science strategy lead on all our forthcoming gallery and exhibition developments

The planarians were a surprise hit! So much so I've made some more! Now with a new design... OOPS! ALL TAILS?? Grab yourself a worm over here: www.palaeoplushies.com

Quite how this dorsal vertebra from #IsleofWight iguanodontian dinosaur Brighstoneus got like this is hard to say. Almost certainly trauma caused a fracture which perhaps was splinted unnaturally by attached tendons so that it healed in this peculiar circular fashion. #FossilFriday

Celebrating the first anniversary of Fern the Diplodocus in our garden @nhm-london.bsky.social , here's a little movie explaining exactly how we did it, starring yours truly: www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7Xb...

I wouldn't worry too much. Presumably they'll take a pigeon and edit a few genes to make a slightly larger pigeon. Listen here to why you shouldn't be concerned: fossils.libsyn.com/is-de-extinc...

University of Birmingham web story on the recent discovery of the first dinosaur fossils from Serbia, which I’m delighted to have been a small part of www.birmingham.ac.uk/news/2025/fi...

Watch Peter L. Falkingham talk about his #BiologyLetters review of the methods used to study dinosaur locomotion, covering extant taxa, bones, muscles, and footprints: cassyni.com/events/RAu9V... #palaeontology

The Guardian view on the public’s dinomania: passion for palaeontology endures through the ages www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

15 years ago today we woke up in Yellowstone. It took us two days to drive from Rapid City, staying in Buffalo and crossing the Bighorn Mountains at 10,000ft. Yellowstone is incredible, hope to go back one day.

Dinosaur Science is a special volume of @royalsociety.org Biology Letters open access papers reviewing current research in dinosaur biology and edited by @profpaulbarrett.bsky.social and @tweetisaurus.bsky.social . royalsocietypublishing.org/topic/specia...

Bite marks on a section of the neural spine of a dorsal vertebra from the #IsleofWight iguanodontian dinosaur Brighstoneus simmondsi. Trace fossils transporting you back to a short space of time 125 million years ago. #FossilFriday

I've made a 1/2 size thylacine plushie- this one is all printed/sublimated "at home". They're made with short pile minky fabric which is very soft and floppy, with plastic pellets for beanie weight in their belly. You can find this one for sale over here: www.palaeoplushies.com/shop/thylaci...

New Fossil Files podcast out today where @fossilrob.bsky.social and I discuss THAT DIRE WOLF PAPER and also how old my worst underwear is. Listen now on all your favourite podcast platforms, and give us a follow @thefossilfiles.bsky.social fossils.libsyn.com