Bringing fossils back to life

Documentaries and science-fiction films have made palaeontology an enormously popular science, to the extent that extinct animals such as the Tyrannosaurus Rex and the Woolly mammoth have come to form part of the collective imaginary. The palaeontologist is often seen as a combination of scientist and adventurer, ever ready to travel to exotic lands and experience danger in order to bring a valuable piece back to the museum. But is that really what their work is? In this lecture, the speaker will explain how palaeontologists work in the 21^st century, from excavating an archaeological site to reconstructing the appearance and way of life of an extinct species using the most sophisticated technology, such as three-dimensional virtual models.

We will also be taking a look at the role that palaeontologists can play with regard to the challenges humanity will be facing in the next few decades, such as climate change and species conservation.

In collaboration with:

Cycle: SCIENCE ON MONDAY

Organized by: Residencia de Investigadores y Centros de Investigación de Cataluña - Institución CERCA