What is the essence of paleontology? Experts from this field claim that this science gives many answers to questions about the evolution of man, the history of his appearance on Earth, and even many philosophical questions. They also say that their researches are underestimated, and most people associate paleontology with finding dinosaurs’ remains. To understand what it is about, I bring to your attention a short video with a speech by Lauren Sallan. She works as a paleobiologist who uses big data analytics to understand macroevolution, and apparently not in vain:
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I guess that that it is just like all other history sciences in that regard, the evolution of creatures is quite fascinating and more people should know about it, apart from the common knowledge, that dinosaurs once were walking on Earth. Paleontology also gives normal people the chance to better imagine that was milions of years ago.
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Probably the discovery of Sue - the biggest which is one of the largest, most extensive, and best preserved Tyrannosaurus rex.
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In Computer Science :)
1. Have you heard about this meditation technique before? If yes, did you try it? And if not, would you try it at all?
I think palaeontology brings a lot to the development of knowledge about evolution. Palaeontology is a science on the borderline between biology and geology, exploring fossil organisms, based on fossils and traces of life activity. So the development of palaeontology is also the development of biology and geology simultaneously. On the basis of fossils and traces of life activity of organisms it allows to formulate conclusions about life in geological past.
2. What specific paleontological discovery that impressed you you know?
Recently I read about the discovery of a tiny, bird-like dinosaur skull sunk in amber in Burma. The animal living 99 million years ago was hailed as the smallest known dinosaur to date and given the name Oculudentavis khaungraae. The discovery of the fossil can help in research on bird evolution. The discovery is described in the latest edition of the magazine "Nature". The found fragment of the skull measures only 7 millimeters. On its basis, scientists have created a model of the whole creation. Its skull is only 1.5 centimeters long.
3. In which of the sciences do you have the most knowledge? (anthropology, psychology, geology, philology, etc.)
I also have a degree in psychology. So I think it's psychology.
I read about this dinosaur-bird in Internet. Looks like colibri. Very interesting information.
And I liked your idea that if paleontology will develop as a science, then many related sciences will receive a new steps for development.
Yes, I think paleontology is very important, it can determine the geological age of the stratum, study paleogeography and paleo-climate, provide services for general mineral exploration and geological exploration, provide practical information and arguments for exploring the origin of life, and provide a scientific basis for studying the evolution of biology, the extinction of species and other natural development laws.
2. What specific paleontological discovery that impressed you you know?
It should be the bigest insects for me. Scientists have discovered trilobite fossils 450 million years ago in northern Portugal, as many as a thousand giant trilobites once lived in the shallow waters of the prehistoric era. They are 90 centimeters in length and are the largest trilobites ever discovered.
3. In which of the sciences do you have the most knowledge? (anthropology, psychology, geology, philology, etc.)
I think it should be psychology among the choices.
I agree. To foresee the future, it is enough to analyze the past. Probably this is what this science is trying to do.
Wow, one more psychologist in our team. Hope to hear this story:) Thanks, Bohdan;)
That you are a wonderful psychologist, I have no doubt. Look above in the comments, you have competitors:) Thank you!
Real and important. However, I admit that its real value is of discovering and preserving history itself rather than dinosaurs specifically.
What specific paleontological discovery that impressed you you know?
That many species thought to be long extinct were actually present to the very near history; even up to 1800's
In which of the sciences do you have the most knowledge? (anthropology, psychology, geology, philology, etc.)
Physics, as I have a diploma in radiophysics. I consider it the most interesting branch of science, as it is the most fundamental. And basically "about everything".
Physics is real basis of everything. It is really great when you can explain the miracle using scientific facts and laws of nature.
Well... I have never been much of a paleontology fan so I am not the best pick to answer that question but I will do my best. The whole point of inspecting history of this planet is to better understand wher do we live and what caused all of those changes and processes around the world. Who or what was here before us? Why they are not here anymore? Those questions are key to understanding live itself.
What specific paleontological discovery that impressed you you know?
I can't think of any specific discovery or a year in which it happened but I can say that the whole fact that we are able to obtain bones of a species which are extinct for a millions of years and later create its image only using those bones it amazing by itself.
In which of the sciences do you have the most knowledge? (anthropology, psychology, geology, philology, etc.)
My history-realted knowledge is not my biggest strength so those sciences mentioned in the question are not the best examples. I am much more of a tech person and I also learned some aspects of physicis in my life so probably IT and Physcics might be scinces which are closer to my heart. Much closer than the history-relted ones, that's for sure.
2. I hate spiders. There used to be a spider called megarachne servinei which was 34cm long. It’s a mean thing to say, but I’m glad the spider is now extinct.
3. When I was a kid, I used to love maps of all sorts so I have a pretty good knowledge of world geography.
2. Dinosaurs had feathers. After a childhood with all those films and books with classic view dinosaurs, I was shocked, maybe not impressed, but it was unexpected.
3. I think physics cause I had studied it intensively right before my school final exams, so I do it properly and don't forget some material from the beginning during the last themes.
In my opinion peleontology is very important science, it could help us understand the world and show which paths to follow and which are dangerous.
2. What specific paleontological discovery that impressed you you know?
I watched a documentary film about mamuts. Scientist are trying to clone mamut from bones found in Siberia. I was frightened about the fact that they found half of the mamut body with blood flowing out the corpus.
3. In which of the sciences do you have the most knowledge? (anthropology, psychology, geology, philology, etc.)
Psychology, because I'm interested how human body works and I have read few articles about brain and emotions.
2 / Scientists from the University of Warsaw have established that the ancestors of the dinosaurs were four-legged, and not two-legged creatures, as was believed so far. The research report is published on the university website. It was conducted by employees of the faculty of biology. They studied the fossilized remains of a Triassic reptile called Silesaurus opolensis. Skeletons about 15 years ago were found in Polish Silesia.
3 / I think that of all the points that are proposed here, the most I know and understand, this is psychology.
2. Whole evolution of life on earth is impressing me and how it survived thru all those cataclysms.
3. I don’t know of which science I have most knowledge but astrology is the one that I’m studying the most right now.
Like any other science, this is also important. It is interesting to know where we came from or who our ancestor was. So not only Darwin whose theory is down, but scientists are very important.
2. What specific paleontological discovery that impressed you you know?
For me personally a Silesian dragon. The legend of the Wawel dragon has always fascinated me and what I read about the dragon from Silesia made a big difference to me.
3. In which of the sciences do you have the most knowledge? (anthropology, psychology, geology, philology, etc.)
I think that according to the classification of scientific fields and disciplines in force since 2018, this is the field of engineering and technical sciences, technical computer science and telecommunications. It results from my education which I have been acquiring for almost forty years.
I think it is. It's related to biology and history, and we should study dinosaurs to understand better what happened, so maybe we wouldn't share their fates.
What specific paleontological discovery that impressed you you know?
I know mainly general things about paleontology, but like many kids, I liked them when I was very young. I think I was more of an expert back then.
In which of the sciences do you have the most knowledge? (anthropology, psychology, geology, philology, etc.)
Information Technology, as many students here. I like also physics and mathematics. I don't have wide knowledge in so-called humanity science, I think because of this weird distinction back then in high school and before where we were kind of split by them who can do maths and those who cannot (and so they should study humanity science). So I ended up being good at maths and related fields.
To predict what would be we need to have a huge amount of data about what was. That's how prediction (mathematical statistics and modeling) works. So there is no there is no doubt that this is necessary.
What specific paleontological discovery that impressed you you know?
I have read Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari. The were a lot of interesting facts and theories, but the most shocking for me was that human kinds wasn't as evolution we studied at school (Australopithecus -> Homo Erectus -> Homo Sapiens), but they were as kinds that existed together and survived each other.
In which of the sciences do you have the most knowledge? (anthropology, psychology, geology, philology, etc.)
I think it's anthropology and psychology. Those sciences are very interesting to me, so I'm reading about it.
In my opinion, paleontology is really an important science because human kind can learn from the past about recurrent natural phenomenom like as climate's changes, animals' migration etc.
2. What specific paleontological discovery that impressed you you know?
In general dinosaurs. I used to like dinosaurs as a child and their discovery impressed me the most.
3. In which of the sciences do you have the most knowledge? (anthropology, psychology, geology, philology, etc.)
Cat's behaviourism now, I guess. I used to know a lot about psychology and psychiatry also.