Trace fossils – evidence of life with no bones

Trace fossils are marks and patterns in sedimentary rocks produced by the activities of animals and plants. Footprints and burrows are obvious examples and they record many aspects of the way animals lived.

This talk explores these useful fossils, including tales of dinosaur trackways in Wales and burrows large enough to drive a car into!

Professor Maurice Tucker is Visiting Professor in the School of Earth Sciences at the University of Bristol. Before retiring to the South West, he was Professor of Geology at the University of Durham and Master of University College, Durham. He does research on the formation and maturation of sedimentary rocks, including the role of viruses in carbonate precipitation, the Permian geology of NE England and North Sea, the limestones of Montserrat, as well as the Jurassic oolites and Bath building stone.

Our free exhibition, Petrification, will be open from 6.30pm for viewing before the talk, so please arrive early and take a look around! See here for more information about this exploration of deep time.