Palaeo introductions #1 – Palaeontology at Te Papa

Welcome to a new blog series introducing places, people, methods, and species that are important to palaeontological research at Te Papa and beyond. Curators Felix Marx and Alan Tennyson, along with Researcher William Parker and Collection Manager Hazel Richards, start us off with a summary of what palaeontology is and how it works…

Palaeontology – the history of life

Palaeontology is the study of ancient life on Earth. It is a multi-disciplinary science that combines biology, chemistry, physics, and geology. Palaeontologists aim to understand what past ecosystems looked like and how they changed over time. At Te Papa, we are particularly focused on the evolution of Aotearoa’s birds and marine mammals (whales, dolphins and seals). To discover more about the ancient history of these animals, you first need to understand what fossils are and how they form. 

Head, shoulders, knees, and toes – what can be fossilised? 

Fossils come in two main types – body fossils and trace fossils. A body fossil is any part of an organism’s body that becomes preserved: bones, teeth, shells, wood, and leaves. By contrast, trace fossils are traces of life that record a behaviour, such as footprints, bite marks, burrows, and coprolites (fossil poo).  

From animal to mineral – how do fossils form? 

Most organisms leave no trace when they die. Sometimes, though, conditions are right for fossilisation, for example when dead organisms are quickly buried by sediments. Most often, this happens along rivers, in lakes, or in the sea – places with abundant mud and sand. However, fossils can also form in the deep ocean, in caves or sand dunes, and in oxygen-poor environments that inhibit decay, like swamps.  

During fossilisation, bones and – in rare cases – soft tissues are permeated and (partially) replaced by minerals. This process can be fast and even be triggered by the rotting organism itself. Often, however, fossilisation takes thousands to millions of years. What remains at the end varies as much as the fossils themselves: some specimens are almost intact and retain their original shape, while others are crushed and deformed; and some are preserved in sediments soft enough to scrape away with a toothpick, while others are encased in rock harder than concrete. 

Watch an example of revealing a fossil using fine tools below.

What is happening at Te Papa? 

Te Papa has a long history of fossil research, with the first fossils entering the collection as soon as the museum was founded. This year, however, may be the most active in its 160-year history, with the establishment of a brand-new fossil preparation laboratory, a couple of major research projects, new staff and students, and some incredible new fossils. 

Over this coming year we’ll take you behind the scenes to introduce you to our people, projects and, most importantly, palaeontological heritage. You will read about what goes into collecting, preparing, and describing fossils; the team that studies and cares for them; and how fossils connect with people and places. You can read more when we excavate the next edition of the blog!