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January 30th, 2023

Unravelling The Secret Of Life With Ancient Biomolecules

  1. Unravelling The Secret Of Life With Ancient Biomolecules 59:07

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The revolution in science that is transforming our understanding of extinct life may also lead to Unravelling The Secret Of Life With Ancient Biomolecules.

We used to think of fossils as being composed of nothing but rock and minerals, all molecular traces of life having vanished long ago. We were wrong. Remnants of Ancient Life reveals how the new science of ancient biomolecules—pigments, proteins, and DNA that once functioned in living organisms tens of millions of years ago—is opening a new window onto the evolution of life on Earth.

Paleobiologists are now uncovering these ancient remnants in the fossil record with increasing frequency, shedding vital new light on long-extinct creatures and the lost world they inhabited. Dale Greenwalt is your guide to these astonishing breakthroughs. He explains how ancient biomolecules hold the secrets to how mammoths dealt with the bitter cold, what colors dinosaurs exhibited in mating displays, how ancient viruses evolved to become more dangerous, and much more. Each chapter discusses different types of biomolecules and the insights they provide about the physiology, behavior, and evolution of extinct organisms, many of which existed long before the age of dinosaurs.

A marvelous adventure of discovery, Remnants of Ancient Life offers an unparalleled look at an emerging science that is transforming our picture of the remote past. You will never think of fossils in the same way again. Join us on this episode of Life Is A Story We Tell Ourselves and learn how fossils of all kinds man lead to Unravelling The Secret Of Life With Ancient Biomolecules. You will hear from the first human being ever to see the fossil of a blood-engorged mosquito. This is real-life Jurassic Park.

https:/natureandsciencepodcast.com

Donald Murphy Host and Executive Producer

Host Don Murphy has been a medical research assistant at the Salk Institute For Biological Research, a park ranger, director of California State Parks and deputy director of the U.S. National Park Service. He has traveled the world representing the United States on the World Heritage Commission. Don is the author of several books: “Love Vignettes”, a collection of love sonnets; “Beth”, a coming of age story of a young girl; and several children’s books.

Don was honored by the University of California, San Diego as one of its top 50 Alumni. For fifteen years he led executive leadership seminars at the Aspen Institute in Aspen, Colorado and at the Federal Executive Institute in Charlottesville, Virginia. For the past ten years Don has led Making Sense of Science Seminars to promote science literacy among seniors.