insert_link Africa Fossil insects help to reconstruct the past: how I ended up studying them (and you can too) By Sandiso Mnguni, University of the Witwatersrand When I tell people that I study fossils, many assume I am talking about dinosaurs or some equally impressive extinct creatures. But there’s far more to be found in the global fossil record, like plants, fish and insects. Researchers who study fossil insects preserved in rock or amber deposits are called palaeoentomologists – and I’m one of […] todayJuly 1, 2024 7
insert_link Environment Fossil beetles found in a Botswana diamond mine help us to reconstruct the distant past By Sandiso Mnguni, University of the Witwatersrand When most people think of fossils they probably picture bones. But there’s much more to the global fossil record: plants, shells, minerals and insects. The study of fossil insects is called palaeoentomology. Palaeoentomologists like myself seek out and study fossil insects that were trapped in mud which later became rock sediments, and those found in amber (tree resin). Very few deposits […] todayApril 11, 2024 17