Mark A Purnell

Palaeobiologist at Leicester

[Mark A Purnell @MarkAPurnell]

Well done everyone involved in "Fossils After Dark" @ #BSF22. @palaeo_anna, @EdiaCharlotte, @phil_wilby, @neilfadams, @JordanBestwick1, @rabsmyth - according to @BritishSciFest we made it into the 'best bits'! https://t.co/935OSYUxWi

[Leicester Palaeo @LeicesterPalaeo]

@palaeo_anna, @EdiaCharlotte (@EarthSciCam) and @phil_wilby (@BritGeoSurvey) discussed what 560 million-year-old fossils from around Leicestershire can tell us about the origins of animal life 🌊 #BSF22 2/3

[Leicester Palaeo @LeicesterPalaeo]

What did we get up to last night @BritishSciFest @leicestermuseum? @MarkAPurnell, @neilfadams and @JordanBestwick1 showed how the scratches on teeth can show what animals were eating 200 million years ago 🦷 #BSF22 1/3

[Leicester Palaeo @LeicesterPalaeo]

Members of Leicester Palaeo, joined by @EdiaCharlotte and @phil_wilby, were at @BritishSciFest @leicestermuseum last night for the event 'Fossils After Dark', showing how lighting can be used to highlight new information on fossils 🪱🔦🦖 #BSF22

[Mark A Purnell @MarkAPurnell]

Thanks to @contactpiyal, @oliverblake and the team at @SpaceParkLeic we have some fresh prints of tooth microwear for the #bsf22 event this evening. Drop in to @leicestermuseum to find out what this tells us about what mammals were eating 200 million years ago

[Anna McGairy @palaeo_anna]

What makes @BritishSciFest so special? Check out any of the free events in Leicester this week to find out! I'll be @leicestermuseum tonight from 6pm for the Fossils After Dark event - come and see what we have on show! 🦖🦐🐚🔬🔦 #BSF22

[British Science Festival @BritishSciFest]

The British Science Festival 2022 is coming to Leicester in just one day. #BSF22

Hear from @MarkAPurnell (@uniofleicester) on how the festival offers interesting avenues for dialogue and exchange of ideas 💭

Find out more about 'Fossils after dark': https://t.co/lQND4q5PT8

[British Science Festival @BritishSciFest]

Anna McGairy (@palaeo_anna, @uniofleicester) explains why #BSF22 isn't for science buffs - it's open to everyone 👏

'Fossils after dark' event
📆 Thurs 15 September
⏰ Drop-in between 18.00 - 22.00. No booking needed!
📍 @leicestermuseum
Find out more: https://t.co/FiVWnjRi06

[Mark A Purnell @MarkAPurnell]

I'm glad to say that @phil_wilby, @EdiaCharlotte and @palaeo_anna will be on hand as expert guides to Leicestershire's Ediacarans; @neilfadams, @JordanBestwick1 and I will be shedding light on tooth wear and diets in Jurassic mammals and pterosaurs

[British Science Festival @BritishSciFest]

Get hands on with genuine 600 million year old fossils at this year's British Science Festival! 🦴

@MarkAPurnell (@uniofleicester) tells us more about these fascinating specimens, many of which have been found right here, in Leicestershire. #BSF22

👉 https://t.co/lQND4q5PT8

[Russell Garwood @RussellGarwood]

Please consider applying for this new role on PalAss council. You don't need to have any experience in the tools, as you will get full training in a (really, very) transferable skillset. All you need to do is enjoy playing with digital systems.

[Mark A Purnell @MarkAPurnell]

Nice to see this out. If the lovely infographic is to be trusted, you did a good job of clearing up the lab Dr Clements (bottom right)!

[Dr Thomas Clements @Thomas_Clements]

🚨Hot off the press!🚨
Some fossils preserve soft tissues like internal organs - how does this happen?

How can watching fish rot help us understand this process?

Who would be mad enough to do that?

All this and more in our new paper: https://t.co/i6X2kMMFOm (open access).

[Mark A Purnell @MarkAPurnell]

@Nitroshutter @geology_bham The most niche episode ever of The Unbelievable Truth

[Mark A Purnell @MarkAPurnell]

@GeologyLeics @SarahGabbott @LeicesterGeog @uniofleicester Well done Chris.

[Mark A Purnell @MarkAPurnell]

Succinct summary of our new paper by co-author @Sansom_Rob. Open Access in Palaeontology @ThePalAss

[Rob Sansom🐟 @Sansom_Rob]

Do patterns of decay from lab experiments actually have any bearing on the realities of fossil preservation? Or: What use are rotten fish REALLY? Our new paper finds correlations between patterns of lab decay and real fossil preservation #KeepOnRotting 1/6
https://t.co/iob9Yp6cQA

[Leicester Palaeo @LeicesterPalaeo]

The fossil record results from interacting processes of decay and preservation, but how do you analyse those interactions?
This new paper by @SarahGabbott , @Sansom_Rob & @MarkAPurnell provides a new method and applies it to #lamprey and #fossil fish🐟

https://t.co/OvpPVb9Jzs

[Mark A Purnell @MarkAPurnell]

Coming up in just a few minutes - good luck Chris!

[Christopher Stockey @CStockey]

If you're at #PalAss20 catch me tomorrow at 10am discussing my work on how to infer diet🥩🥬 within the fossil record and investigate dietary interactions at an ecosystem level 🐒🦊🐛🕷️🪳

[Mark A Purnell @MarkAPurnell]

Turns out pterosaurs didn't eat people! What did they eat you ask? Check out our new paper, led by @JordanBestwick1, with @ButlerLabBham, Dave Unwin and me, revealing what microwear can tell us about pterosaur diets and ecology. https://t.co/uyTvKrQWPK

[Mark A Purnell @MarkAPurnell]

@ToriHerridge @neilfadams @GGray626 @NuriaMelisaMor1 @LeicesterPalaeo @GeologyLeics @CENTA_NERC @ThePalAss @doctoralcollege Short answer is yes. I did some preliminary work on Pleistocene proboscideans with Steven Zhang. Quaternary international 445 if you’re interested. Plenty more to be done though.

[Mark A Purnell @MarkAPurnell]

Slight hyperbole perhaps, but always nice to know that work published in a great journal @thepalass is being read. Congrats to coauthors @glpcjd @SarahGabbott @MariaMcN_palaeo @djemurdock @Sansom_Rob
Access is open: https://t.co/o8znOImsYV

[Mark A Purnell @MarkAPurnell]

The hypothesis that the Tully Monster is a chordate survives another test.

[Dr. Jasmina Wiemann @jasmina_wiemann]

Can we place problematic fossils using biosignatures in fossil organic matter🧪🔬? Yes, we can! In our new paper we analyzed fossil organic matter to understand the phylogenetic affinity of the enigmatic tully monster - and it groups with chordates🐠.

https://t.co/dJAfw2JeOz