Exceptional Preservation of Fossils
ARC Laureate Fellowship Project
Interpreting the molecular record in extraordinarily preserved fossils: An unexplored archive of Earth’s environment over geological time
This Laureate project aims to unlock an untapped record of our planet’s past, by analysing fossils for new evidence of natural products, in the form of preserved biochemicals or their recognisable degradation products (biomarkers). The well-studied inorganic fossil record has provided a framework for understanding major events in the evolution of life and our planet. However, the proposed project aims to significantly advance current perceptions, by accessing the parallel but rarer organic record of ancient organisms entombed and exceptionally preserved in concretion fossils. Determination of the mechanics and controls of the rapid biofilm entrapment of these organic remains will also contribute valuable new information about geobiological functionality. Expected outcomes from an extension of the fossilised biomarker record are a new way for interpreting our planet’s past, with improved understanding of extinction, environmental change and consequent adaptation.
Project Personnel
ARC Laureate Fellow
- Professor Kliti Grice, FRACI CChem, FGSEAG, FAA
Senior Research Fellow
- Dr Navdeep Dhami
- Dr Paul Greenwood
Research Fellow
- Dr Alex Holman
Research Associate
- Dr Amy Elson
- Dr Stephen Poropat
- Dr Christopher Taylor
Technical Officer
- Mr Peter Hopper
Outreach Officer
- Ms Lisa Smith
PhD Scholars
- Luke Brosnan
- Andy Jian
- Hridya Vijay
- Madison Tripp
Collaborators
- Prof. Derek Briggs – Yale University
- Dr Jasmina Wiemann – Caltech
- A/Prof. Jessica Whiteside – University of Southampton
- Prof. Lorenz Schwark – University of Kiel
- A/Prof. Marco Coolen- Curtin University
- Prof. Michael Archer – UNSW
- Prof. Morten Allentoft – Curtin University
- Prof. Suzanne Hand – UNSW
- Dr Vera Korasidis – University of Melbourne
- Prof. Vivi Vajda – Swedish Museum of Natural History
- Field Museum, Chicago
- Smithsonian Institution
Project Media
- Study of 300-million-year-old faeces finds meat on the menu – Curtin University media release. 31 August 2022.