The next scientist in me Wonderful women in STEM The series is a pioneer Maria Anning!
Mary Anning has been named one of the The 10 most influential British women in the history of science by the Royal Society. Mary was a pioneer in her time and made invaluable contributions to palaeontology despite having no formal education and being a woman at a time when female scientists were almost unknown.
Mary is recognized today as one of the first and most important paleontologists in history.
Who was Mary Anning?
Mary Anning was born in 1799 in Lyme Regis, England. Lyme Regis is part of a stretch of coastline known as the Jurassic Coast, famous for its fossils. Mary and her father collected shells and fossils and sold them to tourists to supplement their income. At that time, no one really knew what fossils were. Mary was curious about the fossils she found. She drew and made notes of her discoveries and became an expert on prehistoric creatures.
Mary Anning (1799-1847), public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
In 1812, Mary discovered a complete ichthyosaur.
In 1823 he discovered the first complete Plesiosaurus.
In 1824, Mary realized that bezoar stones were fossilized. dinosaur poop.
Mary opened a store called Annings Fossil Depot in 1826. At that time, it was unusual for women to own a business.
In 1828, Mary discovered a pterosaur.
Mary faced many difficulties and obstacles in her life and career. She came from a poor family with no formal education, which meant she could not join scientific societies or attend university lectures, and she did not always receive full recognition for her findings.
Mary sadly died of breast cancer in 1847 at the age of 47.
In 2022, a Mary Anning Statue It was opened in Lyme Regis to celebrate the achievements of this remarkable woman.
Make an ammonite model
Ammonites They were sea creatures that lived before and at the same time as the dinosaurs. They were a bit like a modern squid or octopus with a shell. Ammonite fossils have been found all over the world and are common in the Lyme Reis area.
You will need
Air drying clay
clay tool
How to make a clay ammonite
Roll the clay into a long sausage and roll it up like a snail shell.
Use a clay tool to make marks along the spiral.
Let it dry.
Fact Sheet on Mary Anning
I now have two versions of my Mary Anning data file. One is a little less detailed and easier to read, with a separate page for activity.
What is a paleontologist?
A paleontologist is a scientist who studies fossils.
What is a fossil?
Fossils They are the preserved remains of animals and plants that lived long ago. They are formed over millions of years when minerals fill the spaces in the skeletons and footprints left by prehistoric creatures.
When was the word dinosaur first used?
The word dinosaur was first used by a paleontologist named Richard Owen in 1842. The name comes from the Greek word Deinos, meaning terrible, and Saurus, meaning lizard.
What is a bezoar?
Bezoars are fossilized droppings, also known as coprolites. They are trace fossils, meaning they are not part of an animal's body. Scientists can determine which animal they came from by looking at the size, shape, and location of the coprolite. By studying the contents of fossilized droppings, scientists can discover a lot about the animal's diet. Mary was one of the first people to look inside a bezoar.
This post is part of my Wonderful women in STEM series.
Last updated on May 22, 2024 by Emma Vanstone
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