The dirt on G’town’s Albany Museum
Did you know that Dr Rose Prevec is one of only three resident palaeobotanists working on macrofossil plants in Africa?
If you'd like to understand what that means, and why it matters, come along to her talk at the Albany Museum on Wednesday 30 November, 4.30pm to 5.15pm.
Prevec’s talk is titled ‘Ancient Permian forests of the Karoo: scratching the surface of South Africa’s plant fossil heritage’ and it’s one of four opportunities next week to get a glimpse into the work of the Museum’s Earth Sciences department. Grahamstown boasts a hard-working scientific community and the Albany Museum is home to several successful scientists. Did you know that:
• In 2005 Dr Billy de Klerk excavated a fossil of the dinosaur Heterodontosaurus, which lived 200 million years ago – at the beginning of the Jurassic Period. The significant discovery was made in a stream bed on a farm in the Eastern Cape.
• Last September, just outside Grahamstown, Dr Rob Gess discovered more than 30 specimens of Africa’s earliest coelacanth nursery dated to 360 million years ago.
• In June this year, Gess discovered and excavated a number of new invertebrates as well as excellently preserved plant fossils of the Devonian era in rock debris along the N2 between Grahamstown and the Fish River
The Department of Earth Sciences will host a lecture series next week from Monday, 28 November to Thursday 1 December at the Rennie Wing Hall from 4.30 to 5.15 pm, as follows:
Monday 28 November
– ‘Geological Endeavour at the Albany Museum over the past 161 years: Palaeontology, Mineralogy and Petrology’ by De Klerk
Tuesday 29 November:
‘Grahamstown’s unique Late Devonian (360 million years old) fossil heritage’ by Gess
Wednesday 30 November:
‘Ancient Permian forests of the Karoo: scratching the surface of South Africa’s plant fossil heritage’ by Prevec
Thursday 1 December:
‘Investigations of a Glossopteris fossil flora near Sutherland’ by Aviwe Matiwane. Attendance is free but booking is essential: Contact Linda Dyani at 046 622 2312 or email l.dyani@am.org.za • Linda Dyani is the marketing and communications officer at the Albany Museum