'Prehistoric Planet: Ice Age' earned two Emmy nominations for its VFX and music

I'm returning to the Emmy Awards for today's Sunday entertainment feature with the nominations for Prehistoric Planet: Ice Age. Like three years ago, it earned a nomination for its music by Kara Talve, Anže Rozman, and Hans Zimmer and a second for its visual effects. Time to watch Prehistoric Planet: Ice Age — Season 3 Official Trailer | Apple TV.

New creatures. New era. Experience the Ice Age like never before. Prehistoric Planet: Ice Age is now streaming on Apple TV https://apple.co/_PrehistoricPlanet

“Prehistoric Planet: Ice Age” is a sweeping new installment of the award-winning natural history series from executive producers Jon Favreau and Mike Gunton, produced by BBC Studios Natural History Unit (“Planet Earth”), and narrated by Golden Globe Award and Olivier Award winner Tom Hiddleston (“Earthsounds”), with an original score by Hans Zimmer, Anže Rozman and Kara Talve from Bleeding Fingers Music. The five-part docuseries, set to premiere globally on November 26, 2025, invites viewers into a dramatic new era of prehistoric life, millions of years after the extinction of the dinosaurs — an era shaped by ice, the intense fight to survive and the rise of a new cast of giants: the iconic megafauna.

“Prehistoric Planet: Ice Age” uses the latest scientific research and cutting-edge visual effects to bring this frozen world to life like never before, unveiling the spectacular habitats and inhabitants of ancient Earth for a one-of-a-kind experience. From towering woolly mammoths to elusive snow sloths, terrifying saber-toothed tigers to resilient dwarf elephants (only 3 feet tall), the series reveals the epic struggles and unexpected stories of animals that once ruled the Ice Age. Viewers will journey through vast tundras, barren deserts, expanding grasslands and melting permafrost as these creatures battle for survival in the face of extreme climates, shifting landscapes and the onset of “The Big Freeze,” and ultimately, “The Big Melt.”

The series is produced by the world-renowned team at BBC Studios Natural History Unit with support from the photorealistic visual effects of Framestore (“Gravity,” “The Golden Compass”). Theme by Hans Zimmer, with an original score by Zimmer, Anže Rozman and Kara Talve for Bleeding Fingers Music.

“Prehistoric Planet: Ice Age” continues the storytelling journey of the acclaimed Apple TV natural history series “Prehistoric Planet,” which transported viewers 66 million years into the past to witness the age of dinosaurs across two seasons. Blending cinematic storytelling with photorealistic visual effects, the series brings ancient worlds to life, offering a firsthand look at some of the most extraordinary creatures ever to walk the Earth. The complete first two seasons of “Prehistoric Planet” are available to stream now on Apple TV.

Since I concentrated on the music three years ago, I'm focusing on the visual effects today. Watch Prehistoric Planet: Ice Age — Season 3: Puppet Behind the Scenes | Apple TV.



Real survival, real stakes, and really impressive puppets.
That concentrated on the puppets. Prehistoric Planet: Ice Age VFX Breakdown | Framestore focused on the rest of the process.

Explore the award-winning VFX behind Prehistoric Planet: Ice Age, the critically acclaimed third season of the docuseries executive produced by Jon Favreau and Mike Gunton and produced by the BBC Studios Natural History Unit.

Our global teams were tasked with developing the VFX and animation for over 40 scientifically accurate creatures, many never-before-seen on screen. From sabre-toothed cats to rhino-sized wombats, tiny island elephants, and the largest ape to ever live, the core creative challenge was ensuring these animals felt as real, grounded, and emotionally compelling as subjects in a modern wildlife documentary.

Prehistoric Planet: Ice Age earned our global team Best FX at the Annie Awards alongside double honours at the VES Awards for Outstanding Visual Effects and Outstanding Effects Simulation.

This video worked for its awards campaign; it got nominated.

I close today's post with Main Theme (End Credits) - Prehistoric Planet: Ice Age.


That's a wrap for today. Stay tuned for continuing coverage of the Primetime and Creative Arts Emmy Awards.

Previous posts about the 2026 Primetime and Creative Arts Emmy Awards

• 'The Tale of Silyan' vs 'The Librarians' for Exceptional Merit in Documentary Filmmaking at the Emmy Awards
• Drink to Bad Bunny's Super Bowl Halftime Show's Emmy nominations on National Piña Colada Day
• 'Desi Lydic Foxsplains Trump's Big Beautiful Ballroom' plus the short form nominees at the Emmy Awards
• 'Jordan Klepper Fingers the Pulse: Give the Man a Prize' plus the Emmy nominees for Outstanding Hosted Nonfiction Series or Special

PBS Eons explains 'How We Figured Out an Asteroid Killed the Dinosaurs' for Asteroid Day

Happy International Asteroid Day, the younger but paradoxically more established version of Apophis Day! For this year's observance, I'm sharing PBS Eons explaining How We Figured Out an Asteroid Killed the Dinosaurs.

66 million years ago a giant space rock crashed into our planet and killed the dinosaurs. In the span of just four decades, we’ve gone from not knowing there was a space rock at all to knowing exactly where that planet-killer came from.

I've been following this story for as long as I've been a geologist, but I still learned new things from this video, or at least was reminded of things I'd forgotten, like Luis Alvarez having earned a Nobel Prize in Physics. I will say I was skeptical at first, but by the time I earned my M.S., I was convinced.

Be Smart has more from Inside the Vault Where They Keep the Dinosaur Apocalypse.

A giant asteroid impact ended the age of the dinosaurs 66 million years ago. How did this mass extinction play out, moment by moment? In this video we meet a geologist who has explored the asteroid crater and learn what the rocks tell us about the last days of the dinosaurs. It was pretty bad!

Not only did Dr. Joe Hanson and Sean Gulick describe the details of what we now know about the Chicxulub impact and its effects, Joe concluded with a "so what" message. Unlike the dinosaurs, we have a choice.

That's a wrap for June's blogging. Stay tuned for Canada Day to begin July.

A late National Megalodon Day

A belated happy Megalodon Day! I feel I should have observed it yesterday. It probably would have been more fun than writing 'Secrets of the Penguins' wins two News & Doc Emmy Awards, although that was satisfying. I begin with National Day Calendar celebrating NATIONAL MEGALODON DAY | June 15.

Don't even think about getting a bigger boat! Let us know in the comments the largest fish you ever caught.

When Marlo Anderson mentioned that a Danish scientist had figured out that the "dragon's tongues" were really giant sharks teeth in 1666, I thought "that has to be Nicolaus Steno." It was.

In 1667, Danish naturalist Nicolaus Steno made a discovery that forever changed the way we viewed the oceans forever. The fossils were thought to have been the petrified tongues of dragons or snakes, but what Nicolaus realised was the truth was equally, if not far more terrifying. These strange objects were actually the fossilized teeth of the largest shark to have roamed the oceans, the megalodon.

I plan on lecturing on Steno's contributions to geology on Thursday and I will include this factoid. One of my students is really into sharks and he'll enjoy it.

I have more material, but I feel like being a good environmentalist and conserving my resources for next year. May I remember to celebrate on time then. In the meantime, stay tuned for the News & Doc Emmy Awards won by Underdogs for Wayback Wednesday.

'The Memory of Darkness, Light, and Ice' wins Outstanding Science and Technology Documentary at the News & Doc Emmy Awards for Wayback Wednesday

I wrote the following in 'Sally' leads Science and Technology Documentaries at the News & Doc Emmy Awards after watching the trailer for The Memory of Darkness Light and Ice.

Watching this trailer reminds me that I showed Chasing Ice to my students last week and this is week is Earth Week, making this a good movie to recommend to my students. Welcome to blogging as professional development. It also makes me think that it's the strongest competitor to Sally. Last year, I thought that the "Hunt for the Oldest DNA" episode of NOVA on PBS had the strongest science of all the nominees, but didn't have the best chance of winning. Surprise, it won! That could happen here.

It did. From Kathy Kasic's Instagram.

I’m so happy to report that The Memory of Darkness, Light, and Ice was awarded the a National Emmy for Outstanding Science and Technology documentary!! Our science and film team is beyond ecstatic!! It was a tremendous honor to be amongst so many great documentary filmmakers last night. This award elevates not just the film, but also the voices of the scientists and the documentary’s funder, the National Science Foundation.

As a scientist and filmmaker, my work aims to unify scientific research and share it with the public. This is especially important when the science we urgently need to hear is being attacked. So thank you to the @emmysnatas for this timely and beautiful award!!

Congratulations! To celebrate, I'm linking The Memory of Darkness, Light, and Ice, free to watch on Youtube with ads.

A long-lost sediment core unveils an ancient time when Greenland was greener -- giving vital clues to our future.

Sorry, embedding not allowed.

Since today is Wayback Wednesday, follow over the jump for the relevant top post from last year.

Bizarre Beasts explains 'What Both Doomed & Saved The Galápagos Giant Tortoises' for International Day for Biological Diversity on Flashback Friday

Happy International Day for Biological Diversity and Flashback Friday! I'm revisiting de-extinction today, but in a different way than Colossal Biosciences is doing. Watch Bizarre Beasts explain What Both Doomed & Saved The Galápagos Giant Tortoises for how.

Galápagos giant tortoises once numbered in the hundreds of thousands, with at least thirteen species. But now some of those species are gone forever and the same forces that doomed those tortoises might have ended up helping save others.

No need for geneetic engineering and cloning — old-fashioned selective and captive breeding could re-create species thought to be extinct. That's good news for today's biodiversity holiday!

Follow over the jump for a retrospective of two posts from the back catalog that relate to today's topic.

Virginia Tech student discovers new "murder muppet" dinosaur for Wayback Wednesday

Change of plans — instead of returning to the News & Doc Emmy Awards for Wayback Wednesday, I'm sharing two videos about a paleontology story, beginning with WSET ABC 13 reporting Virginia Tech student identifies new meat-eating dinosaur species 205+ million years-old.

A fossil that sat untouched for decades is now helping rewrite part of the dinosaur family tree, and the breakthrough is happening at Virginia Tech.

What may look like crushed rock is actually a fossil, one that scientists painstakingly rebuilt piece by piece into one of the earliest meat-eating dinosaurs ever identified.

There's more in 10 News interview: Simba Srivastava, Virginia Tech student who identified new dinosaur from WSLS.

Earlier this year, Srivastava identified the fossil of a meat-eating dinosaur that is thought to be three times older than the T. rex, the only one of its kind that anyone has ever found.
We spoke to Srivastava about his discovery.

That explains the "murder muppet" nickname.

Now for the press release: Student identifies new meat-eating dinosaur three times older than T. rex By Kelly Izlar.

A fossil skull provides new clues about how dinosaurs ascended to their full Jurassic power.

“You want to stick your finger in a dinosaur brain?” asked Simba Srivastava.

Surrounded by cabinets full of ancient bones in the paleobiology lab, the Virginia Tech undergraduate student held out a lumpy, pockmarked fossil.

“This is a uniquely sucky specimen,” said Srivastava. “It's so bad. Like, if you saw a human skull in this way, you'd throw up.”

Nevertheless, the senior geosciences major spent two years unscrambling the ancient creature and determining its place in the story of evolution. His findings, which were published April 15 in Papers in Palaeontology, shed light on how dinosaurs dominated the Jurassic period.

This is the type of work a long-tenured curator or a late-stage professor would do, but geobiologists Sterling Nesbitt and Michelle Stocker tapped Srivastava when he was a first-year student.

“We want undergraduate researchers to experience the whole paleontological research process at Virginia Tech,” said Nesbitt. “Simba grabbed the project by the reins.”

Dino domination

The mangled skull was uncovered twice: In 1982, a crew from the Carnegie Museum of Natural History unearthed it from New Mexico’s Ghost Ranch. Thirty-some years later, Nesbitt dug it out of a drawer and eventually brought it back to Blacksburg. Using computed tomography scanning data, Srivastava isolated the specimen digitally and 3D printed a reconstruction.

The skull belonged to a species of meat-eating dinosaur that’s more than three times as old as Tyrannosaurus Rex (sic).

These creatures lived at the end of the Triassic period, which is about 252 million to 201 million years ago. Back then, dinosaurs weren’t the all-powerful apex predators portrayed by Hollywood. They were vying for resources against the forerunners of crocodiles and mammals.

But that all changed drastically when an extinction seemingly wiped out most of the competition. With that, the Triassic ended, and dinosaurs came into their power.

“Dinosaurs go from being co-stars to the headliner,” Srivastava said.

Clues about how dinosaurs evolved and spread in the succeeding Jurassic period lie buried in the rocks, but well-preserved fossils from the end of the Triassic are rare.

In fact, Srivastava’s squished specimen is the only one of its kind anyone has found so far.

The skull shows that the species had massive cheekbones, a wide braincase, and probably a short, deep snout. It was the first time these characteristics had been seen in early dinosaurs, indicating that they were constantly evolving, according to the study.

Murder muppet’s last stand

The name Srivastava picked for the new species reflects its bizarre proportions and unfortunate condition.

“We landed on Ptychotherates bucculentus, which means ‘folded hunter with full cheeks’ in Latin,” said Srivastava. “One paleo-artist said that it looked like a murder muppet.”

After two years of deep research, the Virginia Tech team was able to determine that the skull belonged to one of the last surviving members of one of the earliest-evolving families of carnivorous dinosaurs called Herrerasauria.

Thanks to this fossil, the group made another, somewhat surprising discovery.

Ptychotherates was found in rocks that may date to right before the great extinction at the end of the Triassic period — and no other members of their family was ever seen again, possibly suggesting that this dinosaur group went extinct as a result of that mass extinction.

“This forces us to reconsider the impact of the end-Triassic extinction as something that wiped out not just the competitors to dinosaurs, but some long-standing dinosaur lineages themselves,” Srivastava said.

And finally, because no herrerasaurians have been found anywhere else this late in the Triassic, the area that is today the American Southwest may have been where they survived the longest and made their last stand.

Srivastava’s folded hunter is their only spokesperson.

“This specimen, it fits in my hands, but it is the only proof that any of these dinosaurs lived this long, lived in these latitudes, the only proof that they evolved to have this skull shape,” said Srivastava. “All these billions of individuals that existed through time are spoken for by this one specimen.”

I can relate to Simba Srivastava. I've mentioned several times that I studied the fossil mollusks of the tar pits (Rancho La Brea) in Los Angeles. Those specimens sat in drawers at the George C. Page Museum (La Brea Tar Pits) for nearly a decade before I read about them in Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology and saw an opportunity, which I seized. I approached my advisor, who told me there would be a talk about the invertebrate fossils at the tar pits the next week. I attended the talk, spoke to the collections manager afterwards, and got a tour of the working area of the museum. I felt like a kid in a candy store; I'd wanted to be there ever since the museum opened. I then met with the assistant curator and began work within the month. I ended up working there for four years, becoming Student-In-Residence before completing my M.S. thesis and moving to Michigan. While I was there, I realized that there was a century of research waiting with the specimens already in the collection. That's true of every major research museum; there are hundreds, if not thousands, of discoveries waiting to be found sitting in drawers and on shelves. Srivastava and his advisor/co-author Sterling J. Nesbitt made one of them.

By the way, not only did Srivastava and Nesbitt describe and name a new genus and species, they proposed a new clade of dinosaurs, Morphoraptora within Herrerasauria, which is already in the Wikipedia article. Wikipedia has had its issues, but rapid and accurate reporting of scientific discoveries is not one of them.

One of last year's top posts is about science and technology at Virginia Tech, so follow over the jump for a brief retrospective about it.

SciShow explains 'Why Geologists Lick Petrified Poop,' a Saturday science special

I'm revisiting PBS Terra and Howtown lick fossils, demonstrating Ig Nobel Prize winning science with SciShow explaining Why Geologists Lick Petrified Poop.

Fossilized poop might seem gross, but coprolites give us critical information about how animals lived millions of years ago.

Hosted by: Reid Reimers (he/him)

That was a fascinating survey of the information derived from coprolites, once I can recommend to my students, although I'm not going to show it to them. Just the same, welcome to blogging as professional development.

Since the SciShow video overlaps with a Howtown video I featured, follow over the jump for the most read entries containing content from Howtown last year.

SciShow's '7 Of The Weirdest Fossil Forgeries Ever,' an April Fools holiday special for Wayback Wednesday

Happy Wayback Wednesday on April Fools Day! I promised a retrospective about holidays and I'll get to it, no fooling, but first I'm returning to the theme of PBS Eons and SciShow on Piltdown Man for April Fools Day, a Science Saturday holiday special with SciShow discussing 7 Of The Weirdest Fossil Forgeries Ever.

You've heard of fake purses, and fake food, and fake concert tickets. But fake fossils? Turns out forging evidence of life in the ancient past isn't as uncommon as you might think. From another work by the infamous forger of the Piltdown Man to the carved footprints that fueled a conspiracy theory, here are seven of the weirdest fossil forgeries of all time.

Hosted by: Savannah Geary (they/them)

I knew about Piltdown Man, which is why I blogged about it twice, now a third time, but I had forgotten about Charles Dawson's other fossil forgery, the toad in the hole, which seems lazy in comparison. I hadn't heard about some of the others, particularly the augmented cheetah. Too bad — Acinonyx kurteni was a good name that is now invalid.

That completes the celebration of today's holiday. Follow over the jump for some of the most read holiday posts during the 15th year of Crazy Eddie's Motie News.

For Wayback Wednesday, PBS Eons asks 'What Killed All These Pterosaurs?'

Happy Wayback Wednesday! Yesterday, I told my readers to "Stay tuned to see if I post the first retrospective of the 15th year of Crazy Eddie's Motie News..." I just don't have time to do that today. Instead, I'm looking at another kind of wayback by sharing PBS Eons asking What Killed All These Pterosaurs?

At the Solnhofen formation in Germany, over 500 fossils of 15 pterosaur species have been found. But it might be hiding a dark secret, one that’s been massively distorting our view of who was living and dying there, and why they left so much evidence behind.

I couldn't resist this video, not only because it exemplifies looking way back, but also because it mentioned Rancho La Brea and it promotes a book on topic for the original theme of this blog: The Book: The Ultimate Guide to Rebuilding Civilization: survival & rebuilding strategies revealed. Perfect!

I'll get to the stats for the 15th year of Crazy Eddie's Motie News on Flashback Friday following another brief educational entry tomorrow for Throwback Thursday. In the meantime, here is Wednesday Addams, the mascot for Wayback Wednesday.

The History Guy remembers Charles Darwin and chocolate for Valentines Day

A late happy Darwin Day on Valentines Day — two holidays at once! I begin today's double celebration with The History Guy remembering Almost Not History: Darwin and HMS Beagle.

February 12 represents the 214th birthday of Charles Darwin, a scientist whose ideas transformed human understanding of the natural world, and undoubtedly one of the most influential scientists in history. But that history may have been different, as Da[rw]in’s career altering voyage aboard HMS Beagle almost didn’t happen.

First, The History Guy uploaded this video three years ago, so last Thursday was Darwin's 217th birthday. Second, I had no idea Robert Fitzroy, captain of the Beagle, was himself an accomplished scientist. Third, I knew that Fitzroy wanted a gentleman scientist companion, but I didn't know Darwin was essentially his third choice; I certainly didn't know the names of the two men who could have gone in Darwin's place. Still, Darwin turned out to be the best person available. Fourth, the video reminded me that Darwin was the grandson of Josiah Wedgwood, the founder of Wedgwood & Sons; I had heard that before, but couldn't have remembered that off the top of my head. I think I'd heard, but had forgotten, that his uncle Josiah II had finally allowed him to go. While not mentioned in the video, I did know that he married his first cousin, Emma Wedgwood, daughter of Josiah II. Talk about a close family!

By the way, I recall being a member of the Paleontological Research Institute back in the late 1980s. I've long since let my membership lapse, along with the rest of my professional association memberships. I've been concentrating on teaching instead of research the past 30 years and didn't have the time, and sometimes the money, for meetings and membership dues.

The History Guy has several videos about Valentines Day. Today's is Chocolate: A History.

From The History Guy archive for Valentine's Day, a brief history of the food of the Gods.

That was fascinating, from cacao's prehistory in Mesoamerica to today, including mentions of almost all of today's big names in chocolate, including Cadbury, Lindt, Nestle, Hershey, Reese, and Mars — sorry, no Godiva. I learned a lot from both videos, making today a good day. The second video also made me hungry. Lunchtime!

That's a wrap for today's educational holiday post. Stay tuned for the Sunday entertainment feature with the nominees for Best Action/Adventure Film at the Saturn Awards — Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning vs. One Battle After Another!

'How cheap renewable energy is finally flattening emissions' is Science Magazine's 2025 Breakthrough of the Year

I'm beginning my year-end retrospectives with Science Magazine explaining How cheap renewable energy is finally flattening emissions, its 2025 Breakthrough of the Year.

For decades, rising carbon emissions have accelerated climate change, but this year marked a critical turning point that could finally reverse that trend. Renewable energy has now graduated beyond the need for subsidies and incentives, emerging as a cheaper alternative to fossil fuels in many countries. News Editor Tim Appenzeller and policy expert Li Shuo describe the economic forces behind this shift, and the obstacles that remain to the continued rise of green energy.
...
1:15 The graph has mislabeled trend lines. "Other renewables" generate more energy than hydropower alone.

This is the same good news reported in PBS Terra says 'We Just Crossed Our FIRST Tipping Point… And It’s NOT What You Think'.

Unlike passing the other tipping points, like the AMOC, permafrost, West Antarctic ice sheet, and coral reefs, passing the renewable energy tipping point is good news. I wrote about it in DW News asks 'Earth Overshoot Day: What can we do to try live within the planet’s limits?'

[C]onvincing people to be less wasteful, particularly creating less food waste and eating less meat, especially beef, would be helpful. [One] could consider that to be a technology. So is renewable energy. Between the two, it would move Earth Overshoot Day back more than a month. Progress!

Yes, it is, and it's good news I can share with my students. Welcome to blogging as professional development.

Science Magazine's video is shorter and more focused than PBS Terra's, so it's one I'm more likely to show to my students. Again, welcome to blogging as professional development.

Here are the runners-up:

• Custom gene editing shows promise for ultrarare diseases
• New weapons against a sexual scourge
• Neurons make a deadly donation to cancer cells
• An all-seeing eye on the sky
• Face to face with a Denisovan
• Large language models do science
• Triumph of calculation helps resolve particle mystery
• Xenotransplants set new records
• Rice that beats the heat

Including the "winner," that's four health stories, two computer science stories, one of which is also a physics story, an astronomy story, an evolution story, a genetics story that touches on climate change, and an energy story that also touches on climate change. Six of these are biology in some form, so these selections please me as a biologist. One of them is also paleontology, so I'm doubly pleased as a paleontologist. All of that is on top of the good sustainability news.

Not all of 2025's science stories were good. Follow over the jump for the bad news this year.

PBS Eons examines 'What Was Greenland Like When it Was Green'

I promised "an evergreen educational post" today, so I'm sharing PBS Eons examining What Was Greenland Like When it Was Green.

It made the front page of the New York Times. Ancient DNA over 2 million years old, retrieved from the frozen dirt of Greenland. It reached back further in time than many scientists used to think was even theoretically possible. And it contained the genetic ghost of an /entire ecosystem/ – one that has no counterpart in today’s world and one that we had /no idea/ even existed. It told of a time when Greenland was green…and how we might borrow genes from that ancient past to help us adapt to the future.

This story should look familiar to my readers. It's the one told in "Hunt for the Oldest DNA," the NOVA episode that won Outstanding Science and Technology Documentary at the News & Doc Emmy Awards.

I was glad to be wrong about "Hunt for the Oldest DNA" episode of NOVA, the winner.

This is the only episode of NOVA nominated and I agree it's probably the best one of 2024. It's also the nominee with the most important science. That written, it's not likely to win the most votes, since most of the electorate will judge the nominees for their cinematic and journalistic merit, not their scientific value. As I reiterate nearly every time I write about awards shows, electorates matter.

The News & Doc Emmy voters pleasantly surprised me by voting for the nominee with the most important science. Congratulations to them and NOVA!

The Earth 2.4 million years ago, during the earliest Pleistocene, wasn't as warm as it was 3.6 million years ago, the last time carbon dioxide levels were as high as today, but it's a good analog just the same. If that's the future we're heading towards, then it might be a good idea to borrow the adaptations those organisms had to prepare today's organisms for the warmer world that's coming. That's a Crazy Eddie concept, but I'm enough of a Crazy Eddie to approve of it.

That's a wrap for today. Stay tuned for another evergreen educational entry tomorrow.

Howtown asks 'Did we just unfreeze a pandemic?' Spooky science for spooky season

I promised "something short, evergreen, and educational" today, so I'm sharing Howtown asking Did we just unfreeze a pandemic?

Deep in Siberia’s permafrost, scientists have revived “zombie viruses” that have been frozen for tens of thousands of years — and headlines warn they could spark the next pandemic. In this episode of Howtown, we investigate the real science behind these ancient microbes: what’s actually being found in the Arctic, how giant viruses like Pithovirus sibericum survive for millennia, and whether thawing permafrost could ever release a pathogen capable of infecting humans. From mammoth carcasses to anthrax outbreaks to the relatively recent discovery of enormous amoeba-infecting viruses, this video breaks down the five steps any ancient microbe would need to start a pandemic — and why the truth is more fascinating than frightening.

This is the flip side of Vox explains how thawing permafrost is already releasing dangerous diseases. Vox's video said it was possible. Adam Cole and Joss Fong came to the conclusion that, in this case, the answer is no. The giant viruses revived from the permafrost infect amoebas, not animals, so they are not able to infect humans. Also, the viruses that can infect humans and then spread from human to human are not able to survive being frozen. Yes, anthrax and Clostridium can survive as spores for centuries (the Clostridium toxins that killed the rhinos in The Last Rhinos: A New Hope came from buried cattle corpses), but they don't spread from person to person, so no pandemic.

Climate change unleashing a pandemic from the permafrost makes for a great science fiction, horror, and thriller premise, but our next pandemic is more likely to come from living, active ecosystems. After all, Contagion predicted much of what actually happened with COVID-19 and that had nothing to do with thawing permafrost or climate change.

That's a wrap for today's spooky science for spooky season. Stay tuned for more nominees at the Critics Choice Documentary Awards.

Howtown explains 'What Quetzalcoatlus was really like' for a late National Fossil Day

I told my readers to "stay tuned" for "a late celebration of National Fossil Day on Friday" at the end of Bright Sun Films 'Bankrupt - Hudson's Bay Company,' a tale of the Retail Apocalypse for Department Store Day, so watch Howtown explain What Quetzalcoatlus was really like.

Quetzalcoatlus, one of the largest known flying animals, survives in science as sixteen wing bones pulled from Cretaceous Big Bend by grad student Doug Lawson in 1971. Paleontologists reverse-engineer the rest of its body by referencing its Azhdarchid cousins like Zhejiangopterus, and Q. lawsoni, making inferences from extant archosaurs like birds and alligators, examining trackways, and modeling their wings in flight software. Still, there's a lot that they don't know about how these giant pterosaurs lived. Thin bone walls, rare 3-D preservation, and million-to-one erosion odds explain why cousins Hatzegopteryx, Arambourgiania, Cryodrakon, and Thanatosdrakon remain fragmentary in the fossil record. The sparse clues they left behind have inspired a wide range of depictions in documentaries over the years, the pinnacle of which was Prehistoric Planet from the BBC's Natural History team.

I'm a paleontologist, as I summarized in 'Human Footprint' on PBS Terra describes 'The Mysterious Mass Extinction Hidden in LA', and I found this video to be a good summary of both how paleontologists work and how organisms become fossils. Joss Fong did her research, and it shows.

Howtown put together a short showing the "wide range of depictions in documentaries over the years," Giant pterosaurs through the years, rated by David Hone.

Not only do the organisms evolve, so do their depictions as scientists learn more about them.

Speaking of how paleontologists recreate extinct organisms, I'm sharing How do they know about dinosaur lips?

"Theropod dinosaur facial reconstruction and the importance of soft tissues in paleobiology." Cullen et al., Science 2023

Science!

That's a wrap for today, but I'm not done with holidays. Stay tuned for a late celebration of National Sports Day with the Emmy Awards for Welcome to Wrexham and Love on the Spectrum tomorrow.

PBS Terra and Howtown lick fossils, demonstrating Ig Nobel Prize winning science

I'm not feeling up to resuming my Emmy Awards coverage today — the first day of classes for the Fall Semester left me tired and with the first papers to grade — so I'm revisiting one of the winners of the 2023 IgNobel Prizes for April Fools Day, a holiday special instead.

Two of the prizes connect to stories I tell my students, geologists, particularly paleontologists, licking rocks and spiders moving their limbs by hydraulic action. Science Friday went into more detail on both in Saluting Science’s Silly Side, Virtually (click to listen).

This year’s awards included prizes for explaining why many scientists like to lick rocks, for re-animating dead spiders to use as mechanical gripping tools, and for using cadavers to explore whether there is an equal number of hairs in each of a person’s two nostrils.

I'm a paleontologist, so I know what geologists do in the field, including tasting rocks for composition and chewing on them for texture. I tell my students about the chew test for siltstone versus shale, but I also tell them not to do it to their specimens; the rocks are already identified. Besides, they can tell by rubbing them.

Last month, PBS Terra and Howtown uploaded two videos demonstrating this field technique, so I'm sharing both, beginning with This Bizarre Fossil Reveals SO Much About Dinosaurs.

Would you lick a 65-million-year old dinosaur poop? Granted, it’s not a question many people ask themselves - but for George Frandsen it’s a firm, “Yes!”. Not merely a dinosaur fossil hunter, George is specifically on the hunt for coprolites, the more scientific term for ancient dino dung. Already the proud owner of the world’s largest collection of dinosaur poo fossils, we join him on his quest to discover more of these rare fossils. Far from being just an amusing curiosity, coprolites can unveil a surprising amount of clues into the lives and diets of dinosaurs. As for the licking part, well that’s maybe best left for George to explain.

Seeing this reminds me that I haven't used the eating bugs label since 2023 and not written a post focusing on the topic since 2019. I may or may not return to the topic, but if I don't, I have a new subject that can gross out my students and readers.

PBS Eons has a related video, but first here's Joss Fong of Howtown licking a fossil bone for science in Tastes like deep time...

[F]or anyone wondering, it was an Oreodont fossil from South Dakota, part of a jaw.

This is the one I might show my students; it's short and not as gross, although it has less information than the PBS Terra video.

I close with the related video from PBS Eons, When Dinosaurs Threw Up A Mystery.

While dino bones from the Late Triassic Period are few and far between, the other clues they left behind can reveal how this epic saga played out to those with the stomach to decipher them.

Because, it turns out, the story of the rise of the dinosaurs is a tale written in puke and poop.

No licking, but lots of gross and punny science. I approve.

I have another science video picked out for tomorrow, followed by the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina on Friday. Stay tuned.

'Human Footprint' on PBS Terra describes 'The Mysterious Mass Extinction Hidden in LA'

Today's "evergreen educational entry" begins with PBS Terra describing The Mysterious Mass Extinction Hidden in LA, an excerpt from Human Footprint.

Beneath the streets of Los Angeles lies one of the most prolific fossil sites in the world. At the La Brea Tar Pits, millions of fossils including giant sloths, dire wolves, saber-toothed cats, and mammoths have surfaced from ancient asphalt, offering a rare glimpse into a vanished world.

In this episode of Human Footprint, Shane Campbell-Staton joins paleontologist Emily Lindsey to investigate the sudden disappearance of North America’s megafauna around 13,000 years ago. Together, they follow the trail of ancient life through radiocarbon dating, fossil excavations, and lake-bottom sediment cores.

For decades, scientists debated whether climate change or human hunters were to blame. But new evidence points to a more complex and unsettling cause: a dangerous combination of warming temperatures, ecological disruption, and the spread of fires… ignited by us.

This isn’t just a story about extinction. It’s a glimpse of how past crises mirror the present, and a warning about where we could be headed next.

I first mentioned that I was a paleontologist at the Tar Pits in Infidel 753 and I talk fossils. I explored my experience again in Kunstler, K-Dog, and I discuss prehistoric mammals for Darwin Day plus paczki on Fat Tuesday, PBS Eons explains 'How Plate Tectonics Transformed Los Angeles', and PBS Digital's Be Smart debunks 'The Biggest Myth About Climate Change', which is the most relevant to this video. There, I wrote "I have mentioned several times that I'm a paleontologist who studies Pleistocene fossils, particularly snails. What I don't mention is that I used data from the snails, clams, and plants of Rancho La Brea to reconstruct the late Pleistocene climate of southern California, so I'm quite familiar with natural climate change." I felt that was important enough that I recycled it in PBS NewsHour reports 'Record-breaking global temperature, raging wildfires highlight effects of climate change' plus Thursday broke another record and PBS Terra explains 'The REAL STORY of Climate Skeptics New Favorite Graph'. That gives me an expert perspective on the findings that the fire regime changed about 13,200 years ago, resulting in a changed ecosystem with humans but lacking the Pleistocene predators whose last fossils Emily Lindsey displayed for the camera.

When I was doing my research at the Tar Pits 40 years ago, I became quite familiar with the competing hypotheses of climate change and human overhunting (Paul Martin's overkill hypothesis) causing the terminal Pleistocene extinctions of New World megafauna. However, I also realized that overkill didn't replicate perfectly around the world. Humans arrived earlier in Australia than in the Americas, but it took thousands of years for the Australian megafauna to go extinct. The same was true in northern Eurasia, which had other humans, the Neanderthals and Denisovans, already living there for hundreds of thousands of years before modern humans arrived. And, of course, where the megafauna had co-evolved with human ancestors in Africa and southern Asia, most of the large animals survived into the present. I resolved these data by synthesizing them; late Pleistocene extinctions happened during the first episodes of major climate change after modern humans were first present. The mechanism I had in mind was that climate change stressed the populations of megafauna, which then couldn't withstand human hunting. That ancient humans could make the effects of climate change worse never occurred to me. As Shane Campbell-Staton said, "That is a plot twist I wasn't expecting."

Just because I wasn't expecting it either doesn't mean I don't accept it. I do. After all, I've been watching the fire season expand in California over the past 15 years. I even ask my students two questions about in the worksheet for Chasing Ice: "1. Chasing Ice opens with a montage of natural disasters. Name three of them." One of them is a wildfire. "How many months has the fire season increased in the American southwest since the 1980s?" The answer is two months, although last year's California fire season extended about four months into January, which I recounted in PBS Terra tells 'The REAL Story of the LA Fires | Full Documentary' for Flashback Friday. As Campbell-Staton said, this is uncomfortably familiar.

It also reminds me of two examples of why studying the past is important for understanding the present and predicting the future. The first comes from Prehistoric lions of Eurasia and North America for World Lion Day 2022: "one of the points of paleontology is to learn from the past and apply the knowledge gained to the present." The other I wrote in NOVA warns of 'The Next Pompeii' for the Ides of March.

[P]rocesses that happened in the past are likely to repeat in the future, so understanding the past is essential for preparation. This is a key takeaway from uniformitarianism, the concept that everything we see in nature is the result of everyday processes occurring over sufficient time, which is boiled down to "the present is the key to the past." It also means that the past is the key to the future.

File all the above under "it's a always a good day when I learn something new."

I also felt a lot of nostalgia seeing where I spent much of four years, but this entry has gone on long enough. Time to wrap it up. Stay tuned for another entry about the Creative Arts Emmy Awards.

PBS Terra explains 'The REAL STORY of Climate Skeptics New Favorite Graph'

I'm returning to climate change with PBS Terra explaining The REAL STORY of Climate Skeptics New Favorite Graph.

Is global warming just part of Earth’s natural cycle? In this episode of Weathered, we break down why that’s not the full story. From ice ages and Milankovitch cycles to the role of CO2 and fossil fuels, today’s climate change is unlike anything in Earth’s deep past. Learn why the speed of warming matters and how we can bring our temperature down.

It's because of my knowledge of Milankovitch cycles that I was able to answer a persistent but now gone skeptic, which I recapped in PBS Digital's Be Smart debunks 'The Biggest Myth About Climate Change'.

I have mentioned several times that I'm a paleontologist who studies Pleistocene fossils, particularly snails. What I don't mention is that I used data from the snails, clams, and plants of Rancho La Brea to reconstruct the late Pleistocene climate of southern California, so I'm quite familiar with natural climate change. That's why I was able to respond intelligently to Ed, the troll who was better than a spammer, when he snarked "Maybe you can tell us what the climate is supposed to be so we will know if it's changing too much."

Ed, actually, I can. The average temperature of the Northern Hemisphere should be almost two degrees Fahrenheit cooler than it is today based on the pre-1900 temperature trend, three degrees based on the progress of previous interglacials. If you want the reasoning and evidence, you will have to wait until I put together an entire entry with links; it will take more effort than a simple comment is worth. In the meantime, count your blessings that you stumbled onto someone who actually knows the answer to what you may have thought was a rhetorical question too hard to answer.

That was back in 2015.

I'm glad to see Maiya May and Jessica Tierney of the University of Arizona confirm both what the climate would have been doing naturally and what it's doing instead. It shows what I told Ed was (and still is) correct.

I teach Milankovitch cycles to my geology students, both on the first field trip where I ask them to describe a display at a museum which summarizes the effects as "stretch, wobble, and tilt (eccentricity, precession, and obliquity)" and in a lecture about glaciers and glacial features, where I reinforce my point with The History of Climate Cycles (and the Woolly Rhino) Explained from PBS Eons.

Throughout the Pleistocene Epoch, the range of the woolly rhino grew and shrank in sync with global climate. So what caused the climate -- and the range of the woolly rhino -- to cycle back and forth between such extremes?

I've been showing this video since just before the pandemic; I'm surprised I haven't embedded it here until now. I guess I just needed the right opportunity.

Back to May on PBS Terra, who is revisiting PBS Terra's Weathered asks 'Earth's Temperature Has Changed WILDLY, So What's the Big Deal About a Few Degrees?'

The correlation between carbon dioxide levels and temperature from ice-core data is another story I tell my students. I asked them about it in my worksheets about An Inconvenient Truth and still ask them about it in my worksheet for Chasing Ice. I also ask them about it on my exams, but for test security reasons, I don't post those here. Maybe after I retire.

As Dr. Tierney points out, carbon dioxide is at levels not seen for 3.6 million years so the Earth is on track for much warmer temperatures even if humans stop putting greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Because of the fossil foolishness in the Big Brutal Bill, the U.S. alone will continue emitting carbon dioxide and methane for years. Worse yet, as Zeke Hausfather of Berkeley Earth described, it will take 400,000 years for natural processes to remove the excess carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. That's four more Milankovitch cycles! Maybe that will make our distant descendants less subject to ice ages, but it's going to mess up the near future for us and progeny down to our great-grandchildren.

That's a wrap for today's story I tell my students. Tomorrow is Piña Colada Day. Stay tuned to see if I celebrate it or cover the action movie nominees at the Critics Choice Super Awards. Maybe I will do both.

Dire wolf de-extinction revisited for International Day of Biological Diversity and Throwback Thursday

Happy International Day for Biological Diversity and Throwback Thursday! As I promised, I'm revisiting dire wolf de-extinction. I begin with SciShow asking Did We Just De-Extinct Dire Wolves?!

So you've probably heard by now that a biotech company called Colossal Biosciences has brought dire wolves back form extinction. Or at least.... they SAY they did. We wanted to break down all the science in their claims, and get to the bottom of the dire wolf dilemma before George R. R. Martin adopts all the wolf pups. Here's the truth on de-extinction, de-mystified.

Hosted by: Savannah Geary (they/them)

I'm glad to see Rancho La Brea make an appearance. I spent four years there working on my M.S. thesis in geology, where "I was the first person to identify 33 species from the most famous fossil deposit in North America." I also walked past the wall of dire wolf skulls and a copy of the mural shown in the video on a regular basis. I'm quite familiar with a paleontological perspective on the species. I'm also aware that using a gray wolf as a template has issues; dire wolves are genetically closer to the common ancestor of most jackals than wolves. Finally, Colossal Biosciences' dire wolves don't fit any of the three species concepts for real dire wolves. Darn.

I continue with Be Smart's The Argument for De-Extinction: EXPLAINED.

Dire wolves are back-sort of. Colossal Biosciences seems to have resurrected this extinct predator, but it's not quite as simple as that. Joe talks with their scientists to explore the truth, tech, and ethics of "de-extinction."

The scientists from Colossal Biosciences that Joe Hanson interviewed both gave intelligent, well-reasoned answers that make me think and feel that they know what they are doing and understand its place in preserving biodiversity. I just hope people are listening.

SciShow's video mentioned that Hank Green had made two videos about dire wolf de-extinction. He's since made a third, Everyone Ignored Colossal’s Bigger Wolf News.

What if there is an actual de-extinction hiding just under the surface.

One question that came up in all three videos is "What is a species?" That has to be answered first to say whether Colossal Biosciences actually revived dire wolves and if not, what are they? I didn't expect that debate last month, but here we are. Also, I agree with Hank that the real de-extinction story will be the red wolf.

I leave this topic with TierZoo asking Are Dire Wolves going to become OP again?

Did modders at Colossal Biosciences just break the game?

Patrick Lacey finally wrote a description I can use!

Before I leave, other viewers and I responded to Lacey's "Stark white coat" remark. Here are my comments.

"I spent five minutes scrolling through the comments to see if someone else had noticed this. Congratulations, you did, so we can both say, 'We see what you did there.'"

"Yes, he did, so we can say, 'We see what you did there.' These are Game of Thrones dire wolves and George R.R. Martin is one of the authors on Colossal Biosciences paper."

"Until this development, I had never noticed that Game of Thrones has GMO in the correct order — GaMe Of Thrones!"

Enough silliness in the service of science and entertainment. Stay tuned for Flashback Friday.

'Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story' leads nominees for Outstanding Nature Documentary at the News & Doc Emmy Awards

I'm continuing my coverage of the News & Doc Emmy Awards with the nominees for Outstanding Nature Documentary, which compose a large field of seven.

Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story leads the field with six nominations, including Outstanding Writing – Documentary, Outstanding Direction – Documentary, Outstanding Music Composition – Documentary, Outstanding Sound – Documentary, and Outstanding Promotional Announcement – Documentary in addition to Outstanding Nature Documentary. As best as I can determine, it's the most nominated documentary at these awards — certainly the most nominated entry that didn't also earn a nomination for Best Documentary. Our Living World is the only other nominee with another nomination, Outstanding Cinematography – Documentary. All the rest, Attenborough and the Jurassic Sea Monster, Grizzly 399: Queen of the Tetons, Our Living World, Paul Nicklen & Cristina Mittermeier: Win or Die, and Silverback, have just this one nomination. On the basis of it having the most nominations here, as well as six Critics Choice Documentary Award nominations, a BAFTA Award and two other BAFTA nominations, it's the clear favorite.

Time to watch the nominated trailer, Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story | Official Trailer | National Geographic.

A heart-warming story of the love between a wild otter, Molly, and her devoted rescuer, Billy, set in the remote Scottish islands of Shetland.

That's moving and uplifting. Imagine what the full documentary is like!

Next, Our Living World | Cate Blanchett | Official Trailer | Netflix.

Discover the secret that connects us all. From the Emmy Award-winning team behind Our Great National Parks comes a revealing look at the secret network of connections that unites us all and sustains our planet’s most magical phenomenon: life itself. Narrated by Academy Award-winner Cate Blanchett, this docuseries spans the globe to showcase the extraordinary creatures and ecosystems, great and small, that work together to help restore and sustain Our Living World.

That is beautifully photographed, so I'm not surprised it earned a nomination for cinematography.

Moving on to what passes for the trailer to "Attenborough and the Jurassic Sea Monster" on Nature, The Tyrannosaurus Rex of the Seas | Attenborough and the Giant Sea Monster | BBC Earth.

150 million years ago dinosaurs ruled the land, but the oceans were dominated by a mysterious sea monster. Sir David Attenborough joins two of the UK’s most intrepid fossil hunters on their perilous expedition to excavate the skull from its resting place 12 metres up in the cliffs of Dorset...

The BBC Earth title and description are more colorful than the Nature on PBS version, Discovering the Secrets of a Jurassic Sea Monster, "Sir David Attenborough uncovers the secrets of the pliosaur, a monstrous marine predator," even though the visuals are almost completely identical. This is probably my personal favorite among the nominees, simply because it's about fossils and I'm a paleontologist. It also shows the fine line between science and nature at these awards. If this had been an episode of NOVA, it might have been nominated for Outstanding Science Documentary instead.

Speaking of Nature, here's the trailer for the second of its four nominees in this category, Grizzly 399: Queen of the Tetons | Official Trailer | NATURE | PBS.

Known only by her research number, Grizzly 399 has been a fixture in Grand Teton National Park since 2007, becoming the world’s most famous grizzly bear. Now 399 is raising four new cubs in the face of human encroachment, a warming climate and the threat of losing protection under the Endangered Species Act. Grizzly 399: Queen of the Tetons premieres on May 8, 2024.
...
Update: We're saddened to share that Grizzly 399 died on October 22, 2024, after being struck by a vehicle on a highway in Snake River Canyon, south of Jackson, Wyoming. The filmmakers reconvened October 30th, 2024 to mourn her loss and celebrate her life and legacy of 18 cubs, their descendants and the countless dedicated fans she inspired worldwide...

A moment of silence for 399.

Now for the third Nature nominee, Patrick and the Whale (Trailer) - LandxSea 2023.

Embark on an awe-inspiring journey into the world of whales with marine videographer Patrick Dykstra in this breathtaking documentary. Prompted by a profound encounter with "Dolores", a female sperm whale, Dykstra immerses himself in the pursuit of understanding these ocean giants. Veteran wildlife filmmaker Mark Fletcher’s lens beautifully captures the whales' intelligence, emotional depth, and complex social bonds. Beyond the visual spectacle, Dykstra grapples with ethical questions surrounding his research and our relationship with the natural world as he delves deeper. Don’t miss this odyssey that reveals the wonder and vulnerability of life beneath the waves.

"They're as close to aliens as we have on our own planet." I agree. We don't need to leave Earth to find non-human intelligence. It's right here in the cetaceans, elephants, great apes, and cephalopods.

Speaking of great apes and cephalopods, I'm moving out of alphabetical order to showcase the fourth nominee from Nature, Nature: Silverback - The Majestic Journey of Gorillas Trailer.

Join us in this captivating episode of Nature as we explore the incredible world of silverback gorillas! Discover the majestic lives of these remarkable creatures, their social structures, and the critical role they play in the ecosystem.

In Silverback, we delve into the daily lives of a silverback leader and his troop, highlighting their interactions, communication, and the challenges they face in the wild. From nurturing their young to defending their territory, witness the strength and grace of these gentle giants.

Highlighting the connection to Oscar winner My Octopus Teacher is smart marketing. I don't know if will be enough to propel this episode over the competition.

I close the trailer portion of this post with Mobilizing the Masses | Photographer | National Geographic, which I'm using as the trailer for "Paul Nicklen & Cristina Mittermeier: Win or Die" from Photographer on National Geographic.

Paul Nicklen and Cristina Mittermeier describe how, after posting their photography to social media, the response was tremendous. They mention how the emotional response to pictures can excite people to care about the planet.

That's moving, although in a different way than the trailer for Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story. It also explains why their work is important.

Follow over the jump for the rest of the nominations for Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story and Our Living World along with the top posts about entertainment on social media during the 2024-2025 blogging year.

'Earth's Worst Mass Extinction Is Actually a Warning' for Flashback Friday on Endangered Species Day

Happy Flashback Friday and Endangered Species Day! Instead of News & Doc Emmy Awards coverage today, I'm taking a paleontologist's perspective on the national day by sharing PBS Terra telling its viewers Earth's Worst Mass Extinction Is Actually a Warning.

There is a surprising natural wonder in the middle of the vast West Texas desert: a prehistoric ocean reef built from the remains of ancient sea life. This fossil-rich landscape tells the story of Earth's most devastating mass extinction—and can help enlighten the climate threats we face today.

I haven't blogged about the Permian mass extinction AKA The Great Dying since 2018. Seven years is long enough for a reminder of what could be the sixth mass extinction with humans as the asteroid.

The video description also included this call to action: "If you’re interested in supporting PBS’ mission, visit https://protectmypublicmedia.org/ to make your voice heard!" Public broadcasting in the United States is also an endangered species.

Follow over the jump for a retrospective of the most popular science and environment posts I shared on Instagram and Bluesky that I haven't recapped yet.