Engineering for paleontologist
An accessible introduction to how engineering principles like structural analysis and materials science help scientists reconstruct how extinct animals functioned, moved, and survived.
Talk: Yes | Workshop: Yes | Course: No | Audience: High School, Sixthform, College, Undergraduate, Graduate, Professional
Engineering for Paleontologists is an inspiring and accessible talk that explores how engineering thinking can transform the way we study ancient life. Fossils preserve shapes, structures, and traces—but engineering helps us understand how those structures actually functioned. By applying principles from mechanics, materials science, and design analysis, paleontologists can test hypotheses about movement, strength, feeding behaviour, and survival strategies in extinct organisms, turning static bones into dynamic, working systems.
The talk walks through key engineering concepts that are especially valuable in paleontology, such as structural analysis, load paths, failure modes, and material properties. It shows how these ideas help researchers estimate bite forces, analyse limb stresses, reconstruct locomotion, and determine whether horns, shells, or skeletons were built for combat, display, or protection. Real case-style examples demonstrate how engineers and paleontologists collaborate to model dinosaurs, flying reptiles, marine reptiles, and early mammals—revealing how form, function, and environment interacted in deep time.
Clear, practical, and thought-provoking, Engineering for Paleontologists highlights the shared mindset between the two fields: asking how something works, why it is shaped the way it is, and what constraints influenced its design. Whether you’re a student, researcher, educator, or simply curious about prehistoric life, this talk offers a fresh perspective and shows how engineering tools can unlock new discoveries about the ancient world.
The talk walks through key engineering concepts that are especially valuable in paleontology, such as structural analysis, load paths, failure modes, and material properties. It shows how these ideas help researchers estimate bite forces, analyse limb stresses, reconstruct locomotion, and determine whether horns, shells, or skeletons were built for combat, display, or protection. Real case-style examples demonstrate how engineers and paleontologists collaborate to model dinosaurs, flying reptiles, marine reptiles, and early mammals—revealing how form, function, and environment interacted in deep time.
Clear, practical, and thought-provoking, Engineering for Paleontologists highlights the shared mindset between the two fields: asking how something works, why it is shaped the way it is, and what constraints influenced its design. Whether you’re a student, researcher, educator, or simply curious about prehistoric life, this talk offers a fresh perspective and shows how engineering tools can unlock new discoveries about the ancient world.
Notes
Can be run as a 1 hour talk, a 3 hour workshop, or a 6 hour workshop