Geeky Goodness from the Fossil Huntress. If you love palaeontology, you'll love this stream. Dinosaurs, trilobites, ammonites — you'll find them all here. It's dead sexy science for your ears. Want all the links? Head on over to Fossil Huntress HQ at www.fossilhuntress.com
Today on the show, we travel back in time to the Late Cretaceous, some 66 million years ago, when death fell from the sky.
9 Apr 2026
Ammonoids & Conodonts: Triassic Exposures of Nevada
Step into the sunbaked folds of West Union Canyon, just beyond Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Park in Nevada, and you are quite literally walking along one of North America’s most important geological fault lines in time—the elusive boundary between the Carnian and Norian stages of the Late Triassic.
Here, the Upper Triassic Luning Formation—specifically the Early Norian Kerri Zone—reveals itself in a series of beautifully exposed beds, each one a page in a story written some 220 million years ago.
This is no ordinary outcrop. It is a reference point, a kind of stratigraphic Rosetta Stone for understanding the Carnian–Norian boundary (CNB) on this side of the ancient world.
8 Apr 2026
Descendants of the Cambrian: Sea Anemones
At first glance, anemones look like soft blossoms anchored to rock, their tentacles swaying with the tide. But look a little closer and you’ll see a skilled predator at work.
Each of those delicate arms is armed with nematocysts—microscopic, harpoon-like cells loaded with venom—ready to stun passing prey in a split second.
Sea anemones belong to the class Anthozoa, making them close relatives of corals and jellyfish. Unlike jellyfish, though, they’ve traded a life of drifting for one firmly planted in place, attaching themselves to reefs, rocks, and seafloors across the globe—from shallow tide pools to the deep sea.
Now, for us fossil folk, anemones present a bit of a challenge. They are soft-bodied, with no shells or bones to readily fossilise. So their presence in the fossil record is rare—more whisper than shout.
But we do have some beautiful clues.
Exceptional fossil sites, like the Burgess Shale in British Columbia—dating back over 508 million years—have preserved soft-bodied organisms in stunning detail. Here, we find anemone-like creatures that give us a glimpse into early anthozoan life during the Cambrian Explosion, a time when complex life was just beginning to flourish in Earth’s oceans.
We also find trace fossils—subtle impressions left in ancient seabeds. Circular marks and anchoring traces hint at where anemones once lived, even when their bodies themselves have long since vanished.
Modern anemones also host fascinating partnerships. Many live in symbiosis with algae, gaining energy from photosynthesis, while others form famous alliances—like clownfish weaving safely among their stinging tentacles.
So while they may seem delicate, anemones are ancient survivors—holding fast through mass extinctions and vast shifts in Earth’s history.
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
1,369,345
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
2 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
12 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 77 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
86
Social presence
0
YouTube
86
Engagement
85
Contact Fossil Huntress — Palaeo Sommelier
Guest appearances
Books guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Host of Fossil Huntress — Palaeo Sommelier?
Claim your podcast to manage its listing and keep your show details accurate.
Pod Engine is an independent podcast discovery and analytics service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by this podcast. Artwork and show content belong to their owners. Full legal notice.
Explore this show Podcast research with Pod Engine
