Introducing Charnwood Forest’s Newest Fossil: Charnia brasieri

In November 2025, researchers from Canada announced a new species of Charnia, named for the late Professor Martin Brasier of Oxford University. Charnia brasieri is described from an exceptional new fossil site in Newfoundland, Canada known as Inner Meadow. It has also been recognized from the Ediacaran (approx. 560 million year old) rocks of Bradgate Park in Charnwood Forest Geopark, at our sister Geopark, Discovery UNESCO Global Geopark in Newfoundland, and also the Mistaken Point UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Prof. Duncan McIlroy will talk us through the discovery of the new species, and the process of reconstructing its three-dimensional shape. He will also discuss how the team at Memorial University came to the conclusion that it grew along the seafloor rather than up into the water column as is normally depicted by palaeo-artists.

Did Charnia stand up among the deep-sea currents, or lie down along the seabed? Join the debate with this free online public talk, and discover the story behind Charnwood Forest’s newest fossil! No previous knowledge required. Open to all.

This event is free to attend, thanks to the kind support of the National Lottery Heritage Fund through the Charnwood Forest Landscape Partnership Scheme.

Those who register will recieve an email a few days before the event with details of how to join the online event.

You can discover more about Charnwood Forest Geopark at charnwoodforest.org.