Talking Science with RAL: A Bug's Life at Diamond

We are excited to be holding another family event during the May half term, starting off with a fantastic short talk about a prehistoric ancestor of modern day bugs, followed by some fun fossil and bug related activities in our visitor centre.

This event will start promptly at 13:30 and will run until 16:00. It is suitable for ages 6 and up.

Talk Synopsis

Join Dr Emma Long on a fantastic voyage to the depths of the ocean half a billion years ago during the Cambrian Explosion, when the first major animal groups emerged on Earth. Using cutting-edge X-ray scanning, we have studied an incredibly rare fossil of a tiny ancestor to today's bugs, spiders, and crabs. No larger than a grain of rice, this ancient creature’s internal organs are preserved as ghostly voids in fossilised tissue, revealing a complex brain and a long tubular heart. Discover how early animals developed sophisticated nervous and circulatory systems, paving the way for their rise as the most diverse and successful group of animals on Earth today.

A side-on view of the worm showing internal organs
Credit: Emma J Long/Durham University

Tickets for in-person events close the night before the event: if you would like to book an in-person last-minute place, please email us at visitral@stfc.ac.uk.