Author Archives: twilightbeasts

Turtle Power

Posted on October 6, 2016 by twilightbeasts

In the canonical tale, Big Chuck D’s visit to the Galapagos was a “Eureka!” moment, where he instantly worked out his theory of evolution by natural selection after observing the different species of finches on the archipelago’s varying islands. Almost … Continue reading →

Posted in Meiolania | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Staying put: the what, when, and how of the first farmers

Posted on September 28, 2016 by twilightbeasts

We’ve all thought about making lifestyle changes at some point. Joining a running group. Going on a diet. Stopping smoking. So did our hunter-gatherer ancestors. They made what would be perhaps one of the greatest lifestyle changes in the history … Continue reading →

Posted in Homo sapiens | 1 Comment

Disappearing into the heavens

Posted on September 6, 2016 by twilightbeasts

Some years ago I witnessed a dinosaur attack. There was a flash of brown, then a thud. It was over in a second. Sharp powerful claws gripped its prey, pinning it against the ground. Then it began to feast. I … Continue reading →

Posted in Harpagornis, Terror Bird | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Getting inside the bones

Posted on August 12, 2016 by twilightbeasts

The European bison,or Wisent, (Bison bonasus) is Europe’s largest land mammal and the last surviving large grazer from a time of real giants. However, during most of the history of the species, it coexisted with other large bovines. One more familiar species … Continue reading →

Posted in Aurochs, Bison | 2 Comments

When life gives you lemmings…..

Posted on August 4, 2016 by twilightbeasts

If I had a games console I wouldn’t get anything done. (Are they called ‘games consoles’ today?) Just like when I watch a film, I am completely captivated by the make-believe world: I am in that world. There is nothing around … Continue reading →

Posted in Lemming | Tagged | 4 Comments

On the origins of our species

Posted on July 13, 2016 by twilightbeasts

As families go ours is pretty amazing. You have ancient cousins who effortlessly chomped through the toughest of roots and hardest of seeds. Another relative was the first of our family to make it all the way to China around … Continue reading →

Posted in Denisovan, Homo sapiens, Neanderthal | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Amidst the footsteps of giants: What beetles can tell us about the past

Posted on June 30, 2016 by twilightbeasts

Picture this scene: thousands of years ago in Britain during the Pleistocene Epoch, when giants roamed the landscape. Herds of woolly mammoth, bison and reindeer grazed the steppes during cold periods, watched closely by skulking hyenas and prides of enormous … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged | 5 Comments

In Patagonia

Posted on June 20, 2016 by twilightbeasts

Patagonia. The name conjures up exotic windswept plains, adventure, and danger. A by-word for a region as foreign as Timbuktu. This remote section of Argentina and Chile holds many mysteries. In the south, Tierra Del Fuego, the legendary land of … Continue reading →

Posted in Extinction, Ground Sloth, Horse, Macrauchenia, Sabre tooth Cat, Short Faced Bear | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner? A true story of the real Palaeolithic diet!

Posted on June 14, 2016 by twilightbeasts

Food Warning: This blog contains (research by people who are) nuts (about ancient animals and peoples). How do you eat an elephant?  The old motivational question is answered by ‘one bite at a time’. The same thing could perhaps be said … Continue reading →

Posted in Bison, Woolly Mammoth | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Medusa’s legacy

Posted on May 20, 2016 by twilightbeasts

Monster movies were a huge inspiration for me when I was little. They fed my fascination with natural history: in particular the incredible work from the extraordinary mind of Ray Harryhausen. My favourite of his films was, of course, the amazing Clash … Continue reading →

Posted in Wonambi | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments