Ep #86 Painting Prehistoric Worlds and Dinosaur Dreams with Mark Hallett

EP 86 Paleo Nerds with Mark Hallett

Astronomers have "possibly" detected the presence of life on an exo-planet
Astronomers studying the exoplanet K2-18b have reported potential evidence of dimethyl sulfide, a chemical produced only by living organisms on Earth. If confirmed, it could be one of the first signs of extraterrestrial life.

Mark Hallett’s web page
Mark Hallett is a master of paleoart, bringing prehistoric life vividly to the page and canvas. His official site showcases his paintings, books, and a career dedicated to visualizing the ancient world.

Mark Hallett’s Wikipedia page
This page provides a biography of Mark Hallett, tracing his long career as one of the most influential paleoartists. It highlights his major works, collaborations, and contributions to paleontology.

Dinosaurs, an Illustrated History by Edwin Colbert
This classic volume by Edwin Colbert helped shape public understanding of dinosaurs. The illustrated book inspired artists like Mark Hallett to merge science and art in bringing these creatures to life.

Mark Hallett’s book The Age of Giants
The Age of Giants is Hallett’s richly illustrated exploration of sauropod dinosaurs. It blends scientific research with his stunning artwork to tell the story of the largest land animals that ever lived.

Natural History Museum of Los Angeles
The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles is home to world-class fossil displays, including dinosaurs and Ice Age mammals. It is also where artists like Hallett have contributed to exhibits that make science accessible to the public.

The made up features of a Dilophosaurus
Jurassic Park made Dilophosaurus famous, but also fictionalized it with frills and venom-spitting. This page compares the movie version with what paleontology actually knows about the dinosaur.

Small bipedal raptors Mike discusses are Compsognathus
Compsognathus was a small, chicken-sized theropod dinosaur. This entry details its fossils from Europe and why it became a pop culture icon of small but deadly dinosaurs.

John Long’s book, Hung like an Argentine Duck, A Journey Back in Time to the Origins of Sexual Intimacy
This book by paleontologist John Long takes a humorous yet scientific look at the origins of sex in vertebrates, exploring fossil evidence of reproductive anatomy and behavior.

Mark’s book, “On the Prowl”
On the Prowl is Hallett’s deep dive into the world of big cats, past and present. It combines art, science, and storytelling to trace the evolution of these iconic predators.

Ancestral Cat the Palaeopanthera P. blytheae
Palaeopanthera blytheae is one of the oldest known big cats, living around six million years ago. This page explains how its fossils help chart the early history of pantherines.

The Miocene ungulate the Alpine Chamois
The Alpine Chamois is a mountain-dwelling ungulate still alive today, but its lineage stretches back into the Miocene. This entry connects living species to their fossil ancestors.

Snow Leopard falling down a cliff while hunting Blue Sheep
This viral video shows the incredible athleticism and risks of a snow leopard hunting in steep mountains. It gives real-world context to the predators Hallett paints.

American Mammalogist and Biologist
George Schaller is one of the world’s leading field biologists, famous for his groundbreaking studies of big cats, gorillas, and other large mammals in the wild.

Machairodontinae: Extinct cats in the Felidae family
The Machairodontinae were the sabertooth cats, with elongated canine teeth and powerful builds. This page explores their diversity and adaptations in prehistoric ecosystems.

Pantherines
Pantherinae includes today’s iconic big cats, such as lions, tigers, leopards, and jaguars. This entry traces their evolutionary history within the cat family.

The cat with the Sabre tooth Sockets - Barbourofelis
Barbourofelis was a saber-toothed predator with distinctive jaw sockets to protect its long canines. This page describes how it was both similar to and different from true sabertooth cats.

Bigger lower jaw sabre tooth sockets the Thylacosmilus
Thylacosmilus was a marsupial predator with enormous lower jaw sockets to house its saber teeth. It evolved in South America, showing convergent evolution with placental saber-tooths.

Mark’s Time Travel place, The Villafranchian of the Late Miocene
The Villafranchian was a stage of the Late Miocene and Pliocene in Europe, known for diverse mammal faunas. This page describes the animals Mark Hallett imagines visiting in his time travel dream.

Prehistoric Times magazine
Prehistoric Times is a magazine dedicated to dinosaurs, fossils, and paleoart. It features artwork, interviews, and articles for fans and professionals alike.

William Stout’s Paleo Nerd Episode
Paleoartist William Stout joined Paleo Nerds to discuss his career creating dinosaur art and his role in shaping how prehistoric life is imagined in pop culture.

William Stout’s book on Dinosaurs
This illustrated book by William Stout presents a bold new vision of dinosaurs, blending science with vivid artwork. It has become a favorite among paleoart enthusiasts.

MUSIC
Colugo by Ray Troll
Jurassic Park 3 DVD menu soundtrack
Luminescent Tie Dye by the Amish Robots
Excerpt from Stabat Mater f-Moll, D383