Merton researcher reveals new insights into fossilised nervous tissues

While fossilised bones have long shaped our understanding of prehistoric life, Merton DPhil student, Alexandra Morton-Hayward, is pushing the boundaries of palaeontology by uncovering the secrets of far rarer remains: fossilised soft tissues, including brains.

Alexandra, a forensic anthropologist based in Oxford’s Department of Earth Sciences, investigates how delicate biomolecules - such as those in nerves and brain matter - can survive the passage of millions of years. Her research reveals that, under the right conditions, these tissues can be preserved far more often than previously believed.

'We've found records of thousands more ancient brains than was previously known, showing that fossilised nervous tissues are not as rare as we had imagined,' she explains. Her work, at the intersection of forensic science and palaeobiology, is reshaping our understanding of ancient life by revealing how these rare tissues can persist and what they tell us about extinct species.

Watch Alexandra explain her research in more detail in Suspicious Minds: The Secrets of Fossil Brains - Oxford Sparks.