Fleshing out the fossil record: using organically preserved soft tissues and bone to explore the evolution of unique vertebrate characters. This study integrates developmental, molecular and morphological data in both fossil and living species to provide insights into the evolutionary mechanisms which formed the musculo/skeletal system. Uncovering these evolutionary pathways has the potential to describe mechanisms common to all vertebrate and informs us about our own evolution.
Unraveling the geology of Mars. This project aims to use a suite of innovative conceptual and technical tools that target specific weaknesses in existing Mars exploration programs – where comparatively modest investment could deliver transformative change in one of the largest global research efforts, on which current expenditure is in billions of dollars. The project expects to provide context for the geologic processes that affected Mars. Expected outcomes include a better understanding of the ....Unraveling the geology of Mars. This project aims to use a suite of innovative conceptual and technical tools that target specific weaknesses in existing Mars exploration programs – where comparatively modest investment could deliver transformative change in one of the largest global research efforts, on which current expenditure is in billions of dollars. The project expects to provide context for the geologic processes that affected Mars. Expected outcomes include a better understanding of the habitability and geological history of Mars as well as facilitating both future mission landing site selection and providing context for comparison to the early history of Earth.Read moreRead less
Lifting the veil on the Geological Dark Ages: The search for Hadean Crust on Earth. The project involves detailed field and isotopic study of some of the oldest known rocks and minerals to develop the first comprehensive picture of the earliest growth of the Australian continent. The data will reveal the timing and processes of continent formation and shed new light on the enigmatic early period of the Earth's evolution.
Uncovering the Chronology of Mars. This project aims to answer fundamental questions about the origin and evolution of the solar system by utilizing innovative machine learning techniques developed by our group. Starting with Mars, we will interrogate the highest resolution image data to automatically generate the ultimate resolution global age map. The expected outcomes of this project include determining the absolute ages of geologic processes on Mars to deliver a groundbreaking look at the ge ....Uncovering the Chronology of Mars. This project aims to answer fundamental questions about the origin and evolution of the solar system by utilizing innovative machine learning techniques developed by our group. Starting with Mars, we will interrogate the highest resolution image data to automatically generate the ultimate resolution global age map. The expected outcomes of this project include determining the absolute ages of geologic processes on Mars to deliver a groundbreaking look at the geology of another planet at the centimeter scale. A major benefit of this project will be enhancing Australia’s role as a leader in space and planetary science through this interdisciplinary, international collaboration across engineering, geology, computing, and chronology.Read moreRead less
Decoding the chronology of Mars. This project aims to determine a detailed and accurate geologic timescale for Mars, using image processing, high performance computing, geochemistry and geochronology. Mars is the nearest possibly habitable planet to our own. The project will apply automated feature recognition techniques to high resolution space-craft derived images of the surface of Mars and study formation ages of Martian meteorites. The goal is an absolute chronology for Mars. This contribute ....Decoding the chronology of Mars. This project aims to determine a detailed and accurate geologic timescale for Mars, using image processing, high performance computing, geochemistry and geochronology. Mars is the nearest possibly habitable planet to our own. The project will apply automated feature recognition techniques to high resolution space-craft derived images of the surface of Mars and study formation ages of Martian meteorites. The goal is an absolute chronology for Mars. This contributes to a better understanding of the geologic and habitability history of Mars, facilitating both future mission landing site selection and providing context for comparison to the early history of Earth.Read moreRead less
Next-generation luminescence dating techniques for Earth and archaeological science applications. Chronology is a critical component of geological and archaeological studies. To reconstruct the evolutionary histories of Homo sapiens and other hominin species in their environmental context, we must establish reliable age estimates for key archaeological sites and Quaternary deposits. This project aims to develop new-generation sediment dating techniques using the non-fading infrared stimulated lu ....Next-generation luminescence dating techniques for Earth and archaeological science applications. Chronology is a critical component of geological and archaeological studies. To reconstruct the evolutionary histories of Homo sapiens and other hominin species in their environmental context, we must establish reliable age estimates for key archaeological sites and Quaternary deposits. This project aims to develop new-generation sediment dating techniques using the non-fading infrared stimulated luminescence (IRSL) signal from potassium feldspars. These improved methods will be able to be applied to sites in Africa, Europe and Asia that contain important human fossils and artefacts, including the unique type localities of ‘Denisovans’ and ‘Hobbits’, to answer fundamental questions about the timing of key turning points in human evolution and dispersal.Read moreRead less
Pressure waves on the mechanics of earthquakes and faulting. This project aims to decipher the physics of faulting and earthquakes from damage zones around seismogenic faults. It will examine a mechanism for instability in solids: volumetric collapse due to a dissipative pressure wave. This pressure wave may control damage-zone geometry and relate to earthquake stress and rock material properties. The project will research the instability through theoretical, laboratory and field studies. Antici ....Pressure waves on the mechanics of earthquakes and faulting. This project aims to decipher the physics of faulting and earthquakes from damage zones around seismogenic faults. It will examine a mechanism for instability in solids: volumetric collapse due to a dissipative pressure wave. This pressure wave may control damage-zone geometry and relate to earthquake stress and rock material properties. The project will research the instability through theoretical, laboratory and field studies. Anticipated outcomes include advances in earthquake and fault prediction, tools to determine the stress state and material properties of Earth’s crust, and knowledge of a class of solid instabilities.Read moreRead less
Predation as a major ecological driver of early animal evolution. This project aims to address one of the biggest questions about the early evolutionary history of complex life: was predation a driving force behind the major diversification of animals over 500 million years ago? This innovative study will extend the application of computational biomechanics and use extensive fossil collections to quantify the performance of predators and the evolutionary responses of prey species. Anticipated ou ....Predation as a major ecological driver of early animal evolution. This project aims to address one of the biggest questions about the early evolutionary history of complex life: was predation a driving force behind the major diversification of animals over 500 million years ago? This innovative study will extend the application of computational biomechanics and use extensive fossil collections to quantify the performance of predators and the evolutionary responses of prey species. Anticipated outcomes and benefits include a paradigm shift in knowledge of how predator-prey dynamics shaped the first animal ecosystems, new approaches for studying the functional morphology and microevolutionary patterns of extinct invertebrates, and highlighting the international significance of Australia’s natural heritage.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE220101558
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$386,762.00
Summary
Exploring the nexus between global palaeogeography and the rise of animals. The Ediacaran–Cambrian periods (635–485 million years ago) capture one of the most critical events in the history of life, but are rarely the focus of global-scale palaeogeographic modelling. By employing a holistic, multi-proxy approach that synthesises vast fossil and geological datasets, this project aims to reconstruct continental positions to determine how shifting landmasses influenced the evolution of the first co ....Exploring the nexus between global palaeogeography and the rise of animals. The Ediacaran–Cambrian periods (635–485 million years ago) capture one of the most critical events in the history of life, but are rarely the focus of global-scale palaeogeographic modelling. By employing a holistic, multi-proxy approach that synthesises vast fossil and geological datasets, this project aims to reconstruct continental positions to determine how shifting landmasses influenced the evolution of the first complex animals. Expected outcomes and benefits include a new, animated global model of continental evolution that can be used across a broad range of fields, particularly for studies investigating the development of Earth System processes and the biosphere in deep time, with potential applications in resource exploration.Read moreRead less
Early Palaeozoic radiolarian evolution. This project will apply a new transformative technology, X-ray micro computed tomography, to the study of Early Palaeozoic (530-300 million year old) radiolarian microfossils. It is expected that this will allow, for the first time, non-destructive examination to elucidate the internal skeletal architecture of these fossils that is critical to understanding their evolution. Computer reconstruction of three-dimensional images will reveal details upon which ....Early Palaeozoic radiolarian evolution. This project will apply a new transformative technology, X-ray micro computed tomography, to the study of Early Palaeozoic (530-300 million year old) radiolarian microfossils. It is expected that this will allow, for the first time, non-destructive examination to elucidate the internal skeletal architecture of these fossils that is critical to understanding their evolution. Computer reconstruction of three-dimensional images will reveal details upon which an understanding of early phylogenetic relationships within this phylum can be developed. This in turn will allow realisation of the full biostratigraphic potential of this important long-ranging group of marine protozoans that commonly occur in great abundance in deep marine sedimentary rocks.Read moreRead less