Writing Excuses 20.43: An Interview with Dr. Tara Lepore on Paleontology
22 snips
Oct 26, 2025 Dr. Tara Lepore, a newly minted PhD in paleontology, engages listeners with her insights into the world of deep time. She explains how mammal teeth can serve as ancient birth certificates, revealing fascinating information about past life. Dr. Lepore also discusses the interdisciplinary nature of paleontology, emphasizing the connections with geology and biology. Listeners are encouraged to think of paleontology as a storytelling tool and are tasked with integrating deep time into their writing. She also debunks common paleontological misconceptions in pop culture.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Feathers Were Common But Not Universal
- Many dinosaurs likely had feathers, though not all species did.
- Dr. Tara Lepore places herself in the feathers camp based on current evidence.
Teeth Hold Ancient Birth Certificates
- Dr. Tara Lepore studied neonatal lines inside modern mammal teeth to detect birth events.
- She links those dental 'birth certificates' to early placental mammals just after the dinosaur era.
Dental Chemistry Connects Deep Mammal History
- Neonatal lines in teeth provide chemical and structural evidence connecting modern mammal birth to ancient species.
- This method helps trace placental reproduction back at least 60–65 million years.