Mary Anning (1799-1847) was a famous
fossil hunter who lived in Lyme Regis,
England - a part of
the country which is today known as the
Jurassic Coast.
In 1811, aged just 12, Anning discovered the
fossilized skeleton of an
Ichthyosaur (this
specimen is now in
London's
Natural History Museum).
Although
Ichthyosaurs
had been known from fragments since at least 1699, this was the first complete
skeleton found - Mary first found the skull, and only later found the rest of
the animal after a storm washed away the part of a cliff which contained it.
Anning subsequently went on to discover two more species of
Ichthyosaur.
Anning's later finds included a
Plesiosaur in 1821, and
Pterosaur (the first complete specimen, and the first found outside
of Germany)
in 1828.
Mary Anning's discoveries were important because they helped establish
the fact of extinction. Until then, many people had argued that God would
not allow any species to become extinct (as that would imply an imperfect
creation), and thus the strange animals found in
fossils were still alive
in some region of the planet. However, the truly bizarre nature of the
animals found by Anning, help contribute to making such arguments seem unlikely.
In life, Anning was recognized by the British Association for the Advancement
of Science, being granted an annuity when in her thirties. As a woman,
she was not eligible for the standard
membership of the Geological Society of London, but she was however
granted honorary membership.
Anning sadly died aged just 47. She was commemorated by a stained-glass
window in the church of St Michael the Archangel in Lyme Regis. She was
however largely forgotten after her death, until interest in her revived
in more recent times.
She is referred to in
John Fowles'
1969 novel,
The French Lieutenant's Woman,
and today
there is a display about her in
London's
Natural History Museum.
Additionally, some people claim that the tongue twister that begins
"She sells sea shells by the sea shore" was inspired by Mary Anning.
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,
and today
there is a display about her in
