Science View S2017E17 - Ichthyosaur Research Unlocks the Secrets of the Earth's Environmental Phenomena - Up Close Interview with Paleobiologist Ryosuke Motani

Research in paleontology has been making remarkable developments in the recent years. The research on ichthyosaurs, the creature that dominated the sea during the dinosaur era, is especially making rapid progress. Ichthyosaurs are reptiles that moved their habitats into the sea 248 million years ago and evolved into fish-like creatures. At the forefront of its research is Dr. Ryosuke Motani from the University of California, Davis. He has joined up with the Peking University to form an ichthyosaur excavation team, bringing results from the newly found fossils in China. This episode is based on an up close interview with the paleobiologist Dr. Ryosuke Motani to learn about his methods of solving the mysteries behind the evolution of ichthyosaurs.