A Bournemouth University academic has featured on the BBC television show Countryfile discussing the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site Kimmeridge Bay.
Dr Reynolds spoke to presenter Margherita Taylor about the marine Special Area of Conservation on the Isle of Purbeck in Dorset. Kimmeridge Bay is renowned for its fossils and features some of the most important geological discoveries on the Jurassic Coast.
Speaking about the programme, Sally said: “Kimmeridge Bay is a breathtakingly lovely Site of Special Scientific Interest, which holds fascinating clues to life under the sea between 157-152 million years ago.”
Several notable discoveries have been found in the bay, which was at the bottom of the ocean at that time. Ammonites and other fossils are visible across the coast, and a plesiosaur, dubbed Kimmerosaurus, was discovered in 1981. The interview with Dr Reynolds explores the role of these important fossils in shaping our understanding of past ecosystems. When discussing Kimmeridge Bay, Sally added: “It’s a beautiful window into the past.”
Sally is a Principal Academic in Hominin Palaeoecology and the Head of the Institute for Studies of Landscape and Human Evolution at BU. She is passionate about science and how understanding past life can help us all value our natural and cultural heritage more deeply. She has lived in Dorset for the last seven years, but has enjoyed exploring the past habitats of our planet all her life.
You can watch the episode on BBC iPlayer, with the interview starting at 18:30 minutes.
