What can a tiny fossil tooth tell us about a world that disappeared thousands, or even hundreds of thousands of years ago? Quite a lot, as it turns out! In this episode of Palaeo Jam, host Michael Mills is joined by Dr Tiah Bampton of Adelaide University to explore the fascinating world of stable isotopes and how palaeontologists use them to investigate the past.

Tiah explains how the chemistry locked inside fossilised teeth can reveal what extinct animals ate, what they drank and the environments in which they lived. We discover how stable isotopes are helping researchers reconstruct changing climates and vegetation at places like the Naracoorte Caves, and how the humble fossilised tooth can become a remarkable record of an animal’s life, and the world around it.

But this isn't just about looking backwards. By understanding how animals responded to environmental change in the past, stable isotope research can also help us understand extinction, resilience and the challenges facing Australia's wildlife today.

To learn more about Tiah, follow the link… https://researchers.adelaide.edu.au/profile/tiah.bampton

To learn about Tiah Bampton’s journey, check out this story with the ABC… https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-05-03/tiah-bampton-living-dream-at-naracoorte-caves-palaeontology-dig/12209876

Host Michael Mills can be found on Bluesky as The Heaps Good Guy at… https://bsky.app/profile/heapsgood.bsky.social

He occasionally inhabits LinkdIn at… https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-mills-86906335/

And is also on Insta at… https://www.instagram.com/heapsgood/