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The team
 Sarah Gabbott
John Howell
Dave Martill
Sarah Gabbott
Sarah Gabbott did her first degree in geology at the University of Southampton. From there she went to the University of Leicester to undertake her PhD on the exceptionally well-preserved fossils of the Soom Shale in South Africa. This involved several field seasons in South Africa digging, fossil collecting (and birdwatching).
In 1999 she was employed at the University of Leicester geology department, where she teaches subjects including evolution, the origin of life and mass extinctions, as well as undergraduate fieldwork. She now researches the biology, ecology and evolution of animals from several fossil deposits in which the fossils are extremely well-preserved and contain some animals which are unlike any creatures around today. The deposits are all extremely old, from the Cambrian and Ordovician periods (see Timeline), and are situated in China, Canada and South Africa. Sarah has collected fossils from all of these localities and always looks forward to her next fieldtrips. Her main interests are with the processes of preservation and the reconstruction of ecosystems and environment.
Sarah explains how she got into the fossil business
My uncle Sam, who drove a digger in a Cotswold quarry, first introduced me to fossils when I was about six years old. At the time I had no idea what fossils were and he gave me some weirdly shaped shells to play with that he called 'devils toenails'. As a kid this sounded a very sensible and exciting explanation. I still have those petrified 'toenails' and years later learnt to call them Gryphaea.
I cannot confess to having had a burning passion for fossils from that moment, because, like many children, I did not make the connection between such stony objects and swimming, creeping, crawling, slithering, flying, running creatures – except of course where dinosaurs were concerned. I was fascinated with the natural world, read all Gerald Durrell's books, and begged my parents to move to Corfu. But we stayed in Hatfield, and Hatfield didn't do rocks. On a junior school trip to Yorkshire I saw moss-covered rocky crags and (embarrassingly) I reflected that rocks must grow out of the ground. So, how did I get into geology?
I enjoyed science subjects at school so decided to take them at A level. Biology and chemistry were fine but I needed a third subject – what could it be? I never really connected with physics, but geology fitted in with my timetable. It was simple as that, a form of natural selection I guess. Having chosen geology I soon became completely enthralled by the exciting topics we studied. Tectonic plates crashing into each other and forcing mountain chains into existence; plates being slowly subducted and assimilated into the hot mantle below; plates moving uncomfortably past each other and causing earthquakes; the evolution of life, and how life changed and shaped the planet.
Like many careers these days, geology requires qualifications. After A levels, I took a degree in geology. If you are fascinated by the earth, how it formed, and how it has evolved over its 4,600 million year history, then a degree in geology will open up our planet for you. There are a great range of geology and geology-related degrees that you can choose from. For example, if physics fascinates you, a geophysics degree is ideal, or you can combine geology with other subjects such as geography. Geologists don't just study 'rocks': they investigate everything from the core at the centre of the planet to the ever-changing environments on the surface, and the creatures and plants that live there. A geology degree combines biology, chemistry, physics, oceanography and other sciences and applies these to understanding the Earth. Palaeontology is a subject within its own right but it is closely allied with geology because it is necessary to understand sediments, rock sequences and geological time to get the most out of the fossil record.
The aspect I enjoy most is the element of detective work. Many other sciences have the luxury of direct observation. For example, a biologist can watch and even dissect an animal in which they have an interest. Fossils are dead and literally turned to stone. We cannot watch them move, eat, mate and interact, and so we must search for clues to find out what they looked like and how they lived. Geology also takes you outdoors, to see, measure and interpret, and the whole Earth can be your laboratory. As I did my degree, I realised that good geology often goes along with areas of natural beauty and you get to travel to some of the most remarkable places on Earth.
I didn't want to stop studying when I finished my BSc degree – so a PhD was my next step. I was extremely lucky to work on some beautifully-preserved fossils from South Africa for three years. In 1999 I became a lecturer, teaching undergraduates and continuing to try to understand the life, death and preservation of creatures who lived hundreds of millions of years ago but whose fascinating fossils hold the clues to life on Earth.
Dr Sarah Gabbott's University of Leicester home page
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