Michael Benton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Michael Benton
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Benton in 2014
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| Born |
Michael James Benton
8 April 1956 |
| Nationality | British |
| Education | Robert Gordon's College |
| Alma mater |
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| Known for | Bentonyx |
| Awards | Lyell Medal (2005) |
| Scientific career | |
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| Institutions | University of Bristol |
| Thesis | The Triassic reptile Hyperodapedon from Elgin, functional morphology and relationships (1981) |
Michael James Benton, born on April 8, 1956, is a British scientist who studies fossils. He is a professor at the University of Bristol. His work mainly focuses on how Triassic reptiles evolved. He also studies big extinction events and how animal life changed over time, as seen in fossils.
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Studying and Learning
Michael Benton went to Robert Gordon's College. He then studied at the University of Aberdeen and Newcastle University. He earned his PhD degree in 1981.
Research and Discoveries
Professor Benton's research explores palaeobiology (the study of ancient life), palaeontology (the study of fossils), and macroevolution (big changes in life over long periods). He is very interested in how different types of life have grown and changed. He also looks at how good the fossil record is for understanding the past.
He has made important discoveries about the history of life on Earth. He especially focuses on how the number of different living things has changed over time. He combines information from living animals and fossils to figure out how major groups of animals first appeared and grew. This way of thinking has changed how we understand big questions. These include why life changes, if there's a limit to how many different species can exist, and what mass extinctions mean.
A key part of his work is the Permian–Triassic extinction event. This was the biggest mass extinction ever, happening over 250 million years ago. He studies how life managed to recover after such a huge disaster.
Books and Media Work
Michael Benton has written many books about palaeontology. Some are textbooks like Vertebrate Palaeontology. He has also written fun books for children about dinosaurs. His work has appeared in many science journals.
He has also helped with many TV shows. He advised on the BBC's Walking with Dinosaurs. He was also a consultant for Paleoworld on Discovery Science. In 2002, he helped with the BBC show The Day The Earth Nearly Died. This program looked into the mysteries of the Permian extinction.
In December 2010, a type of ancient reptile called a rhynchosaur was named after him. It is called Bentonyx.
Teaching and Projects
In 1996, Professor Benton started a special Master's degree program at Bristol. It teaches students about Palaeobiology. More than 300 students have finished this program. He has also guided over 50 students who were working on their PhDs.
He also started the Bristol Dinosaur Project. He helped create and design the website for this project.
Publications
Michael Benton has written or edited many books, including:
- Dinosaurs an A-Z Guide (1988) ISBN: 978-0862723859
- Prehistoric Animals (1989) ISBN: 978-0862724580
- Vertebrate Palaeontology (4th edition, 2014) ISBN: 978-1118407554
- On the trail of the dinosaur (1989) ISBN: 0-517-67976-0
- Walking with dinosaurs: the facts (2000) ISBN: 0-563-53744-2
- When life nearly died: the greatest mass extinction of all time (1st edition, 2003; 2nd edition, 2008)
- Introduction to Paleobiology and the Fossil Record (2009, with David A.T Harper) ISBN: 9781405141574
- The Dinosaurs Rediscovered: How a Scientific Revolution is Rewriting History, (2019) ISBN: 978-0500052006
- Dinosaurs: New Visions of a Lost World (2021) ISBN: 9780500052198
- Extinctions: How Life Survives, Adapts and Evolves (2023) ISBN: 9780500025468
- Dinosaur Behavior: An Illustrated Guide (2023) ISBN: 9780691244297
Awards and Recognition
In 2014, Michael Benton was chosen as a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS). This is a great honor for scientists who have made important contributions to knowledge. He is also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (FRSE).
He was also given the title of Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2021. This award was for his work in palaeontology and for helping the community learn about science.
