This course, the pupils of Biology and Geology went to the Institut Català de Paleontologia Miquel Crusafont (ICP). The main aims of the visit were to understand Paleontology as a discipline between Biology and Geology, and its fundamental contributions to the theory of evolution. Our science teachers Alicia Garcia and Víctor Escarré organised the visit and accompanied them to this scientific meeting in Sabadell.

First our students participated in several interactive activities to learn how scientists do reserach, how do they create new knowledge and how do they discuss writing articles for science magazines. Then we visited the temporary exhibition “Gairebé Humans”.

Once finished this activity, the museum’s team responsible for schools, Teresa Esquirol,  accompanied us to observe the main human fossils found in Catalonia: the bones of  Pau (Pierolapithecus catalaunicus).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

She explained us the uniqueness and importance of Pierolapithecus and other fossil hominid species, which makes Catalonia the place with the best fossil record of Miocene hominids (between 13 and 9 million years ago, when the origin of the family Hominidae took place). She also told us Pau was so called by catalan scientists after being discovered in the period of the Iraq War.  Next,  she  accompanied us into the preparation laboratory, where we  learnt about the stages of restoring a fossil.

Finally Teresa Esquirol introduced us to Josep Ma. Marmi, a researcher focused on the study of fossil vertebrates and plants associated to dinosaur remains. He presented us the work of a paleontologist and showed us his current research in their office. Mr. Marmi also told us about the importance of  English when working in a scientific team.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lastly they offered us to visit the collection, placed in the basement of the museum. We discovered it consists of a highly technological one: fossils are stored with its information in ICs (integrated circuits). It was amazing to discover that the ICP hosts more than 170.000 fossil remains and is considered one of the most important collections of fossil vertebrates in Europe. It also hosts a Tipoteca, a special collection wich includes fossils that have been used to describe more than 200 new species.

The conservator woman showed us how scientific misconceptions change through the case of Myotragus (a small balearic parent of goats). We observed the historical skeleton mounted by Miquel Crusafont in the mid XXth century …

… then she told us that nowadays scientists know that Myotragus had short legs, more curved spine and the neck in a lowest position. It was a good lesson to finish the visit with conclusions about  the history of science.

Víctor Escarré

Biology and Geology ESO4