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Ocean Life - Past + Present

In Melvyn Bragg's radio broadcast over approximately forty minutes an informative dialogue in which a layman can follow, an introduction into the life of the cephalopods from ancient and early...

Large prehistoric squid shadow beneath the waves crashing on the beach

In Melvyn Bragg's radio broadcast over approximately forty minutes an informative dialogue in which a layman can follow, an introduction into the life of the cephalopods from ancient and early coleoid cephalopods lineage through to modern-day cephalopod molluscs, such as the 'living fossil' cephalopod the Nautilus.

Listen along, to hear how the BBC with Radio 4 compiled a marvellous dialogue between Mr Melvyn Bragg and three experts from around Britain, explaining how the Ammonites and nautili evolved and some still survive today on the earth's oceans. Also touching on the subject of folklore and the terrifying Kraken, an excellent listen!

Ammonites from Britain on a bronze stand

Melvyn Bragg in discussion with Jonathan Ablett, senior curator at the natural history museum, London, Louise Allcock, senior zoology lecturer at the University of Ireland, Galway and PaulRodhouse, emeritus fellow of the British Antarctic Survey, engaging this lively, interesting and flowing discussion over approximately 40 minutes, debates the rise of the Coleoidea group.

Gold nautilus shell fossil on brass base

From the Cambrian period explosion of life to the ultimate demise of the prolific coleoids, the Ammonites, in the mass Cretaceous extinction event (the KT boundary) which ended the rule of the dinosaurs on land and the Ammonoidea group in the oceans. With explanations on the survival and proliferation of the oceans by other molluscs from the deep sea rising through the oceans water columns to the very night time surfaces and the modern-day squids, cuttlefish, octopi and nautiluses.

Fossil ammonite in stone on a bronze plinth

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