Identifying the Big Questions in paleontology: a community-driven project

Smith J, Dowding E, Abdelhady AA, Abondio P, Araújo R, Aze T, Balisi MA, Buatois LA, Carvajal-Chitty H, Chattopadhyay D, Coiro M, Dietl GP, González Arango C, Kevrekidis C, Kimmig J, Mychajliw AM, Pimiento C, Regalado Fernández OR, Schroeder KM, Warnock R, Yang TR, Yasuhara M, Akita LG, Allen BJ, Anderson BM, Andréoletti J, Archuby FM, Ballen GA, Bari MI, Benton MJ, Bergh EW, Brambilla L, Brombacher A, Chan YKS, Chiarenza AA, Chinzorig T, Coates KM, Cordie DR, Cortés-Sánchez M, Cruz-Vega EJ, Cybulski JD, De Baets K, De Entrambasaguas J, Dillon EM, Du A, Dunhill AM, Erlandson JM, Forel MB, Foster WJ, Gates TA, Gavryushkina A, Grace MK, Grossart HP, Hänsel P, Harnik PG, Hopkins MJ, Hopkins SS, Hu K, Huang HHM, Irmis RB, Jaques VA, Jenkins XA, Jukar AM, Kelley PH, Kihn RG, Klompmaker AA, Kocsis Á, Kriwet J, Lazarus D, Liao CC, Lin CH, Louys J, Lozano-Fernandez J, Lozano-Francisco MC, Lueders-Dumont JA, Malvé ME, Martindale RC, Mazzini I, Modenini G, Mondal S, Mondini M, Monferran MD, Mulvey L, Nanglu K, Nguyen JM, Norris R, O'dea A, Ollendorf AL, Orihuela J, Pandolfi JM, Pereira T, Piro A, Plotnick RE, Plaza-Torres SM, Porto A, Prieto-Márquez A, Punyasena SW, Quental TB, Raja NB, Ranaivosoa V, Ribas-Deulofeu L, Rivals F, Roden V, Rosso A, Saleh F, Salvador RB, Saupe EE, Schneider S, Sclafani JA, Smith MR, Souron A, Steinbauer MJ, Stewart M, Tambussi CP, Thomas E, Tschopp E, Tütken T, Varela S, Vezzosi RI, Villaseñor A, Weinkauf MF, Zanno LE, Zhang C, Zhao Q, Kießling W (2025)

Publication Type: Journal article, Review article

Publication year: 2025

Journal

DOI: 10.1017/pab.2025.10042

Abstract

Paleontology provides insights into the history of the planet, from the origins of life billions of years ago to the biotic changes of the Recent. The scope of paleontological research is as vast as it is varied, and the field is constantly evolving. In an effort to identify "Big Questions"in paleontology, experts from around the world came together to build a list of priority questions the field can address in the years ahead. The 89 questions presented herein (grouped within 11 themes) represent contributions from nearly 200 international scientists. These questions touch on common themes including biodiversity drivers and patterns, integrating data types across spatiotemporal scales, applying paleontological data to contemporary biodiversity and climate issues, and effectively utilizing innovative methods and technology for new paleontological insights. In addition to these theoretical questions, discussions touch upon structural concerns within the field, advocating for an increased valuation of specimen-based research, protection of natural heritage sites, and the importance of collections infrastructure, along with a stronger emphasis on human diversity, equity, and inclusion. These questions offer a starting point - an initial nucleus of consensus that paleontologists can expand on - for engaging in discussions, securing funding, advocating for museums, and fostering continued growth in shared research directions.

Authors with CRIS profile

Involved external institutions

Paleontological Research Institution United States (USA) (US) Universidad de los Andes - Colombia Colombia (CO) Museum für Naturkunde Germany (DE) La Brea Tar Pits United States (USA) (US) University of Zurich / Universität Zürich (UZH) Switzerland (CH) Senckenberg Forschungsinstitut und Naturmuseum Germany (DE) Yale University United States (USA) (US) National Museum of Natural Science Taiwan / 國立自然科學博物館 Taiwan (TW) The University of Hong Kong (HKU) / 香港大學 Hong Kong (HK) University of Ghana Ghana (GH) Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich (ETHZ) / Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich Switzerland (CH) École Normale Supérieure - PSL (ENS) France (FR) National University of La Plata / Universidad Nacional de La Plata (UNLP) Argentina (AR) São Paulo State University / Universidade Estadual Paulista "Júlio de Mesquita Filho" (UNESP) Brazil (BR) Indian Institute of Technology Bhubaneswar / IITBBS India (IN) University of Bristol United Kingdom (GB) Noordwes-Universiteit / North-West University South Africa (ZA) Universidad Nacional de Rosario (UNR) Argentina (AR) National University of Singapore (NUS) Singapore (SG) University College London (UCL) United Kingdom (GB) University of the West Indies (UWI) Jamaica (JM) Recinto Universitario de Mayagüez Universidad de Puerto Rico United States (USA) (US) Columbian College of Arts and Sciences United States (USA) (US) University of Warsaw / Uniwersytet Warszawski Poland (PL) Universidad de Zaragoza Spain (ES) University of Seville / Universidad de Sevilla Spain (ES) Florida Museum of Natural History United States (USA) (US) University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) United States (USA) (US) North Carolina State University United States (USA) (US) Florida International University United States (USA) (US) Universidad Nacional de Córdoba Argentina (AR) Minia University Egypt (EG) IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna (ISNB) Italy (IT) Instituto Superior Técnico Portugal (PT) University of Plymouth United Kingdom (GB) Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology United States (USA) (US) University of Saskatchewan Canada (CA) Universidad Simón Bolívar Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of (VE) University of Illinois at Chicago United States (USA) (US) University of Colorado at Boulder United States (USA) (US) Indian Institute of Science Education & Research (IISER) - Pune India (IN) Edgewood University United States (USA) (US) Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB) / Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona Spain (ES) University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign United States (USA) (US) Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA) / Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies Spain (ES) University of São Paulo / Universidade de São Paulo (USP) Brazil (BR) University of Antananarivo / Oniversiten'Antananarivo / Université d'Antananarivo Madagascar (MG) National Taiwan University (NTU) Taiwan (TW) Università degli Studi di Catania Italy (IT) Université de Lausanne (UNIL) Switzerland (CH) Luonnontieteellinen Keskusmuseo Finland (FI) University of Oxford United Kingdom (GB) University of Cambridge United Kingdom (GB) University of California, Davis (UC Davis, UCD) United States (USA) (US) Durham University United Kingdom (GB) Université de Bordeaux France (FR) Colorado State University United States (USA) (US) University of Leeds United Kingdom (GB) Universität Bayreuth Germany (DE) Griffith University Australia (AU) University of Oregon (UO) United States (USA) (US) Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle (MNHN) France (FR) Universität Hamburg (UHH) Germany (DE) Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz (JGU) Germany (DE) University of Vigo / Universidade de Vigo Spain (ES) Centro de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia de Tecnología a la Produccion Argentina (AR) University of Adelaide Australia (AU) University of Arkansas United States (USA) (US) Institute of Geology of the Czech Academy of Sciences / Geologický ústav AV ČR, v. v. i. Czech Republic (CZ) Leibniz-Institut für Gewässerökologie und Binnenfischerei (IGB) im Forschungsverbund Berlin e.V. / Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries Germany (DE) Colgate University United States (USA) (US) Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology (IVPP) / 中国科学院古脊椎动物与古人类研究所 China (CN) American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) United States (USA) (US) Nanjing University China (CN) Princeton University United States (USA) (US) Natural History Museum of Utah United States (USA) (US) Brno University of Technology (BUT) / Vysoké učení technické v Brně (VUT) Czech Republic (CZ) Idaho State University College of Science and Engineering United States (USA) (US) Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET) / National Scientific and Technical Research Council Argentina (AR) The University of Alabama United States (USA) (US) Universität Wien / University of Vienna Austria (AT) Academia Sinica / 中央研究院 Taiwan (TW) Universitat de Barcelona (UB) / University of Barcelona Spain (ES) Universidad de Málaga / University of Malaga Spain (ES) Boston College United States (USA) (US) Instituto de Biología de Organismos Marinos (CONICET IBIOMAR) Argentina (AR) University of Texas at Austin United States (USA) (US) Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR) / National Research Council of Italy Italy (IT) University of Bologna / Università di Bologna Italy (IT) Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Kolkata India (IN) Center for Applied Coastal Ecology / Centro de Ecología Aplicada del Litoral (CECOAL) Argentina (AR) University of California, Riverside (UCR) United States (USA) (US) Australian Museum Australia (AU) Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego United States (USA) (US) University of Queensland Australia (AU) Autonomous University of Lisbon / Universidade Autónoma de Lisboa Portugal (PT)

How to cite

APA:

Smith, J., Dowding, E., Abdelhady, A.A., Abondio, P., Araújo, R., Aze, T.,... Kießling, W. (2025). Identifying the Big Questions in paleontology: a community-driven project. Paleobiology. https://doi.org/10.1017/pab.2025.10042

MLA:

Smith, Jansen, et al. "Identifying the Big Questions in paleontology: a community-driven project." Paleobiology (2025).

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