I’m going to take you on a journey back in time I’m not talking about five
in time I’m not talking about five
in time I’m not talking about five hundred years two thousand years now I’m
hundred years two thousand years now I’m
hundred years two thousand years now I’m taking you back in deep time to lost
taking you back in deep time to lost
taking you back in deep time to lost world of African dinosaurs place that is
world of African dinosaurs place that is
world of African dinosaurs place that is far more bizarre than any other
far more bizarre than any other
far more bizarre than any other ecosystem we know the Sahara is a
ecosystem we know the Sahara is a
ecosystem we know the Sahara is a magical place both beautiful and
magical place both beautiful and
magical place both beautiful and frightening peaceful and cruel almost
frightening peaceful and cruel almost
frightening peaceful and cruel almost like a world of its own
like a world of its own
like a world of its own today this is a sea of Sam
today this is a sea of Sam
today this is a sea of Sam but hundred million years ago this place
but hundred million years ago this place
but hundred million years ago this place was a huge river system when I was about
was a huge river system when I was about
was a huge river system when I was about 25 years old I began a fieldwork project
25 years old I began a fieldwork project
25 years old I began a fieldwork project to collect fossils in the border region
to collect fossils in the border region
to collect fossils in the border region between Morocco and Algeria people told
between Morocco and Algeria people told
between Morocco and Algeria people told me that I’m crazy but I think in science
me that I’m crazy but I think in science
me that I’m crazy but I think in science you sometimes have to be crazy I think
you sometimes have to be crazy I think
you sometimes have to be crazy I think you need people to push the boundaries I
you need people to push the boundaries I
you need people to push the boundaries I mean that’s what science is about people
mean that’s what science is about people
mean that’s what science is about people thought I would never find anything
thought I would never find anything
thought I would never find anything significant well we found a few things
this outcrop of red sediments is the
this outcrop of red sediments is the actual site where a partial skeleton of
actual site where a partial skeleton of
actual site where a partial skeleton of Spinosaurus was found let’s see if we
Spinosaurus was found let’s see if we
Spinosaurus was found let’s see if we can find something new I never fully
can find something new I never fully
can find something new I never fully understood the concept of deep time
understood the concept of deep time
understood the concept of deep time until I found an ancient piece of
until I found an ancient piece of
until I found an ancient piece of riverbed in the Sahara little pebbles
riverbed in the Sahara little pebbles
riverbed in the Sahara little pebbles and the dinosaur tooth and all these
and the dinosaur tooth and all these
and the dinosaur tooth and all these objects were arranged in the same
objects were arranged in the same
objects were arranged in the same direction of flow this seam just came to
direction of flow this seam just came to
direction of flow this seam just came to life in my mind a dinosaur upstream
life in my mind a dinosaur upstream
life in my mind a dinosaur upstream losing a tooth and the tooth is just
losing a tooth and the tooth is just
losing a tooth and the tooth is just rolling on the riverbed it’s carried
rolling on the riverbed it’s carried
rolling on the riverbed it’s carried downstream and it suddenly gets stuck in
downstream and it suddenly gets stuck in
downstream and it suddenly gets stuck in this little sand dune in the river I had
this little sand dune in the river I had
this little sand dune in the river I had in my hands
in my hands
in my hands snapshot of time from a time when humans
snapshot of time from a time when humans
snapshot of time from a time when humans were absent on our planet we think so
were absent on our planet we think so
were absent on our planet we think so much of ourselves today and you know
much of ourselves today and you know
much of ourselves today and you know we’re ruling our planet but if there’s
we’re ruling our planet but if there’s
we’re ruling our planet but if there’s one thing paleontology has has taught us
one thing paleontology has has taught us
one thing paleontology has has taught us that is that nothing is forever species
that is that nothing is forever species
that is that nothing is forever species go extinct and it’s very unlikely that
go extinct and it’s very unlikely that
go extinct and it’s very unlikely that it will be the first exception to that
it will be the first exception to that
it will be the first exception to that rule
overlooking this vast desert millions of
overlooking this vast desert millions of years of ecosystems just under your feet
years of ecosystems just under your feet
years of ecosystems just under your feet travel back in time in your mind and
travel back in time in your mind and
travel back in time in your mind and trying to imagine what the place looked
trying to imagine what the place looked
trying to imagine what the place looked like hundreds of millions of years ago
like hundreds of millions of years ago
like hundreds of millions of years ago I think knowing that our time on this
I think knowing that our time on this
I think knowing that our time on this planet is not infinite makes it all the
planet is not infinite makes it all the
planet is not infinite makes it all the more special the world was not made for
more special the world was not made for
more special the world was not made for us and we are privileged to be here and
us and we are privileged to be here and
us and we are privileged to be here and we should make the most of it
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