A VIRTUAL WORLD OF PALAEONTOLOGY (Invited Presentation)

Over the last two decades, palaeontology has been transformed by the development and increasing accessibility of techniques for creating and analysing 3-D computer models of past lifeforms. Tomographic and surface-based methods allow palaeontologists to rapidly image the three-dimensional morphology of fossils at micrometre-scale resolutions without causing any damage to the specimen itself. Furthermore, computer models and simulations enable us to rigorously test long-standing hypotheses regarding the function and ecology of extinct organisms. These 3-D digital datasets are routinely made available through online repositories, opening up new opportunities for large-scale comparative analyses. In this talk, I will provide a broad overview of the field of virtual palaeontology, focusing on recent developments and future prospects. I will also discuss the key challenges that must be overcome to fully realize the potential of this virtual world of palaeontology.