Research

Mike’s research follows several parallel strands. His formal palaeontological work is in the functional anatomy, palaeobiology and evolution of marine tetrapods, especially plesiosaurs. However, this has also led to work in the history of vertebrate palaeontology and of collectors and museums, and their wider intellectual and social significance, as well as the implications for modern curation and research. Mike is particularly interested in 19th century collectors of the Jurassic marine reptiles of southwestern England, especially Mary Anning the younger (1799-1847) of Lyme Regis in Dorset and Thomas Hawkins (1810-1889) of Street in Somerset. and, with Simon Knell and Lyall Anderson (University of Cambridge), in their Scottish contemporaries, especially Hugh Miller (1802-1856) and Charles W. Peach (1800-1886). He is also currently investigating the fossil locality of Street with a view to reassessing this important site.