Ancient Finds, Changing Times with Andrew Schwartz

The Wild Life

What if the key to understanding our future was hidden in the teeth of creatures that lived millions of years ago? In this episode, we dive into the world of dental microwear with paleontologist Andrew Schwartz (@eyesonthedirt), who takes us from the fossil beds of ancient Wyoming to the jungles of Costa Rica and the highlands of the Wari Empire. Along the way, we uncover how past climate shifts reshaped life on Earth—and what that means for us today.

We explore:

• How capuchin monkeys and ancient Andean civilizations left clues in their teeth
• What the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM) can teach us about modern climate change
• Why some mammals shrank while others thrived
• What a warming world could mean for our ecosystems, agriculture, and future survival

Links & Resources:

• Learn more about Andrew Schwartz’s research
• Deep dive into the PETM and its modern implications

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