A roarsome episode

Unexpected Elements

This week, Enigmacursor mollyborthwickae has been unveiled at London's Natural History Museum. This newly described herbivorous dinosaur has inspired us to take a stomp through the science of ancient animals, mass extinctions and fossils.

First up, we hear about a shepherd who recently found a South African dinosaur, which has helped shed light on the period between the Triassic and Jurassic.

We then take a look at some new theories that suggest the mass extinctions that wiped out ancient creatures may not have been as massive as we thought.

But one extinction definitely is currently underway, according to ecologist Professor Dave Goulson. And that’s the mass extinction of insects.

Plus, we find out the latest theory of why the Tyrannosaurus rex had such tiny arms, and we meet the rat ancestors that munched on dinosaurs.

All that, plus many more Unexpected Elements. Presenter: Marnie Chesterton, with Candice Bailey and Camilla Mota Producer: Margaret Sessa Hawkins, with Alice Lipscombe-Southwell and Minnie Harrop