Jake Morton
@raptoryx.bsky.social
Education & Outreach at Life Science Centre in Newcastle 🧬 | Member of @fossilsinthills.bsky.social 🐚 | Lvl 31 human geek 🧙🏻♂️ | Plant botherer 🪴 | Cat dad 🐈⬛ | He/Him 🇪🇺🏳️🌈
Pinned
Jake Morton
@raptoryx.bsky.social
· Nov 30
Hi Bluesky! I’m Jake, a science communicator 📢 and palaeontologist 🦖 living in the northeast of England. For my day job I take an inflatable planetarium into primary schools 🚀. I love houseplants 🪴, Dungeons & Dragons 🎲, Pokémon, Marvel movies, collecting fossils 🐚 and chilling with my cat Darwin 🐈⬛
Reposted by Jake Morton
We're heading back to Cliffe Castle!
Join us on October 28th from 11:00 for a day of Carboniferous activities.
With your help we'll be reconstructing a coal forest and unjumbling the bones of Pholiderpeton.
Don't forget to bring along your own fossils for identification!
#FossilFriday
Join us on October 28th from 11:00 for a day of Carboniferous activities.
With your help we'll be reconstructing a coal forest and unjumbling the bones of Pholiderpeton.
Don't forget to bring along your own fossils for identification!
#FossilFriday
October 24, 2025 at 6:01 PM
We're heading back to Cliffe Castle!
Join us on October 28th from 11:00 for a day of Carboniferous activities.
With your help we'll be reconstructing a coal forest and unjumbling the bones of Pholiderpeton.
Don't forget to bring along your own fossils for identification!
#FossilFriday
Join us on October 28th from 11:00 for a day of Carboniferous activities.
With your help we'll be reconstructing a coal forest and unjumbling the bones of Pholiderpeton.
Don't forget to bring along your own fossils for identification!
#FossilFriday
Reposted by Jake Morton
Tiny fossil cogs?
Not quite, these are single segments (ossicles) of a crinoid stem.
In life, soft tissues would have run through the central hole. The radial groves and ridges would have prevented the sections of the stem from twisting in currents.
📍 Wensleydale
#FossilFriday
Not quite, these are single segments (ossicles) of a crinoid stem.
In life, soft tissues would have run through the central hole. The radial groves and ridges would have prevented the sections of the stem from twisting in currents.
📍 Wensleydale
#FossilFriday
September 26, 2025 at 3:30 PM
Tiny fossil cogs?
Not quite, these are single segments (ossicles) of a crinoid stem.
In life, soft tissues would have run through the central hole. The radial groves and ridges would have prevented the sections of the stem from twisting in currents.
📍 Wensleydale
#FossilFriday
Not quite, these are single segments (ossicles) of a crinoid stem.
In life, soft tissues would have run through the central hole. The radial groves and ridges would have prevented the sections of the stem from twisting in currents.
📍 Wensleydale
#FossilFriday
Reposted by Jake Morton
Even in poor visibility on top of Ingleborough, we still found fossil plants!
This is in the Millstone Grit at the very topmost part of the peak.
#FossilFriday
This is in the Millstone Grit at the very topmost part of the peak.
#FossilFriday
September 12, 2025 at 6:13 PM
Even in poor visibility on top of Ingleborough, we still found fossil plants!
This is in the Millstone Grit at the very topmost part of the peak.
#FossilFriday
This is in the Millstone Grit at the very topmost part of the peak.
#FossilFriday
Reposted by Jake Morton
Today's #FossilFriday post is a Sea Monster and some Seashells...
Why? Because tomorrow afternoon we are back at the fantastic Land of Iron Museum to take people on a tour of the Jurassic ocean!
🐬 The ichthyosaur Temnodontosaurus zetlandicus from Loftus
🐚 A shell-bed of the bivalve Bositra
Why? Because tomorrow afternoon we are back at the fantastic Land of Iron Museum to take people on a tour of the Jurassic ocean!
🐬 The ichthyosaur Temnodontosaurus zetlandicus from Loftus
🐚 A shell-bed of the bivalve Bositra
September 5, 2025 at 10:01 AM
Today's #FossilFriday post is a Sea Monster and some Seashells...
Why? Because tomorrow afternoon we are back at the fantastic Land of Iron Museum to take people on a tour of the Jurassic ocean!
🐬 The ichthyosaur Temnodontosaurus zetlandicus from Loftus
🐚 A shell-bed of the bivalve Bositra
Why? Because tomorrow afternoon we are back at the fantastic Land of Iron Museum to take people on a tour of the Jurassic ocean!
🐬 The ichthyosaur Temnodontosaurus zetlandicus from Loftus
🐚 A shell-bed of the bivalve Bositra
Reposted by Jake Morton
Latest news! 🗞️
As part of our 25th birthday celebrations, 60 schools took on the Moon Base Challenge 🌙
Big congrats to winners St Mary’s, Barnard Castle – chosen by a panel from Airbus and @northumbriauni.bsky.social.
As part of our 25th birthday celebrations, 60 schools took on the Moon Base Challenge 🌙
Big congrats to winners St Mary’s, Barnard Castle – chosen by a panel from Airbus and @northumbriauni.bsky.social.
Stellar space explorers dock at Life Science Centre - Centre For Life
Young space explorers from 60 schools gathered at Life Science Centre in Newcastle to test their moon base designs in a hands-on STEM challenge.
www.life.org.uk
June 30, 2025 at 3:08 PM
Latest news! 🗞️
As part of our 25th birthday celebrations, 60 schools took on the Moon Base Challenge 🌙
Big congrats to winners St Mary’s, Barnard Castle – chosen by a panel from Airbus and @northumbriauni.bsky.social.
As part of our 25th birthday celebrations, 60 schools took on the Moon Base Challenge 🌙
Big congrats to winners St Mary’s, Barnard Castle – chosen by a panel from Airbus and @northumbriauni.bsky.social.
Reposted by Jake Morton
This lovely fossil is a sapling of a giant plant similar to those in Bradford's parks. It's photographed upside down to clearly show the 4 branching roots that all of these plants have - unfortunately the one closest has broken off and is missing.
#FossilFriday
🏛️ Gallery Oldham
#FossilFriday
🏛️ Gallery Oldham
June 6, 2025 at 6:59 PM
This lovely fossil is a sapling of a giant plant similar to those in Bradford's parks. It's photographed upside down to clearly show the 4 branching roots that all of these plants have - unfortunately the one closest has broken off and is missing.
#FossilFriday
🏛️ Gallery Oldham
#FossilFriday
🏛️ Gallery Oldham
Reposted by Jake Morton
Some creatures are windows into the past - others are just windows...
This fossil is a fenestrate bryozoan. The fenestrate part of the name derives from the Latin for window, and refers to the grid-like skeleton of these filter-feeding colonial organisms.
📍 Thorpe
🏛️ Gallery Oldham
#FossilFriday
This fossil is a fenestrate bryozoan. The fenestrate part of the name derives from the Latin for window, and refers to the grid-like skeleton of these filter-feeding colonial organisms.
📍 Thorpe
🏛️ Gallery Oldham
#FossilFriday
May 30, 2025 at 10:51 AM
Some creatures are windows into the past - others are just windows...
This fossil is a fenestrate bryozoan. The fenestrate part of the name derives from the Latin for window, and refers to the grid-like skeleton of these filter-feeding colonial organisms.
📍 Thorpe
🏛️ Gallery Oldham
#FossilFriday
This fossil is a fenestrate bryozoan. The fenestrate part of the name derives from the Latin for window, and refers to the grid-like skeleton of these filter-feeding colonial organisms.
📍 Thorpe
🏛️ Gallery Oldham
#FossilFriday
Reposted by Jake Morton
Join our team of Explainers! 🧪
Are you passionate about engaging people with science? We're looking for enthusiastic individuals to join our team! If you love making experiences exciting, entertaining, informative, and fun, we want you!
Are you passionate about engaging people with science? We're looking for enthusiastic individuals to join our team! If you love making experiences exciting, entertaining, informative, and fun, we want you!
Join the team - Centre For Life
Browse Life Science Centre in Newcastle's latest job vacancies and find out what it's like to work here.
www.life.org.uk
May 20, 2025 at 10:55 AM
Join our team of Explainers! 🧪
Are you passionate about engaging people with science? We're looking for enthusiastic individuals to join our team! If you love making experiences exciting, entertaining, informative, and fun, we want you!
Are you passionate about engaging people with science? We're looking for enthusiastic individuals to join our team! If you love making experiences exciting, entertaining, informative, and fun, we want you!
Reposted by Jake Morton
Last weekend Team Fossils in t'Hills (and friend) went on an adventure under the hills! We were thrilled to once again join Bradford Pothole Club at their winch meet at Gaping Gill.
May 23, 2025 at 7:42 PM
Last weekend Team Fossils in t'Hills (and friend) went on an adventure under the hills! We were thrilled to once again join Bradford Pothole Club at their winch meet at Gaping Gill.
Reposted by Jake Morton
The spectacular main chamber of Gaping Gill is one of the largest underground chambers in Britain.
There are a few fossils which can be seen in the limestone of the caves, including this magnificent fossil coral near the waterfall that was pointed out to us by an experienced caver.
#FossilFriday
There are a few fossils which can be seen in the limestone of the caves, including this magnificent fossil coral near the waterfall that was pointed out to us by an experienced caver.
#FossilFriday
May 23, 2025 at 7:42 PM
The spectacular main chamber of Gaping Gill is one of the largest underground chambers in Britain.
There are a few fossils which can be seen in the limestone of the caves, including this magnificent fossil coral near the waterfall that was pointed out to us by an experienced caver.
#FossilFriday
There are a few fossils which can be seen in the limestone of the caves, including this magnificent fossil coral near the waterfall that was pointed out to us by an experienced caver.
#FossilFriday
Amazing experience this weekend, descending 365 feet into the main chamber at Gaping Gill in the Yorkshire Dales. Breathtaking.
May 19, 2025 at 6:15 AM
Amazing experience this weekend, descending 365 feet into the main chamber at Gaping Gill in the Yorkshire Dales. Breathtaking.
Reposted by Jake Morton
Heading out to a park this #FossilFriday?
Be sure to visit Horton Park in Bradford, where you can see one of three huge fossil trees!
These Carboniferous giants were excavated from Clayton in the late 19th Century and placed on public display to "inspire future generations of geologists".
Be sure to visit Horton Park in Bradford, where you can see one of three huge fossil trees!
These Carboniferous giants were excavated from Clayton in the late 19th Century and placed on public display to "inspire future generations of geologists".
May 16, 2025 at 6:37 PM
Heading out to a park this #FossilFriday?
Be sure to visit Horton Park in Bradford, where you can see one of three huge fossil trees!
These Carboniferous giants were excavated from Clayton in the late 19th Century and placed on public display to "inspire future generations of geologists".
Be sure to visit Horton Park in Bradford, where you can see one of three huge fossil trees!
These Carboniferous giants were excavated from Clayton in the late 19th Century and placed on public display to "inspire future generations of geologists".
Reposted by Jake Morton
Looks like we're in for more glorious weather here in Yorkshire!
With extremely low water levels it's a great time to head out to a stream to see what you can find!
We recently spotted this lovely little Siphonodendron amongst the cobbles in a dry stream near Horton in Ribblesdale.
#FossilFriday
With extremely low water levels it's a great time to head out to a stream to see what you can find!
We recently spotted this lovely little Siphonodendron amongst the cobbles in a dry stream near Horton in Ribblesdale.
#FossilFriday
May 9, 2025 at 10:49 AM
Looks like we're in for more glorious weather here in Yorkshire!
With extremely low water levels it's a great time to head out to a stream to see what you can find!
We recently spotted this lovely little Siphonodendron amongst the cobbles in a dry stream near Horton in Ribblesdale.
#FossilFriday
With extremely low water levels it's a great time to head out to a stream to see what you can find!
We recently spotted this lovely little Siphonodendron amongst the cobbles in a dry stream near Horton in Ribblesdale.
#FossilFriday
Reposted by Jake Morton
Anyone for fossils and chips?
After work we had a takeaway sitting by the riverbank, followed by a quick look along the river beach - where we found this lovely little Stigmaria!
📍 Gargrave
#Yorkshire #YorkshireFossils #ukfossils #fossilplant #carboniferous #geology #gargrave #FossilFriday
After work we had a takeaway sitting by the riverbank, followed by a quick look along the river beach - where we found this lovely little Stigmaria!
📍 Gargrave
#Yorkshire #YorkshireFossils #ukfossils #fossilplant #carboniferous #geology #gargrave #FossilFriday
April 25, 2025 at 7:25 PM
Anyone for fossils and chips?
After work we had a takeaway sitting by the riverbank, followed by a quick look along the river beach - where we found this lovely little Stigmaria!
📍 Gargrave
#Yorkshire #YorkshireFossils #ukfossils #fossilplant #carboniferous #geology #gargrave #FossilFriday
After work we had a takeaway sitting by the riverbank, followed by a quick look along the river beach - where we found this lovely little Stigmaria!
📍 Gargrave
#Yorkshire #YorkshireFossils #ukfossils #fossilplant #carboniferous #geology #gargrave #FossilFriday
These gorgeous fossils are Stigmaria, the roots of enormous tree-like plants that lived over 300 million years ago! I found these ones on Blast Beach at Seaham, where the spoil heap from an old coal mine is being eroded by the sea!
April 19, 2025 at 3:13 PM
These gorgeous fossils are Stigmaria, the roots of enormous tree-like plants that lived over 300 million years ago! I found these ones on Blast Beach at Seaham, where the spoil heap from an old coal mine is being eroded by the sea!
Reposted by Jake Morton
It's been so warm in Yorkshire this week you could be forgiven for thinking you were in the Carboniferous, when tropical corals like this Lithostrotion were alive...
...Ok, so it's not really been tropical here this week, but it's been beautiful weather!
#FossilFriday
🏛️ @galleryoldham.bsky.social
...Ok, so it's not really been tropical here this week, but it's been beautiful weather!
#FossilFriday
🏛️ @galleryoldham.bsky.social
April 11, 2025 at 10:32 AM
It's been so warm in Yorkshire this week you could be forgiven for thinking you were in the Carboniferous, when tropical corals like this Lithostrotion were alive...
...Ok, so it's not really been tropical here this week, but it's been beautiful weather!
#FossilFriday
🏛️ @galleryoldham.bsky.social
...Ok, so it's not really been tropical here this week, but it's been beautiful weather!
#FossilFriday
🏛️ @galleryoldham.bsky.social
Reposted by Jake Morton
Pendle Hill rises like the prow of a ship over Lancashire - famous for its witches but less so for its fossils!
Most of the rocks of Pendle Hill are un-fossiliferous. You can however find a few fossils including these small bivalves (Posidonia) in scree on the flanks of the hill.
#FossilFriday
Most of the rocks of Pendle Hill are un-fossiliferous. You can however find a few fossils including these small bivalves (Posidonia) in scree on the flanks of the hill.
#FossilFriday
April 4, 2025 at 6:57 PM
Pendle Hill rises like the prow of a ship over Lancashire - famous for its witches but less so for its fossils!
Most of the rocks of Pendle Hill are un-fossiliferous. You can however find a few fossils including these small bivalves (Posidonia) in scree on the flanks of the hill.
#FossilFriday
Most of the rocks of Pendle Hill are un-fossiliferous. You can however find a few fossils including these small bivalves (Posidonia) in scree on the flanks of the hill.
#FossilFriday
Reposted by Jake Morton
We always do a #FossilFriday post on a fossil, but this week the fossil is on the post! (...groan...)
Keep your eyes peeled for fossil plants in the Millstone Grit, they're everywhere! We spotted this piece of fossil plant in an old gate
post near Keighley.
Keep your eyes peeled for fossil plants in the Millstone Grit, they're everywhere! We spotted this piece of fossil plant in an old gate
post near Keighley.
March 28, 2025 at 8:38 PM
We always do a #FossilFriday post on a fossil, but this week the fossil is on the post! (...groan...)
Keep your eyes peeled for fossil plants in the Millstone Grit, they're everywhere! We spotted this piece of fossil plant in an old gate
post near Keighley.
Keep your eyes peeled for fossil plants in the Millstone Grit, they're everywhere! We spotted this piece of fossil plant in an old gate
post near Keighley.
Reposted by Jake Morton
In honour of William Buckland's birthday earlier this week, here is one of his hyena fossils!
Buckland borrowed a live hyena in order to study its poo and the gnaw marks it left on bones. He then compared these with fossils from Kirkdale Cave in Yorkshire #FossilFriday
🏛️@morethanadodo.bsky.social
Buckland borrowed a live hyena in order to study its poo and the gnaw marks it left on bones. He then compared these with fossils from Kirkdale Cave in Yorkshire #FossilFriday
🏛️@morethanadodo.bsky.social
March 14, 2025 at 9:05 PM
In honour of William Buckland's birthday earlier this week, here is one of his hyena fossils!
Buckland borrowed a live hyena in order to study its poo and the gnaw marks it left on bones. He then compared these with fossils from Kirkdale Cave in Yorkshire #FossilFriday
🏛️@morethanadodo.bsky.social
Buckland borrowed a live hyena in order to study its poo and the gnaw marks it left on bones. He then compared these with fossils from Kirkdale Cave in Yorkshire #FossilFriday
🏛️@morethanadodo.bsky.social
Reposted by Jake Morton
Our goal is to celebrate Yorkshire's inland geology, but we have a confession: we're also experts on coastal fossils...
If you're interested in the coast's palaeoheritage or are a palaeoart fan, check out this new book! Our team members Becky & Jed were scientific advisors for some of the artwork.
If you're interested in the coast's palaeoheritage or are a palaeoart fan, check out this new book! Our team members Becky & Jed were scientific advisors for some of the artwork.
February 25, 2025 at 9:06 PM
Our goal is to celebrate Yorkshire's inland geology, but we have a confession: we're also experts on coastal fossils...
If you're interested in the coast's palaeoheritage or are a palaeoart fan, check out this new book! Our team members Becky & Jed were scientific advisors for some of the artwork.
If you're interested in the coast's palaeoheritage or are a palaeoart fan, check out this new book! Our team members Becky & Jed were scientific advisors for some of the artwork.
Reposted by Jake Morton
You wont find any pearls in this shell - but it's filled with calcite crystals!
Brachiopod shells typically stay together after the animal dies, meaning when they are buried on the sea bed they become a pocket of space into which crystals can precipitate from mineral-rich water.
#FossilFriday
Brachiopod shells typically stay together after the animal dies, meaning when they are buried on the sea bed they become a pocket of space into which crystals can precipitate from mineral-rich water.
#FossilFriday
February 28, 2025 at 10:37 AM
You wont find any pearls in this shell - but it's filled with calcite crystals!
Brachiopod shells typically stay together after the animal dies, meaning when they are buried on the sea bed they become a pocket of space into which crystals can precipitate from mineral-rich water.
#FossilFriday
Brachiopod shells typically stay together after the animal dies, meaning when they are buried on the sea bed they become a pocket of space into which crystals can precipitate from mineral-rich water.
#FossilFriday
Reposted by Jake Morton
As the weather improves, we're looking forward to getting back out into the hills to uncover more fossils and their stories.
In the meantime, here is a lovely Stigmaria we found last autumn in the most Yorkshire sounding place of all the dales: Arkengarthdale!
#FossilFriday
In the meantime, here is a lovely Stigmaria we found last autumn in the most Yorkshire sounding place of all the dales: Arkengarthdale!
#FossilFriday
March 7, 2025 at 9:20 PM
As the weather improves, we're looking forward to getting back out into the hills to uncover more fossils and their stories.
In the meantime, here is a lovely Stigmaria we found last autumn in the most Yorkshire sounding place of all the dales: Arkengarthdale!
#FossilFriday
In the meantime, here is a lovely Stigmaria we found last autumn in the most Yorkshire sounding place of all the dales: Arkengarthdale!
#FossilFriday
Reposted by Jake Morton
On this #FossilFriday in 1822, a significant event in the history of UK palaeontology occurred!
William Buckland presented his study on fossils from Kirkdale Cave, providing evidence that hyenas once lived there rather than their bones being washed by a great flood.
🏛️ @leedsmuseums.bsky.social
William Buckland presented his study on fossils from Kirkdale Cave, providing evidence that hyenas once lived there rather than their bones being washed by a great flood.
🏛️ @leedsmuseums.bsky.social
February 21, 2025 at 7:54 PM
On this #FossilFriday in 1822, a significant event in the history of UK palaeontology occurred!
William Buckland presented his study on fossils from Kirkdale Cave, providing evidence that hyenas once lived there rather than their bones being washed by a great flood.
🏛️ @leedsmuseums.bsky.social
William Buckland presented his study on fossils from Kirkdale Cave, providing evidence that hyenas once lived there rather than their bones being washed by a great flood.
🏛️ @leedsmuseums.bsky.social
Reposted by Jake Morton
Today is #FossilFriday and also Valentine's Day, so we've each selected a fossil that we love!
Edestus - the whorl toothed shark from near Huddersfield (📷GB3D type Fossils 🏛️ @britgeosurvey.bsky.social)
Edestus - the whorl toothed shark from near Huddersfield (📷GB3D type Fossils 🏛️ @britgeosurvey.bsky.social)
February 14, 2025 at 6:25 PM
Today is #FossilFriday and also Valentine's Day, so we've each selected a fossil that we love!
Edestus - the whorl toothed shark from near Huddersfield (📷GB3D type Fossils 🏛️ @britgeosurvey.bsky.social)
Edestus - the whorl toothed shark from near Huddersfield (📷GB3D type Fossils 🏛️ @britgeosurvey.bsky.social)
Reposted by Jake Morton
We've had a great #FossilFriday digging through the archives of @sheffieldmuseums.bsky.social researching fossil trees. Many fossil tree stumps had a thin outer-layer of coal which often falls off when the tree is excavated
This piece came from a stump near Barnsley and looks just like modern bark!
This piece came from a stump near Barnsley and looks just like modern bark!
February 7, 2025 at 9:10 PM
We've had a great #FossilFriday digging through the archives of @sheffieldmuseums.bsky.social researching fossil trees. Many fossil tree stumps had a thin outer-layer of coal which often falls off when the tree is excavated
This piece came from a stump near Barnsley and looks just like modern bark!
This piece came from a stump near Barnsley and looks just like modern bark!