Dr. Mike Benton

Biography

Mike Benton is a Professor of Vertebrate Paleontology at the University of Bristol, with significant expertise in large-scale evolution particularly concerning dinosaurs. His research explores the effects of mass extinctions, environmental change, and biological innovation in the evolution of reptiles, birds, and mammals. Benton was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 2014 for his fundamental contributions to understanding the history of life, especially regarding biodiversity fluctuations over time. He engages in interpreting ancient environments through fossil records, focusing on events like the end-Permian mass extinction, which marked the greatest loss of life on Earth approximately 250 million years ago. He has published over 400 scientific papers and more than 50 books on a broad spectrum of paleontological topics. As a founder of the MSc in Palaeobiology at Bristol, Benton has supervised over 70 PhD students and has welcomed about 400 students since its inception in 1996. His publications include standard textbooks in paleontology, emphasizing the transition of paleobiology into a testable science over the past three decades, with notable works such as 'Dinosaurs Rediscovered' and others focusing on diversification and ecological changes throughout history.

Research Interests

Experience