This article was published in Scientific American’s former blog network and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of Scientific American
One again it’s that time of year when I announce the impending occurrence of the annual Tetrapod Zoology Convention, or TetZooCon as it’s known. A day of events devoted to tetrapod zoology: to tetrapod diversity, anatomy, history, evolution and biology, to mammalogy, ornithology, herpetology, vertebrate palaeontology and cryptozoology, and to the appearance and use of tetrapods in art, culture and mythology. I am aided and abetted in this endeavour by John Conway and a team of helpers, and we have a good crowd of regular attendees.
Our banner for the year. I did ask for one made out of fish but John refused to oblige. Credit: Darren Naish, John Conway
Held, once again, at the London Wetland Centre in Barnes, west London, this year’s TetZooCon – the third so far – happens on Saturday October 1st. Tickets cost £50 and you can book (and get further information) here: http://tetzoo.com/convention. This year we are once again in the lecture theatre.
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THERE WILL BE DUCKS. There are always ducks. Well done if you can identify the species. Dead easy, of course. Credit: Darren Naish
Both previous TetZooCons have been successful and feedback has mostly been extraordinarily good. Things aren’t going so well that we can retire from work and rely wholly on our TetZooCon-themed earnings (sigh... one day), but at least we feel positive enough about these events to keep putting them on. We’re also not yet in a position to make it a two-day event, but I’m sure we’ll get there.
A scene from TetZooCon 2014: John Conway satisfies eager fans. Credit: Darren Naish
As usual we have a packed, exciting schedule of talks and events involving a fascinating bunch of people from across the TetZooniverse. Confirmed speakers include John Hutchinson on biomechanics (specifically: kneecaps!), Hannah O’Regan on bears in the archaeological record, Charles Paxton on sightings of aquatic monsters and what to do with them, and yours truly on… something about sex and dinosaurs. Other talks and events involve pterosaurs, palaeoart, British reptiles and amphibians, and frogs. Talks will be filmed and – in time – will be uploaded to the Tetrapod Zoology youtube channel (yes, that’s a thing. Please subscribe).
Katrina van Grouw (of The Unfeathered Bird fame) will be speaking about her new, in-progress project, and we end – as usual – with a quiz… which I have yet to write. There will be books and other merchandise on sale (Mark Witton’s Recreating an Age of Reptiles will be there I hope), though I regret that I don’t yet have any additional copies of my new Dinosaurs: How They Lived and Evolved.
Someone has to buy these books you know. Credit: Darren Naish
I might even bring along a printout of the current version of the giant text book I’m working on. I might not: I don’t think I’ll have time to get it printed. I should also add that I’m speaking at New Scientist Live on September 22nd (more info here), and at the Popularising Palaeontology workshop at King’s College on September 14th or 15th (more info here). But, hey, I’m sure I’ll manage (crazed, manic laughter).
Anyway, consider this a last call for TetZooCon. We hope to see many of you there, and as usual there will be much in the way of social media interaction (follow #TetZooCon), photography, and post-conference deliberation.
Again, book here: http://tetzoo.com/convention
For previous Tet Zoo articles on TetZooCon, see...