She sells seashells by the seashore
Mary Anning
How many of us have been bowled over by this tongue twister? I am still unable to say it 3 times faster. However, an anecdote suggests that this tongue twister was not devised by native English speakers to confound those unfamiliar with their language, but rather served as a homage to one of the earliest paleontologists, a woman of notable distinction. In the annals of paleontology, Mary Anning stands as a titan—a pioneering figure whose groundbreaking discoveries reshaped our understanding of prehistoric life.
Born in 1799 in Lyme Regis, in the southwest English county of Dorset, to a family of modest means, Mary spent her formative years scouring the cliffs along the Jurassic Coast, unearthing fossilized remains that would revolutionize the field of paleontology and challenge prevailing scientific dogma. From a young age, Anning displayed an insatiable curiosity and keen observational skills, traits that would serve her well in her later endeavors. Accompanying her father, a cabinetmaker and avid fossil enthusiast, on his beach "hunting" expeditions, she became his trusted fossil-finding companion. From the tender age of five or six, she assisted him in excavating and cleaning fossils discovered along the seashore, which were later sold in his shop to supplement their income. Tragically, upon her father's unexpected demise in 1810, this shared passion became essential for sustaining her family's livelihood.
Anning's breakthrough came in 1811, at the tender age of twelve, when she unearthed a peculiar looking skeleton alongside her brother Joseph. Their efforts revealed the remarkable outline of a fossilized skeleton of an ichthyosaur—a marine reptile from the Mesozoic Era, eventually measuring an astonishing 5.2 meters in length after several months of diligent excavation. This remarkable discovery catapulted Anning to prominence within the scientific community, earning her widespread recognition as a prodigious talent in the field of paleontology.
Undeterred by societal barriers and gender-based discrimination, Anning continued her pursuit of scientific knowledge, meticulously documenting and cataloging her finds. In 1823, she made another significant, albeit controversial discovery: the skeleton of a plesiosaur, a marine reptile with a long neck and paddle-like limbs. The unearthed skeleton sparked speculation and rumors of fabrication, with some suggesting it was a concoction of fossilized bones from various animals. To address the controversy surrounding its authenticity, a special meeting was convened at the Geological Society of London. Mary, however, was excluded from this gathering, as the society did not admit women until 1904. This find provided further evidence of the diversity of prehistoric life and fueled Anning's growing reputation as a preeminent paleontologist.
Despite her groundbreaking contributions to the field, Anning faced numerous challenges and obstacles throughout her career. As a woman working in a male-dominated field, she encountered skepticism and prejudice from male colleagues who were reluctant to acknowledge her expertise and accomplishments. It was further fueled by the fact that her discoveries were self-taught, and she possessed no formal education to support her findings. Another primary factor that served as her obstacle was her poverty-ridden background. Compelled to sell her discoveries to support her family, fossils of scientific significance often ended up credited to the wealthy collectors who purchased them and then donated them to the museum, rather than to the individual, particularly a woman, who unearthed them. It is speculated that she was not credited for the vast majority of her discoveries.
Despite her formal education being limited, she voraciously consumed scientific literature and painstakingly transcribed papers borrowed from others. Palaeontologist Christopher McGowan, upon examining Mary Anning's copy of an 1824 paper by William Conybeare on marine reptile fossils, remarked on her detailed technical illustrations, which were indistinguishable from the original. Additionally, she conducted dissections of modern animals, including fish and cuttlefish, to enhance her understanding of the anatomy of the fossils she worked with.
Anning's most famous discovery came in 1828 when she unearthed the first complete skeleton of a pterosaur—a flying reptile from the Mesozoic Era. This extraordinary find provided unprecedented insights into the anatomy and behavior of these ancient creatures, cementing Anning's legacy as one of the greatest paleontologists of her time. The discoveries made by Anning emerged as crucial evidence supporting the concept of extinction.
While Mary’s reputation was largely built on her discoveries of vertebrate fossils, particularly marine reptiles, she made numerous other significant contributions to early paleontology. In 1826, Anning stumbled upon what appeared to be a chamber containing dried ink within a belemnite fossil. Showing it to her friend Elizabeth Philpot, they were able to revive the ink and use it to illustrate ichthyosaur fossils. This discovery led to the revelation that Jurassic belemnites likely used ink for defense, similar to modern cephalopods. Anning also observed "bezoar stones" in the abdominal region of ichthyosaur skeletons, suspecting them to be fossilized feces. Upon further investigation, William Buckland credited Anning for her insight and named these fossils coprolites, acknowledging her skill and contributions to solving the mystery during his presentation to the Geological Society.
Despite her many achievements, Anning's contributions to paleontology were often overlooked or attributed to male colleagues. Her gender and social status relegated her to the margins of scientific discourse, denying her the recognition and acclaim she rightfully deserved. While Anning possessed a deeper understanding of fossils and geology compared to numerous affluent fossil collectors she sold to, it was invariably the male geologists who published scientific descriptions of the specimens she discovered, frequently overlooking Anning's contributions by failing to credit her name. However, Anning's legacy endured, inspiring future generations of scientists and paleontologists to challenge conventional wisdom and push the boundaries of human knowledge.
During her lifetime, the Swiss-American naturalist Louis Agassiz was the only individual to name a species after Anning. In the early 1840s, he honored her with two fossil fish species: Acrodus anningiae and Belenostomus anningiae, as well as naming another after Elizabeth Philpot. Agassiz expressed gratitude for the assistance they had provided in examining fossil fish specimens during his visit to Lyme Regis in 1834. Following Mary's passing, additional species and genera were named in her honor, including the ostracod Cytherelloidea anningi, the therapsid reptile genus Anningia, and the bivalve mollusk genus Anningella. Subsequent acknowledgments include the plesiosaur genus Anningasaura in 2012 and the species Ichthyosaurus anningae in 2015.
Mary's legacy extends far beyond her scientific achievements. As a pioneering woman in a male-dominated field, she defied societal expectations and shattered glass ceilings, paving the way for future generations of women in science. Her resilience, determination, and passion for discovery serve as an enduring inspiration to all who dare to dream and defy the odds. However, she was frequently disillusioned by the unfair treatment she received by those she considered her peers. She told her companion, Anna Pinney, that she felt used by them, because they had exploited her knowledge, profiting from publishing works for which she provided the substance, yet she reaped none of the benefits. Anning herself wrote in a letter: "The world has used me so unkindly, I fear it has made me suspicious of everyone."
Today, Mary Anning's contributions to paleontology are celebrated and honored around the world. Museums, universities, and scientific institutions pay tribute to her legacy, ensuring that her name and accomplishments will never be forgotten. However, it seems too cruel that she never received the respect that she craved from her peers when she was alive. She was a woman who overcame poverty and skepticism to emerge as one of the most famous names in her field. From humble beginnings in Lyme Regis to international acclaim as one of history's greatest paleontologists, Mary Anning's remarkable journey serves as a testament to the power of curiosity, perseverance, and the indomitable human spirit.
References:
Lucier, P., & Clary, R. M. (2021). THE FOSSIL WOMAN: A LIFE OF MARY ANNING. Earth Sciences History, 40(1), 282+. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A662784440/AONE?u=anon~f3b7f330&sid=googleScholar&xid=8f42c522
Taylor, M. A., & Benton, M. J. (2023). The Life of Mary Anning, Fossil Collector of Lyme Regis: a Contemporary Biographical Memoir by George Roberts [Review of The Life of Mary Anning, Fossil Collector of Lyme Regis: a Contemporary Biographical Memoir by George Roberts]. In Journal of the Geological Society (Vol. 180).
Wikipedia Contributors. (2019, October 15). Mary Anning. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Anning
