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Orca Group SeriesIndependent ocean storytelling
Portrait of Dr Agnese Lanzetti

Portrait: Orca Group Series interview still.

The person behind the conversation

Bio & achievements

Dr Agnese Lanzetti has a background in evolutionary biology and palaeontology, with whale evolution a focus since her master’s studies. In this conversation she describes working in the imaging laboratories at London’s Natural History Museum, studying organisms ranging from small invertebrates to mammals.

  • Evolutionary biologist and palaeontologist
  • Research experience in whale evolution and museum imaging

Meet the guest

Dr Agnese Lanzetti

Whale evolution and museum science

Dr Agnese Lanzetti discusses whale development, anatomy, museum collections and the evidence used to study how whales evolved.

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What developing whales reveal about evolution

Whale evolution

  • How fossils help reconstruct whale evolution
  • What anatomy can reveal about life in water
  • The questions that remain open in evolutionary research

In their own words

What can museum imaging reveal?

From Nick’s question: “How would you explain to them what you do as an imaging platform lead in the museum, like a day, just any kind of situation?”

So, it's very useful in museum collections, because you don't destroy anything. You can just take a picture, let's say, a lot of pictures, and then have a 3D model of your specimen to take home with you.

Agnese is describing CT scanning and other imaging methods used to investigate museum specimens.

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