How a poor, self-taught woman changed our understanding of prehistoric life forever

Nature · Published 29 September 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Mary Anning was a pioneering fossil hunter in 19th-century England whose discoveries challenged contemporary views on extinction. Despite her lack of formal education and the scientific community's refusal to grant her membership, her expertise in anatomy and geology became essential to the early development of modern palaeontology.

Born in 1799 in Lyme Regis, Mary Anning grew up in a poor family of religious dissenters. After her father, a cabinetmaker and amateur fossil collector, died in 1810, Anning began selling fossils to support her family. She taught herself geology and anatomy, eventually becoming a renowned expert who identified and excavated significant specimens from the Blue Lias cliffs along the Jurassic Coast.

Her most famous discoveries include the first correctly identified ichthyosaur skeleton, which she began excavating at age 12, and the first complete plesiosaur skeleton, found in 1823. In 1828, she also unearthed the first pterosaur skeleton discovered outside Germany. Beyond these, she pioneered the study of coprolites—fossilised faeces—and identified that belemnite fossils contained ink sacs, providing crucial insights into ancient marine life.

Despite her contributions, Anning faced systemic exclusion. The Geological Society of London barred women from membership until 1908, and male scientists often failed to credit her in their papers, even when describing her finds. She struggled financially for much of her life, dying of breast cancer in 1847 at age 47. Today, she is widely celebrated, with her work recognized as foundational to our understanding of prehistoric life and extinction.

While some believe Anning inspired the tongue twister 'She sells seashells on the seashore,' folklorists have found no historical evidence for this claim. Her legacy is instead preserved through her scientific impact and recent honors, including a statue in Lyme Regis and recognition by the Royal Society in 2010 as one of the ten most influential women scientists in British history.

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