What did Robert Beattie discover?

Beattie discovered a new species of non-biting midge fossil that dates back 151 million years to the Jurassic period, challenging assumptions about the evolution of this group of insects.

How did Beattie's childhood fossil find inspire his lifelong passion?

As a boy in 1948, Beattie discovered a Permian fossil while on a family holiday in Gerringong, New South Wales, sparking his lifelong interest in palaeontology.

How has Beattie's discovery changed our understanding of insect evolution?

Beattie's find suggests that the Podonominae subfamily of midges likely originated in the southern hemisphere, on the ancient supercontinent of Gondwana, rather than the northern Laurasia as previously believed.

Home / Science / 82-Year-Old Fossil Hunter's Decades-Long Quest Yields Groundbreaking Evolutionary Insights

82-Year-Old Fossil Hunter's Decades-Long Quest Yields Groundbreaking Evolutionary Insights

9 Nov

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Summary

Childhood fossil discovery sparks lifelong passion for palaeontology
Retired teacher discovers new midge species, changes understanding of insect evolution
Fossil site in Australia's central tablelands dates back 151 million years

82-Year-Old Fossil Hunter's Decades-Long Quest Yields Groundbreaking Evolutionary Insights

In 2025, Robert Beattie, an 82-year-old fossil hunter, is making headlines for a discovery that is changing our understanding of insect evolution. Beattie's passion for palaeontology was ignited in 1948, when as a child, he found a Permian fossil while on a family holiday in the coastal town of Gerringong, New South Wales.

Since then, Beattie has dedicated his life to fossil collecting, working as a science and agriculture teacher and studying palaeontology at Macquarie University in the 1960s. In retirement, he has focused his efforts full-time on his lifelong passion, bringing his findings to the Australian Museum over the years.