Devon School children visit Centre for Computed Tomography

In 2010 palaeontologists from Dorset County Council worked with Engineering Scientists at the Centre to X-Ray the fossilised skull of a pliosaur, an enormous long marine predator (up to 16m long) recently unearthed on the Jurassic Coast.

The pupils from Axe Community College, Devon, are working on an art project as part of  the Jurassic Coast’s Creative Coast project. The Creative Coast project has steered the pupils work in the direction of the Pliosaur and Sarah Butterworth’s Project Pliosaur.

Once this link was established, the College’s Head of Art, Mr Charles Sinclair, arranged a visit to the Centre to add another dimension to the children’s appreciation of the processes of recording and interpretation of the fossil remains.

The children were given a mini lecture and a tour by Professor Ian Sinclair, Director of the 'µ-VIS' Centre for Computed Tomography to explain how the Centre’s new high-energy, high-resolution CT scanner was used to create 3D images of one of the biggest pliosaurs ever found.

Professor Sinclair comments: “We're really pleased to have this opportunity to bring science to life for schools”

Charles Sinclair, Head of Art, The Axe Valley Community College comments: “I am used to devising art projects for secondary school pupils, but to incorporate a visit to a University engineering department is a first and a step into the unknown. However this was an inspiring visit. We felt we were witnessing the cutting edge of knowledge being developed; the value of university education was firmly established in our student’s minds and the significance of old bones give tangible demonstrated.

“I thank Professor Sinclair and his team for appreciating the unique opportunity this was too our students and delivering such a wonderful visit for them.”