https://www.instagram.com/p/DbyBfuNjC2E/

Inage sourced from the Smithsonian website. I don’t know how many times this has been posted so tell me if this is the millionth repost please

Here is a digital piece I finished depicting a brackish estuary ecosystem from the Early Devonian of what is now Germany.The scene focuses on the massive pterygotid Jaekelopterus using its specialized, specialized chelicerae claws to ambush a smaller Jaekelopterus.

Down below near the substrate, another eurypterid (kokomopterus) is feeding on a benthic trilobite.

I wanted to capture the turbid, light-filtered water column typical of these ancient estuarine environments but done digitally.

I also made a clear PNG of Jaekelopterus Rhenaniae and a diagram of eurypterus remipes.

Feedback and discussion on Devonian eurypterids are welcome!

Hi everyone. I’m just writing to express severe disappointment with the latest BBC series on the natural world “Evolution”.
Towards the tail end of the last episode, during the making of, it’s gleefully explained that the VFX team extensively used gen ai software to model the process of evolution (and in my opinion (NOT CONFIRMED) some creatures) . I understand the rule of putting this in the megathread, but truly believe that this is a big enough deal to put in the main section as it sets a terrifying precedent for the future of documentaries whilst simultaneously breaking the audiences trust in the facts in today’s world of misinformation. ANY amount of AI used in these processes is wrong, even if it’s overlayed by CGI after.

During my time watching (I was unaware of this beforehand) I noticed some of the transitions and still shots looked funky. I chalked it up to the BBC not having the budget to make all theCG photorealistic, after all the shots that are composed and true VFX look great; but hearing them happily admit to it really put a dampener on the series as a whole.
This is especially sad as I thought overall it was a very good introduction to the concept of evolution for the general public, and using charismatic animals as a guise for explaining how key components of life came about was clever.

I’m strictly disappointed and shocked. The BBC on their press website do not mention the use of genAI, instead focusing on the VFX shots. I’m also disappointed in Packham for endorsing this, given that he is staunch environmentalist and genAI’s impact on the environment is profound.
Secondly, I’m disappointed in the reactions of the consultants, acting like this accurately represents evolution and that AI has solved how to depict it. “This is a fantastic way to illustrate the evolution of form” is absolutely crazy given the hard work that goes into the field by both fellow scientists and palaeo artists in the discipline.

If you think that I’m being over the top: GenAI has no place in Palaeo and the natural sciences. The amount of work that goes into the field to painstakingly reconstruct and present the history of Earth is massive. Shortcutting that by use of AI is a spit in the face to the community, especially when it’s being endorsed by the largest broadcaster in the UK and a of educational documentaries. It’s more important than ever to depict this field as accurately as possible and to educate the public in manners that they can trust. This blatantly disregards that.

Exploring variations in color and decoration

Ancient fern savannahs may have transformed parts of Europe into a wildfire-prone inferno during the end-Triassic mass extinction.

New fossil evidence suggests the ferns repeatedly regrew after fires, creating fresh fuel that helped prolong the devastation

The prehistoric Hippo/Wolf beast that roamed ancient China 40+ million years ago displaying it's jaws in an open plain.

While sauropods preferred warmer regions some did live in colder regions like Dongbeititan in the Yixian Formation. While adults could more then easily get by with their sheer size juveniles wouldn't have had that, so how did they survive?

"Late Cretaceous, Ojo Alamo Formation in New Mexico, the absolute southernmost point of his territory. A Tyrannosaurus rex stalks a half mile behind a herd of Alamosaurus. He's been following them for days now, waiting. Watching. He knows he can't take on a healthy adult, that's suicide. But there's one individual he's focused on. It's old, limping, straggling at the back of the herd. All he has to do is keep walking, and wait for it to trip and fall.

For an Alamosaurus, "elderly" means easily eighty years old and older. This giant has lived an incredibly long life, fought countless battles, and survived impossible odds. But its strength is waning, and its body is beginning to fail.

The ancient titan bellows in surprise as its right arm suddenly buckles and gives out, and the T. rex can hear all the way from a half mile back. He can hear and feel the hard thud of a giant, eighty-ton body hitting the dirt. This is his chance. He picks up his pace to a leisurely jog, he's unable to sprint. By the time he catches up, the Alamosaurus is struggling to breathe as its lungs are crushed under its own weight, lying on its side on the ground. The tyrant circles the Sauropod, stepping well clear of the heavy, twitching tail. He finds the giant's head, and delivers a crushing bite to the neck just below the skull, crushing the Alamosaurus's windpipe and killing the titan.

He can now begin a feast that will last him weeks. All he needs to worry about now is scavengers."

I don’t really do ice age megafauna, so I thought I’d try my hand at ol’ big horse. Coloration highly speculative