My work relies heavily on X-ray computed tomography, or CT, to visualise small internal features of modern and fossil animals like lizards, snakes and frogs. For many years I worked in the CT lab of the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin, where I honed my skills largely by trial and error. Every specimen reacts differently to this process, although I’m currently developing techniques for high-throughput CT scanning of dozens of fossils in a single scan. This will allow me to explore, quantify and compare the vast fossil deposits of Australia and reconstruct aspects of community change over time related to body size, shape, diversification and environmental responses.

Some of my CT work at Museums Victoria can be seen here, although this is just a small peek into the great diversity of objects I work with.