Objective "The evolution of birds from their dinosaur ancestors represents one of the most important and widely used examples of evolution available from the fossil record. Within this dinosaur-bird lineage, the evolution of bipedal locomotion has proven to be an intensely active area of research. Most of this research has taken an almost exclusively osteological approach, but while the fossilised skeletons of extinct animals can tell us much about their anatomy and palaeobiology, it is fossilised tracks that represent our only direct record of limb kinematics and animal locomotion.A fossil track represents the only direct record of limb motion, being the result of an interaction between an animal’s foot and a substrate. Track morphology is completely determined by substrate consistency, limb kinematics and kinetics, and foot morphology. By reverse engineering the process of track formation, information can be obtained pertaining to the locomotion of the track maker.The proposed research aims to investigate the effects of differing limb motion on track formation, in an attempt to understand locomotor evolution throughout the 230 million year evolutionary history of theropods (including modern birds). This will be achieved by marshalling state-of-the-art methods including bi-planer x-ray visualisation in order to physically model tracks. A virtual ‘track simulator,’ based on the discrete element method for modelling granular substrates will then be developed to explore in detail the effects limb motion has upon track formation. This knowledge will then be applied to the fossil record to observe any changes attributable to limb kinematics and locomotor evolution through time." Fields of science humanitieshistory and archaeologyhistorynatural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencespalaeontology Programme(s) FP7-PEOPLE - Specific programme "People" implementing the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007 to 2013) Topic(s) FP7-PEOPLE-2010-IOF - Marie Curie Action: "International Outgoing Fellowships for Career Development" Call for proposal FP7-PEOPLE-2010-IOF See other projects for this call Funding Scheme MC-IOF - International Outgoing Fellowships (IOF) Coordinator THE ROYAL VETERINARY COLLEGE EU contribution € 239 221,60 Address ROYAL COLLEGE STREET NW1 OTU London United Kingdom See on map Region London Outer London — West and North West Barnet Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Carol Lawson (Ms.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data