The sudden death of actor Sam Neill prompted tributes from colleagues and fans worldwide. But the news also resonated strongly with many palaeontologists, for whom Neill’s character in Jurassic Park, Dr Alan Grant, was a pivotal inspiration for their career choice.
“I was preparing for a fossil show-and-tell the day I heard the news Dr Grant left us”, says University of Montana palaeontologist and PBS Eons co-host Kallie Moore. “When I dedicated the talk to Sam – holding back tears – I got many sad nods from parents. It’s incredible the reach a fictional character had in palaeontology, because for us 90s kids Dr Grant wasn’t just a character – he became a colleague.”
