UCC launches ‘Great Irish Fossil Hunt’ to map Ireland’s fossil heritage

Citizen scientists are encouraged to find and log fossils in urban and natural settings to create a national fossil map

Jess Franklin of School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Science and Professor Maria McNamara MRIA, Professor of Palaeontology explore coastal rocks as part of 'The Great Irish Fossil Hunt'. Picture: Clare Keogh

Scientists from University College Cork (UCC) have launched a new citizen science initiative aimed at encouraging people to find and log any fossils they discover in natural and urban outdoor settings across the country.

The Great Irish Fossil Hunt campaign, which kicked off at UCC on Wednesday, asks members of the public who find any fossils to take a picture and send it to the UCC research team.