Interview with paleontologist Oleksandr Kovalchuk

Millions of years ago, the territory of modern Ukraine, like the entire Earth, looked completely different. Seas, land, climate, and ecosystems changed over time. But the remains of animals and plants from that era have been preserved in the soil at various depths. How do scientists reconstruct the past from these remains? What can they tell us about changes on Earth? And why are paleontological collections important not only for museums but also for science? After all, paleontology is not just about the past. It is an opportunity to better understand the changes that have occurred and what they might mean for us today. This is discussed in the new episode of the program "About Science. Competently," which is available on the YouTube channel of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. The guest of the studio is Oleksandr Kovalchuk, Doctor of Biological Sciences, leading researcher of the Paleontology Department at the National Museum of Natural History of the NAS of Ukraine. The author and host of the program is the Vice President of the NAS of Ukraine, academician Volodymyr Semynozhenko.