As part of our Faces of IFR series, we are delighted to highlight Emily Lindsey, Associate Curator and Excavation Site Director at the La Brea Tar Pits and Museum, and member of IFR’s Academic Board. Her research focuses on using the rich paleontological records from the last Ice Age to better understand how and why ecological shifts occur in response to climatic and human influences.
We had the privilege of sitting down with Lindsey to delve deeper into her recent groundbreaking findings, her role in making science accessible at La Brea Tar Pits, and the valuable advice she offers to those eager to follow in her footsteps. Below are some highlights from our conversation.
Shedding new light on extinctions of the last Ice Age
In her recent study published in Science, Lindsey and her team uncovered pivotal insights into the Pleistocene extinction event, challenging long-standing theories about the causes of megafaunal extinctions, including climate change and overhunting by homo sapiens. Lindsey’s research revealed a crucial tipping point in Southern California’s ecosystem around 13,000 years ago.
“What we discovered,” Lindsey explains, “is an increase in human population predicted an increase in fire. Humans are the ones that brought fire into this ecosystem that had never had regularly occurring fire before.” In the midst of a 300 year long mega drought, the ecosystem was hot, dry, and predisposed to a massive fire, “It’s this tinderbox that’s ready to go off” Lindsey explains, and her research indicates that humans are the ignition source.
The findings of the study suggest a complex interplay between climate change and human activity as drivers of ecosystem transformation and species decline. Lindsey notes, “The human action was not what people usually think of when they’re looking at the extinction event. They’re usually thinking about hunting, overkill, and that’s not what we found.” Instead, the research indicates that human-induced fire activity played a significant role in shaping the landscape and contributing to the extinction of large mammals. “It was this ecosystem that’s never experienced fire, and it’s at this particular moment very predisposed to have a massive conflagration,” Lindsey elaborates. “There’s this combination of climate change and human actions that caused an ecological tipping point in Southern California, including the extinction of all these large mammals.”
Making science accessible
Emily Lindsey’s role as Associate Curator and Excavation Site Director of the La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles is heavily focused on making science accessible to everyone. An active excavation site containing the most important fossil collections in the world, the Tar Pits provide a rare opportunity for people to witness the entire scientific process firsthand. Lindsey highlights the significance of this accessibility, stating, “There’s almost nowhere else in the country you can do this.” With a full-time excavation program and a transparent approach to research, visitors can engage with real scientists working on fossils in their fishbowl lab and gain a deeper understanding of the scientific process. As Lindsey explains, “It’s a real opportunity to bring that to the public and make science sort of demystified,” adding, “you can see discovery happening real time every day”.
Advice to Aspiring Scientists
In our conversation, Emily Lindsey offered insightful guidance for budding scientists, stressing the significance of embracing opportunities and finding alignment between passion and available paths in the field. She remarked, “I got where I am by saying yes to a lot of things, and just being curious about the world and kind of, you know, doing what I love doing.” She highlighted the diverse range of roles within research and museums beyond the traditional paths, acknowledging the uncertainties that can come with academic careers. “One of the things that’s been cool and inspiring for me about working in the museum is there’s so many opportunities,” she shares, explaining that roles span from excavation work and laboratory research to collections management and public engagement, including art and design. “There’s a lot of ways to be involved,” she concludes.
Learn more about Emily Lindsey’s research and community engagement activities on her website www.emilylindsey.org and be sure to visit the La Brea Tar Pits and Museum if you are ever in Los Angeles!