Mary Anning: The Girl Who Found Dinosaurs

Born: May 21, 1799, Lyme Regis, England
Died: March 9, 1847, Lyme Regis, England
Occupation: Fossil Hunter, Scientist

Who Was Mary Anning?
Mary Anning was a brave and curious girl who loved to explore the rocky beaches of Lyme Regis. She became one of the greatest fossil hunters in history! Even though she lived in a time when girls weren’t often scientists, she made amazing discoveries that changed the way we think about dinosaurs and prehistoric creatures.

Her Amazing Discoveries:

• The First Ichthyosaur (1811): When she was just 12 years old, Mary found a giant sea creature fossil called an Ichthyosaur. It looked like a mix of a fish and a lizard!
• The Plesiosaurus (1823): She discovered another strange sea reptile with a super long neck called a Plesiosaurus.
• Other Incredible Fossils: Mary found many more fossils that helped scientists understand the history of life on Earth.

Why Is She Important?
Mary’s discoveries helped scientists learn about extinct animals. Even though she didn’t always get credit for her work at the time, today she is remembered as a true pioneer in palaeontology.

Fun Fact:
People say the famous tongue twister "She sells seashells by the seashore" was inspired by Mary Anning!