The 5th Palaeontological Virtual Congress took place on 10–25 March. It was attended by over 550 researchers and featured more than 350 presentations. Lithuanian researchers actively presented their research, with a total of 14 representatives from Nature Research Centre and other institutions.
Presented research covered a wide range of topics, namely analysis of fossil tree collections and their significance in an international context, a review and updating of the Devonian fish fauna, a presentation of NRC palaeontological collections and their scientific importance, mammoth survival during the last glacial period, and a study of insect remains of the Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene.
We are particularly proud of NRC researchers Darja Dankina and Agnė Aleksienė who not only participated in, but also initiated and moderated a thematic session on the importance and future perspectives of palaeontological collections. The discussion focused on the main issues related to the preservation and digitisation of collections, as well as on modern technologies such as CT scanning, 3D printing and artificial intelligence, which allow for a more efficient analysis of the fossil record and its improved accessibility to the international scientific community.
Attending such congresses is not only an opportunity to present the latest research, but also to establish international scientific contacts, foster collaborations and contribute to the advancement of fundamental and applied sciences. Research on palaeontological collections is crucial for studies on evolution, climate change and nature conservation. Increasing the availability of these data is one of the top priorities for modern palaeontology.
We thank the organisers for providing an excellent platform for scientific debates. Hopefully, this conference will inspire new ideas and research!
