I am taking part in the 7th International Palaeontological Congress (IPC7), due to be held in the vibrant and beautiful city of Cape Town, South Africa, from 30 November – 3 December 2026.

I will be the presenting author making an oral presentation in the Congress Session Theme 21: Communicating paleosciences.  The paper is as follows:

Communicating palaeosciences at the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi
Mark Jonathan Beech¹*, Luca Bellucci¹, Shamma Alhammadi¹, Mariam Alhassani¹ & Phillip Manning¹

¹Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

*e-mail: mbeech@nhmad.ae

Abstract:
The Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi (NHMAD) is dedicated to advancing public understanding of natural history, but with a major focus on geoscience and palaeontology through innovative exhibitions, education, and research programs. The museum aims to bridge the gap between research and community awareness by showcasing global geological and fossil heritage but with a focus on UAE sites and specimens Through immersive exhibitions, interactive displays, and educational programs tailored to diverse audiences, the museum brings to life the story of Earth’s history and the evolution of life. A central goal for the museum is to facilitate palaeosciences to be more accessible and relevant to the wider public. The approach of the museum team is to integrate cutting-edge technologies, such as state-of-the-art X-ray imaging, to foster curiosity and facilitate hands-on learning experiences based on objects from the collections. The NHMAD has curated an exceptional gallery dedicated to Late Miocene fossils discovered in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, showcasing fossils that date back approximately seven million years. The exhibition offers a unique opportunity to resurrect a long-extinct world and bring both flora and fauna from the Late Miocene back to life. Key partnerships with schools, universities, and international research institutions further enhance the museum’s education and outreach program, supporting the development of scientific literacy and inspiring future generations. Special attention is given to engaging Emirati youth and families, aligning with national strategies to promote knowledge-based growth and cultural relevance of the natural world. Ultimately, the NHMAD serves as an intercultural platform for dialogue between scientists and the 200+ nationalities that live or visit Abu Dhabi. Through the democratization and access to natural history and the palaeosciences, the museum not only enriches local and regional cultural landscapes but also contributes to global conversations on Earth’s past, present, and future.

Key words:
natural history, museum, UAE, communication, palaeoscience

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Our Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi team will also be co-authoring a second paper in the Congress Session Theme 22: Cenozoic vertebrates of Africa. The paper is as follows:

A new large civet from the Late Miocene of Abu Dhabi highlights the biogeographic crossroads between Asia and Africa

Alberto Valenciano ^1,2*, Mark Jonathan Beech³ & Luca Bellucci³

¹ Departamento de Geodinámica, Estratigrafía y Paleontología, Facultad de Ciencias Geológicas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain

² Research and Exhibitions, Iziko Museums of South Africa, Cape Town, South Africa

³ Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

*e-mail: albvalen@ucm.es

Abstract:
The Baynunah Formation of western Abu Dhabi preserves one of the most important Late Miocene terrestrial vertebrate records in the Arabian Peninsula. In February 2026, a right hemimandible of a large viverrid (NHMAD2026.00059.1) was discovered at Shuwaihat 2 (c. 7 Ma), representing the first record of the family Viverridae from the Arabian Peninsula. This discovery provides a unique opportunity to investigate the evolutionary history of large viverrines and to assess the role of the Middle East in Late Miocene faunal exchanges between Asia, Africa and Europe. Preliminary morphological and biometric analyses indicate that the specimen differs from the extant African civet, Civettictis civetta, in possessing a more elongated p4 and a more slender m1. It is also distinct from the living Asian civets Viverra zibetha and Viverra tangalunga, the Late Miocene African species Sahelictis korei from Chad, and several Asian Miocene species of Visnhuictis from the Siwaliks and China (e.g. V. yuanmoensis, V. (?) chienjensis and V. hasnoti). In contrast, the Abu Dhabi specimen exhibits notable similarities to the early Pliocene Civettictis vulpidens from Langebaanweg (South Africa) as well as to the Eurasian giant civets Megaviverra carpathorum and Megaviverra peii. These affinities suggest that the Arabian Peninsula may have functioned as an important dispersal corridor for large viverrines between Asia and Africa during the end of the Late Miocene. Ongoing morphological, phylogenetic and palaeobiogeographic analyses will further test these evolutionary and biogeographic hypotheses.

Key words:
Carnivora, Viverridae, Miocene, Paleobiogeography

I am giving a talk on “Old and Recent Palaeontological Discoveries in  Abu Dhabi Emirate” for the Al Ain branch of the Emirates Natural History Group. This will be hosted at the Al Ain Museum in Al Ain on  Tuesday 13th October 2026, from 6:30 – 8:00 PM.

Enter by the Staff Entrance at Al Ain Museum. Parking available outside.

Google maps location:  https://maps.app.goo.gl/TJjN2MA72QFb53Hm7

Abstract:
Abu Dhabi emirate is renowned for its exceptional palaeontological heritage, offering a remarkable window into the region’s deep past. Fossil discoveries from the Cretaceous, Eocene, and Miocene eras have revealed the emirate’s dynamic ancient environments. In the Al Ain region, Cretaceous marine deposits record the presence of ancient reefs, while Eocene strata contain evidence of diverse marine life, including gastropods, bivalves, echinoids, nummulites, and sharks. The Miocene formations, particularly within the Baynunah Formation in the Al Dhafra region of Abu Dhabi, are internationally significant, yielding fossils of elephants, crocodiles, hippos, turtles, and a variety of other also now extinct mammals, birds, fishes, and mollusca, reflecting a once-lush savannah, wooded and riverine landscape. Recent discoveries further enrich this narrative. Together, these finds demonstrate Abu Dhabi’s unique role in understanding both the geological evolution and history of the Arabian Peninsula, bridging natural heritage across millions of years.

Speaker:
Dr Mark Jonathan Beech (Acting Geoscience Section Head, Curatorial Department, Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi)

Biography:
Dr Beech is currently Acting Geoscience Section Head in the Curatorial Department at the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi (NHMAD). His research interests include the study of Late Miocene vertebrate fossils from Abu Dhabi, and the archaeozoological analysis of fauna from prehistoric coastal sites in Arabia. He has published extensively on the palaeontology, archaeology and natural history of Abu Dhabi, having written 14 books and more than 170 papers. Dr Mark Jonathan Beech has a Bachelor of Sciences honours degree in Archaeology from the Institute of Archaeology, University College London (1982-1985), a master’s degree in environmental archaeology from the Department of Archaeology, University of Sheffield (1986-1987), and a Phd in archaeology from the Department of Archaeology, University of York, UK (1998-2001). Dr Beech has been involved in palaeontological and archaeological research in the UAE for the past 32 years, working for the Abu Dhabi Islands Archaeological Survey (1994-2006), Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (2006-2012), Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority (2012-2017) and for the Department of Culture and Tourism (2018-2024).

Agenda / Details:
This lecture is a joint session between the Al Ain Museum Heritage, History and Archaeology Lecture Series and the Emirate Natural History Group – Al Ain branch. The lecture will be open to both Emirates Natural History Group members and the public.