Evolution Bites, International Biology Olympiad (IBO)
In July 2017, The Anatomical Society participated in the International Biology Olympiad (IBO) at the University of Warwick.
The IBO is a prestigious annual event hosted by the UK for the first time. The pupils attending represented 70 different countries from across the world and competed in two challenging full-day exams, one practical and one theoretical, testing their skills in problem solving and practical application. The Anatomical Society hosted a stand as part of the cultural night, which gave the young biologists the chance to engage with UK science.
The Anat Soc stand, organised by Professor Abigail Tucker and featuring research students, post-docs and Anat Soc postgraduate rep Dr. Jeremy Mortimer, was entitled "Evolution Bites". Students were wowed by the selection of real mammalian skulls, from weasel to wild boar, learning how jaw anatomy compares and contrasts across mammals through evolutionary biology. Students were quickly able to use their new knowledge to identify the one non-mammalian skull and engaged enthusiastically with the team to put their excellent biology understanding to the anatomical test. The stand was packed with students identifying the selection of jaws, and scratch cards to match animals to their skulls were delivered to far corners of the hall as the stand drew large crowds and kept the team tirelessly working. Theteam was impressed by the enthusiasm shown by the students (and parents!) and heard many interesting skull stories from around the world, including cooking to roadkill! Overall the stand was a very popular addition, and has hopefully inspired some future anatomists worldwide.
