GAC®
National Medals & Awards
Yves O. Fortier Earth Science Journalism Award
Yves O. Fortier Earth Science Journalism Award - Randy Boswell
CitationAn August 2009 news alert describing a Canadian scientist's theory about the feeding mechanism of long-extinct marine organisms set Canwest News Service writer Randy Boswell on his own journey of discovery about an important, emerging area of paleontology, culminating Dec. 17 with the publication of "Lost World" in the Ottawa Citizen. The 2,400-word article details the array of recent research shedding light on the Ediacaran period in Earth history, and the central role played by Canadian sites and scientists – particularly Queen's University's Guy Narbonne and 19th-century scholar Elkanah Billings – in illuminating this seminal era in the evolution of animal life. The story links new discoveries, most notably in Newfoundland, and Billings' pioneering work nearly 140 years ago at the dawn of Canadian science. The sweeping narrative – which also appeared on the front page of the St. John's Telegram – weaves together reader-friendly explanations of the significance of Ediacaran biota in animal evolution, recounts the tale of Billings' belated vindication as the first scientist to record an Ediacaran fossil, highlights the intriguing connection to the enduring mystery known as “Darwin's Dilemma,” and summarizes the current Canadian research propelling Ediacaran studies to the forefront of international paleontology.