Google’s homepage doodle today features paleontologist Mary Anning, on the 215th anniversary of the famous British fossil finder’s birth.
Anning was born on May 21, 1799 and became known around the world for key findings she made in the Jurassic marine fossil beds at Lyme Regis in Dorset, southern England, an area particularly rich in fossils. She discovered the first ichthyosaur skeleton at the age of 12, as well as the first two plesiosaur skeletons ever found.
As a woman with a working class background, Anning did not always receive full credit for her work, but she was awarded a stipend by the Geological Society of London and named Honorary Member of the new Dorset County Museum one year before her death of breast cancer at age 47.
More Must-Reads From TIME
- Taylor Swift Is TIME's 2023 Person of the Year
- Meet the Nation Builders
- Why Cell Phone Reception Is Getting Worse
- Column: It's Time to Scrap the Abraham Accords
- Israeli Family Celebrates Release of Hostage Grandmother
- In a New Movie, Beyoncé Finds Freedom
- The Top 100 Photos of 2023
- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time