Regina G. Barber

And what's fun is like this fossil wasn't hidden away or newly unearthed.

You both found out it existed from a published paper about a fossil site in Wisconsin.

Yeah.

And Karma, how did you feel when they rejected you like that?

How did you all confirm?

Like what was the process in being like, yes, this is the first leech fossil, leech fossil?

So Karma, you were right.

Like, do you feel vindicated?

Like, in the end, it was a different fossil, but your suspicion of these things being leeches, you're right.

Daniel, what does this tell us about modern-day leeches, that now we have a fossil record?

I've been covering paleontology stories for a couple of years now.

And one of the things that always sticks with me is just how many fossils are just sitting around.

Daniel, I'm going to ask you first, like, how do you see the fossil record and like of many animals or anything kind of changing in the future with so much data not even looked at yet?

I love that.

I'm so glad I asked you that question.

Karma, what do you think?

Wow.

Thank you, Danielle.

Thank you, Karma, for coming to talk to me.

This has been amazing.