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Subfield · Earth and Planetary Sciences

Paleontology research

Paleontology is a subfield of Earth and Planetary Sciences. Science Explorer counts 162k research works in it since 1950. 30.4% of them reached the world's top 10% most cited for their field and year.

In short: scientific study of the past of life on Earth through fossils.

Research works
162k
fractional, since 1950
In the world top 10%
49k
per year above
Top-10% rate
30.4%
share of its works in the world top 10%
Topics
7
Growth, 2013–17 → 2018–22
+13%
the tick is no change

What is Paleontology research about, and what is growing?

By the world's output in 2019–23, its most used keywords are Agricultural Origins, Radiocarbon Dating, Paleoproductivity, Paleoredox, Biogeography, Mammal Evolution. Gaining share since 2009–13: Agricultural Origins, Radiocarbon Dating. Losing share: Mammal Evolution, Phylogenetic Comparative Analysis.

▲ gaining share of this field◆ holding its share▼ losing share

Size is the world's fractional works in 2019–23 in the topics tagged with each word; colour compares the word's share of this field with 2009–13. Each links to the topic it comes from most.

All 17 words, with their numbers
  1. Agricultural Origins9,162▲ 1.27×1 topic
  2. Radiocarbon Dating9,162▲ 1.27×1 topic
  3. Paleoproductivity7,651◆ 0.90×1 topic
  4. Paleoredox7,651◆ 0.90×1 topic
  5. Biogeography7,373◆ 0.89×2 topics
  6. Mammal Evolution5,591▼ 0.85×1 topic
  7. Phylogenetic Comparative Analysis5,591▼ 0.85×1 topic
  8. Phylogenetic Analysis4,820◆ 0.95×2 topics
  9. Evolution4,222◆ 0.96×2 topics
  10. Dinosaur3,038◆ 0.91×1 topic
  11. Paleontology3,038◆ 0.91×1 topic
  12. Endemism1,782◆ 1.03×1 topic
  13. Regionalization1,782◆ 1.03×1 topic
  14. Cnidarian Evolution1,686◆ 0.97×1 topic
  15. Jellyfish Blooms1,686◆ 0.97×1 topic
  16. Biodiversity1,183◆ 1.10×1 topic
  17. Subterranean1,183◆ 1.10×1 topic

Which countries lead Paleontology research?

On research quality in 2022–2025, the United States, the United Kingdom and China rank highest in Paleontology. By volume, the United States and China publish the most (4.2k and 2.9k works in 2022–2025).

By research quality, 2022–2025

  1. 1 United States · #1 all time 31.0% top 10% · 4.2k works
  2. 2 United Kingdom · #2 all time 34.4% top 10% · 1.8k works
  3. 3 China · #5 all time 33.6% top 10% · 2.9k works
  4. 4 Germany · #4 all time 33.1% top 10% · 1.2k works
  5. 5 France · #3 all time 31.8% top 10% · 1.4k works
  6. 6 Spain · #7 all time 36.0% top 10% · 992 works
  7. 7 Australia · #6 all time 35.1% top 10% · 685 works
  8. 8 Italy · #9 all time 34.5% top 10% · 605 works
  9. 9 Brazil · #11 all time 24.3% top 10% · 1.2k works
  10. 10 Canada · #8 all time 33.0% top 10% · 583 works

The track on each row is that row’s top-10% rate. The ranking itself is the composite score, which the rate is only one part of.

Of 25 countries ranked in Paleontology. Composite of field-normalised excellence (50%), output (30%) and citations (20%); the bracket is the all-time rank.

All countries ranked in Paleontology

By volume, 2022–2025

  1. 1 United States 4.2k works
  2. 2 China 2.9k works
  3. 3 United Kingdom 1.8k works
  4. 4 France 1.4k works
  5. 5 Russia 1.4k works
  6. 6 Brazil 1.2k works
  7. 7 Germany 1.2k works
  8. 8 Spain 993 works
  9. 9 Argentina 816 works
  10. 10 Australia 685 works

How concentrated that is

The same countries as shares of everything the list above accounts for. A node where two countries do two thirds of the work and one spread evenly across twelve read alike as a ranking and not at all alike here.

United States: 25.6%China: 17.5%United Kingdom: 10.6%France: 8.2%6 others listed: 38.0%26%largest
United States4,221 · 25.6%China2,897 · 17.5%United Kingdom1,754 · 10.6%France1,362 · 8.2%6 others listed6,284 · 38.0%

Shares of the rows listed above, not of the whole node.

Which institutions lead Paleontology research?

Chinese Academy of Sciences (China) ranks first in Paleontology on research quality in 2022–2025, followed by University of Cambridge and Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique.

By research quality, 2022–2025

  1. 1 Chinese Academy of Sciences China · Beijing · #15 all time 42.4% top 10% · 236 works
  2. 2 University of Cambridge United Kingdom · Cambridge · #3 all time 58.0% top 10% · 89 works
  3. 3 Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique France · Paris · #1 all time 40.8% top 10% · 204 works
  4. 4 Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas Argentina · Buenos Aires · #28 all time 40.5% top 10% · 189 works
  5. 5 University of Tübingen Germany · Tübingen · #23 all time 56.3% top 10% · 61 works
  6. 6 Natural History Museum United Kingdom · London · #8 all time 27.1% top 10% · 163 works
  7. 7 China University of Geosciences China · Wuhan · #44 all time 44.2% top 10% · 103 works
  8. 8 University College London United Kingdom · London · #4 all time 49.1% top 10% · 68 works
  9. 9 University of Chinese Academy of Sciences China · Beijing · #80 all time 45.3% top 10% · 111 works
  10. 10 University of Oxford United Kingdom · Oxford · #2 all time 43.9% top 10% · 80 works

The track on each row is that row’s top-10% rate. The ranking itself is the composite score, which the rate is only one part of.

Of 31 institutions above the floor of 40 fractional works in Paleontology.

Top 100 Paleontology institutions

By volume, 2022–2025

  1. 1 Universidad de IbaguéColombia 250 works
  2. 2 Chinese Academy of SciencesChina 235 works
  3. 3 Centre National de la Recherche ScientifiqueFrance 204 works
  4. 4 Institute of Paleontology A A BorisyakRussia 189 works
  5. 5 Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y TécnicasArgentina 189 works
  6. 6 Universidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoMexico 170 works
  7. 7 Natural History MuseumUnited Kingdom 163 works
  8. 8 Department of ArchaeologySri Lanka 162 works
  9. 9 Universidade de São PauloBrazil 120 works
  10. 10 National Museum of Natural HistoryUnited States 112 works

Who are the leading researchers in Paleontology?

Among the most productive authors in Paleontology, J. van der Plicht, Brian F. Windley and Christopher Bronk Ramsey rank highest on the composite score.

  1. 1 J. van der Plicht Netherlands · #1,632 worldwide 1.8k citations · 110 works
  2. 2 Brian F. Windley United Kingdom · #1,662 worldwide 3.9k citations · 89 works
  3. 3 Christopher Bronk Ramsey United Kingdom · #2,257 worldwide 2.4k citations · 79 works
  4. 4 Édouard Bard France · #3,225 worldwide 1.9k citations · 114 works
  5. 5 Marc A. Suchard United States · #3,397 worldwide 1.5k citations · 96 works
  6. 6 S. M. McLennan United States · #3,665 worldwide 1.6k citations · 121 works
  7. 7 Joseph L. Kirschvink United States · #3,694 worldwide 1.7k citations · 95 works
  8. 8 Timothy W. Lyons United States · #3,986 worldwide 2.2k citations · 96 works
  9. 9 Alexandros Stamatakis Germany · #4,152 worldwide 1.6k citations · 104 works
  10. 10 Simon A. Wilde Australia · #4,261 worldwide 3k citations · 108 works

Re-ranked on the composite score from the 4,775 highest-output authors in Paleontology. Identities come from OpenAlex author disambiguation, which occasionally merges or splits people.

Top 100 Paleontology researchers

Where is Paleontology research done?

The largest centres of Paleontology research in 2022–2025 are Beijing (China), Paris (France), Moscow (Russia) and London (United Kingdom). Among places with at least 20 works in it, it is an unusually large share of all research in Xinhui District, Ibagué and Frauenfeld.

Largest cities, 2022–2025

  1. 1 Beijing China 1.1k works
  2. 2 Paris France 568 works
  3. 3 Moscow Russia 521 works
  4. 4 London United Kingdom 458 works
  5. 5 Buenos Aires Argentina 354 works
  6. 6 São Paulo Brazil 269 works
  7. 7 Madrid Spain 267 works
  8. 8 Mexico City Mexico 257 works
  9. 9 Ibagué Colombia 256 works
  10. 10 Washington D.C. United States 246 works

Where it is the local speciality

  1. Xinhui DistrictCN · 20.7 works100×
  2. IbaguéCO · 255.7 works88×
  3. FrauenfeldCH · 54.8 works72×
← less than its size predicts1×more →

Location quotient: how much more of its research is in Paleontology than the world average.

See Paleontology on the map

Paleontology research by country

The best places for Paleontology research inside each country, with that country's researchers and world standing.

Where is the best place to study Paleontology?

Among universities, judged by research, National University of Río Negro, China University of Geosciences and École Pratique des Hautes Études score highest, combining excellence, specialisation, size, growth and international reach. Research strength is one signal when choosing where to study; it does not measure teaching.

0%25%50%75%mean 50.61%fractional works in this node (log) →share in the world top 10% →National University of Río Negro: 19, 52.9%China University of Geosciences: 103, 44.2%École Pratique des Hautes Études: 22, 32.2%University of the Witwatersrand: 67, 48.3%University of Tübingen: 61, 56.3%Universidade Federal de Santa Maria: 40, 58.5%China University of Geosciences (Beijing): 87, 30.7%University of Fribourg: 22, 59.2%Universitat Rovira i Virgili: 22, 64.7%University of Algarve: 16, 59.1%National University …University of the Wi…China University of …École Pratique des H…
above the meannear itbelow it

One dot per university in the table below. The upper left is the interesting corner: small places doing unusually strong work.

#UniversityScoreTop 10%SpecialisationWorksGrowth
1 National University of Río NegroArgentina 63.552.9%32.0×19 +105.8%
2 China University of GeosciencesChina 62.844.2%9.1×103 +8.4%
3 École Pratique des Hautes ÉtudesFrance 61.632.2%12.1×22 +262.0%
4 University of the WitwatersrandSouth Africa 60.848.3%6.5×67 +86.3%
5 University of TübingenGermany 60.856.3%6.5×61 +39.5%
6 Universidade Federal de Santa MariaBrazil 60.358.5%4.0×40 +245.7%
7 China University of Geosciences (Beijing)China 57.930.7%11.9×87 +21.7%
8 University of FribourgSwitzerland 57.759.2%6.3×22 +91.0%
9 Universitat Rovira i VirgiliSpain 57.164.7%6.0×22 +53.3%
10 University of AlgarvePortugal 57.159.1%7.4×16 +60.8%

Universities only. Score blends excellence (30%), specialisation (25%), size (20%), growth (15%) and international reach (10%), 2015–2022; growth compares 2010–14 with 2015–19.

Is Paleontology research growing?

Output in 2018–2022 was 13% higher than in 2013–2017, peaking in 2025. The fastest-growing topics are Archaeology and ancient environmental studies, Subterranean biodiversity and taxonomy and Marine Invertebrate Physiology and Ecology.

19801990200020102020
grewheldshrank

The same series as a ribbon — one cell per year, darker for more. The line above answers how much; this answers when.

Which topics inside it are moving

Growth and decline on one axis around a shared zero. Two lists side by side hide the thing that matters: whether the growth dwarfs the decline, or the other way round.

  1. Archaeology and ancient environmental studies+103%
  2. Subterranean biodiversity and taxonomy+79%
  3. Marine Invertebrate Physiology and Ecology+58%
  4. Scarabaeidae Beetle Taxonomy and Biogeography+57%
  5. Paleontology and Evolutionary Biology+45%
  6. Evolution and Paleontology Studies+41%
← shrinkingno changegrowing →

Growth in output from 2005–09 to 2015–19. Every topic is a page of its own.

What does Paleontology include?

Paleontology and Stratig…45kPaleontology and Stratigraphy of Fossils: 45k fractional worksArchaeology and ancient …40kArchaeology and ancient environmental studies: 40k fractional worksEvolution and Paleontology Studies: 32k fractional worksPaleontology and Evolutionary Biology: 17k fractional worksMarine Invertebrate Physiology and Ecology: 10k fractional worksSubterranean biodiversity and taxonomy: 9,150 fractional worksScarabaeidae Beetle Taxonomy and Biogeography: 8,966 fractional works

Area is fractional works in that topic. Every name below is a page of its own.