80 years since the discovery of Spriggina
The Oliphant Science Awards, in partnership with the Flinders Ranges Ediacara Foundation, present a special commemorative Science Writing Topic celebrating 80 years since one of South Australia’s most extraordinary scientific discoveries.
2026 Commemorative Science Writing Topic:
“Discovering Spriggina: South Australia’s Window into Life’s Beginnings”
Back in 1946, Spriggina was uncovered in the Flinders Ranges. Imagine the excitement of that moment. Why was this discovery such a big deal for South Australia, and how did it change what scientists know about the first animals on Earth?
In the rugged hills of the Flinders Ranges, geologist Reg Sprigg discovered Spriggina, a tiny fossil that would transform our understanding of life’s earliest beginnings. This ancient creature, preserved in rocks over half a billion years old, provided the first evidence of complex animal life from the Ediacaran Period—long before dinosaurs walked the Earth.
Through this topic, students are invited to explore the science behind fossils, geology, and evolution, while reflecting on how one South Australian discovery reshaped the global story of life on Earth.
Our Partner in Discovery
The Flinders Ranges Ediacara Foundation works to protect and share the story of the Ediacaran fossils found across the Flinders Ranges. By supporting education, research, and conservation, the Foundation helps ensure these remarkable windows into our planet’s ancient past are preserved for generations to come.
Learn more at ediacarafoundation.org