EONS: LIFE AND DEATH ON PANGEA
FEATURING
CHRIS FLIS AND HOLLY SIMON
MUSEUM DIRECTOR AND ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
The first two episodes of Eons: Life and Death on Pangea premiere July 29 on PBS.org and the Eons YouTube channel.
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EONS: Life and Death on Pangea takes viewers into the Permian Period, a time when all of Earth's continents were joined together as Pangea. The series explores the animals, landscapes, and environmental changes that defined this ancient world before uncovering the events that led to the Great Dying, the largest mass extinction our planet has ever experienced—and the recovery that followed.
The Whiteside Museum of Natural History is proud to be featured in Episode 2 of the series, showcasing the museum's significant Permian fossil collection and the work being done in Seymour, Texas. Known worldwide for its Early Permian fossil deposits, Seymour has played a major role in advancing our understanding of life before the dinosaurs. The museum's research, collections, and fieldwork provide an important look at this pivotal time in Earth's history, making it a natural fit for a series dedicated to exploring the Permian Period.
Shark Week 2026 special "Jurassic Sharks"
FEATURING
CHRIS FLIS
MUSEUM DIRECTOR
Premiered Tuesday, July 28, at 7:00 PM CT on the Discovery Channel and HBO MAX.
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Jurassic Sharks explores the evolution of ancient sharks through a combination of paleontology, modern shark research, and cutting-edge CGI. The special re-creates some of the most remarkable prehistoric shark species, examining how they lived, adapted, and influenced ancient ecosystems while drawing comparisons to the sharks that still swim our oceans today.
While most people think of sharks as ocean animals, Seymour was once home to a remarkable variety of freshwater sharks over 280 million years ago during the Permian Period. These fossils have helped make our area one of the most important fossil localities in the world for understanding life before the dinosaurs.
The episode highlights Orthacanthus, an unusual freshwater shark that lived in the rivers and swamps of Texas over 280 million years ago during the Permian Period. With its long, eel-like body and distinctive spine projecting from the back of its head, Orthacanthus was one of the top predators of its time, long before the first dinosaurs appeared.