In 2014, physician Pedro Lucas Porcela Aurelio unearthed a fossil in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, later identified as Gondwanax paraisensis, a four-legged reptile roughly the size of a small dog with a long tail. Dating back 237 million years, it is among the world’s oldest known reptile fossils.

Aurelio, a 66-year-old nephrologist from Paraiso do Sul, has been passionate about paleontology since 1996, frequently going on field trips. He donated the fossil to a local university, enabling research by paleontologist Rodrigo Temp Muller, whose study detailed its significance.

The fossil originates from the Triassic period, a time when dinosaurs, mammals, crocodiles, turtles, and frogs first appeared. Aurelio described the experience of handling the fossil as deeply emotional, saying, “How can I touch millions of years? When I held it, I would sweat from emotion.”

Muller praised Aurelio for his dedication and awareness of fossil heritage, noting that many fossils in local collections were discovered by him. Even while practicing medicine, Aurelio remains committed to fieldwork, stating, “I'll continue field trips until the day I'm gone. As long as I have strength, I'll keep going.”