The second Sino-German International Conference on Paleontology was held on October 11th with the theme of “The crucial period of earth history and paleontology innovation”. About 400 experts, scholars and students from scientific research institutions, universities, paleontology museums, and the field of popular science education and fossil conservation from China, German, Spain and Japan attended the meeting, showed their latest research progress and achievements in paleontology and related fields in recent years, and explored further international exchange and cooperation.

　　It is learned that Yichang is famous for its rich geological phenomena, well developed stratigraphy, numerous paleontological fossils, and is a region of great scientific research value, thus has been known as a natural field geological museum. This conference is conducive to the stratigraphic correlation between land and sea and to the exploration to the biodiversity in the critical period in the earth history, and it also has important scientific significance for the promotion of the global environmental and geographic reconstruction, and for the scientific popularization, energy survey and geological exploration.

　　During the conference, a launching ceremony was held for China’s commemorative activity of 2017 International Fossil Day. Accordingly, the Paleontological Society of China is to hold a popular science writing contest on the theme of the fossil around me among fossil enthusiasts and students and to award prizes to those winners.(Reporter: Yuan Man; Correspondent: Chen Xiaozheng)