Institute of Paleobiology & Evolution (IPE)
The Institute of Palaeobiology & Evolution is proud to announce a major future initiative: the development of the Museum of Evolution. This ambitious project will be housed in the historic Mekinje Monastery in Kamnik, Slovenia. The contrast between the ancient stone walls of the monastery and the millions of years of history contained within our fossil collections will create a unique space for reflection and learning.
At the heart of paleontology lies the field expedition. The IPE leads and participates in a wide range of national and international research projects focused on field-based investigations. Our researchers recently completed field expeditions aimed at investigating major evolutionary transitions and extinction events through active exploration.
The IPE maintains extensive paleontological and geological collections that are essential resources for research and education. These collections include fossil specimens, stratigraphic archives, and field documentation representing diverse geological periods. However, physical specimens are fragile and finite. To ensure their survival and accessibility, we have embarked on a massive digitization effort.
The history of life is not a steady climb but a series of dramatic shifts. At the IPE, we investigate these major evolutionary transitions to understand how life adapts—or fails to adapt—to a changing world. By looking at biodiversity patterns over millions of years, we can identify the factors that drive biological innovation.
