At 62, Craig Munns traded convention for curiosity and became a paleontologist.

After decades working in information technology and libraries in Australia, retirement wasn’t on the forefront of Craig Munns’ mind — but a new adventure was. 

So when he took a long look at the fossils that he kept displayed on his desk, a hobby Munns had enjoyed from a young age, he realized a new adventure was right in front of him. Soon after, he applied to the University of New England in Armidale, New South Wales, to pursue a degree in paleontology, graduating at age 62 with honors. 

Now 65, Munns works at Geoscience Australia, a government research agency, monitoring mineral deposits. What began as a lifelong interest in fossils has turned into fieldwork, research and excavations across New South Wales — where he now helps uncover traces of life that existed hundreds of millions of years ago. Craig says finding fossils is “like detective work,” piecing together fragments of ancient history from rocks and landscapes most people would walk straight past.

Check out this week’s GrandPeople feature to learn more about the amazing Craig Munns!

—Kate Rarey. Video by Laura Tejero.

GrandPeople chronicles the stories of older adults living purposeful, fun and meaningful lives.