Tito Aureliano

Tito Aureliano Neto, or simply Tito Aureliano (Recife, December 28, 1989), is a Brazilian paleontologist, researcher, science communicator, and writer.

Tito Aureliano
Tito Aureliano in 2023
Born	(1989-12-28) 28 December 1989 (age 35) Brazil
Alma mater	State University of Campinas Federal University of Pernambuco
Known for	"Colecionadores de Ossos (Bone Collectors)", Paleontology, Paleohistology, Anatomy
Spouse	Aline Ghilardi
Scientific career
Fields	Paleontologist, Researcher, Geologist, Science communicator
Institutions	Universidade Regional do Cariri

Biography

Although born in the city of Recife, Tito moved to Brasília as a child, with his parents and sister. During his childhood, he became interested in paleontology.^[1] He studied and worked at the University of Brasília (UnB),^[2] until he completed his degree in Geology at the Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE). He later earned a master's and doctorate in science from the State University of Campinas (Unicamp). He specializes in the study of fossilized tissues and his doctoral research was a study of the evolution of the dinosaur respiratory system through paleohistology.^[3][4]

In January 2010, he joined the blog created by scientist Aline Ghilardi Colecionadores de Ossos (Bone Collectors), focused on science outreach about paleontology.^[5] The blog became a YouTube channel in 2014 and has established itself as one of the main productions of its subject in Brazil.^[6] In 2015, Tito released the book Dino Hazard: Hidden Reality, a fictional story that also got Spanish and English versions and a prequel as a role-playing video game.^[5][7]

As part of his studies, Tito took part in research into the extinct super crocodilian Purussaurus,^[8][9][10] and Sousatitan.^[11] He and his colleagues described the first fossilized parasites found inside the vascular canals of a dinosaur (the titanosaur Ibirania), while at the same time describing the development of osteomyelitis in 83 million-year-old fossilized bone tissue^[12] and he also described one of the smallest known species of titanosaur.^[13] He has scientific publications in journals from publishing groups such as Nature, Plos, Wiley, and Elsevier.^[3][12][14] He is also active in scientific communication, and his studio produces literary, audiovisual and gaming material with more than 200 works and distribution in more than 40 countries.^[15]

Aureliano was also one of the major supporters of the #UbirajaraBelongstoBR campaign (Ubirajara belongs to Brazil), a campaign created by paleontologist Aline Ghilardi so that, 27 years after leaving Brazil illegally and going to a German museum, the fossil of the dinosaur Ubirajara jubatus would return to its country of origin.^[16][17][18]

He is currently an associate researcher of the DINOlab - Diversity, Ichnology and Osteohistology Laboratory, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), together with paleontologist Aline Ghilardi.^[19][20]

Personal life

Tito Aureliano is married to paleontologist Aline Ghilardi.^[18] He is also the great-grandson of Rodolfo Aureliano, one of the first Afro-Brazilian judges in Brazil.

Works in Fiction

• 2012: Mesozoic tales (Fiction; board game);
• 2016: Dino Hazard: Realidade Oculta (Fiction; novel);
• 2021: Dino Hazard: Comics - Vol.1 (Fiction; Graphic Novel; co-authorship with Márcio L. Castro)
• 2023: A Ascensão de um Império (Nonfiction; book; co-authorship with Aline M. Ghilardi)
• 2023: Dino Hazard: Chronos Blackout (Fiction; video game; co-authorship with Aline M. Ghilardi)