World's Best Scientists 2026 revealed!

D-Index & Metrics

Ecology and Evolution

D-Index
100
Citations
37010
World Ranking
279
National Ranking
43

Earth Science

D-Index
94
Citations
33256
World Ranking
196
National Ranking
22

Michael J. Benton publication distribution in Earth Science in 2026

The chart shows the distribution of publications by all Research.com ranked scientists in the field of Earth Science in 2026. The highlighted bar marks where Michael J. Benton sits on this spectrum.

38–47 publications: 5 scientists 48–57 publications: 33 scientists 58–67 publications: 94 scientists 68–77 publications: 161 scientists 78–87 publications: 278 scientists 88–97 publications: 376 scientists 98–107 publications: 404 scientists 108–117 publications: 484 scientists 118–127 publications: 540 scientists 128–137 publications: 556 scientists 138–147 publications: 491 scientists 148–157 publications: 495 scientists 158–167 publications: 458 scientists 168–177 publications: 490 scientists 178–187 publications: 414 scientists 188–197 publications: 401 scientists 198–207 publications: 333 scientists 208–217 publications: 292 scientists 218–227 publications: 290 scientists 228–237 publications: 262 scientists 238–247 publications: 243 scientists 248–257 publications: 208 scientists 258–267 publications: 185 scientists 268–277 publications: 147 scientists 278–287 publications: 128 scientists 288–297 publications: 119 scientists 298–307 publications: 120 scientists 308–317 publications: 107 scientists 318–327 publications: 93 scientists 328–337 publications: 87 scientists 338–347 publications: 64 scientists 348–357 publications: 87 scientists 358–367 publications: 60 scientists 368–377 publications: 60 scientists 378–387 publications: 34 scientists 388–397 publications: 50 scientists 398–407 publications: 44 scientists 408–417 publications: 31 scientists 418–427 publications: 39 scientists 428–437 publications: 27 scientists 438–447 publications: 36 scientists 448–457 publications: 27 scientists 458–467 publications: 29 scientists 468–477 publications: 30 scientists 478–487 publications: 19 scientists 488–497 publications: 15 scientists 498–507 publications: 18 scientists 508–517 publications: 19 scientists 518–527 publications: 16 scientists 528–537 publications: 10 scientists 538–547 publications: 11 scientists 548–557 publications: 14 scientists 558–567 publications: 11 scientists 568–577 publications: 7 scientists 578–587 publications: 14 scientists 588–597 publications: 5 scientists 598–602 publications: 4 scientists 603+ publications: 100 scientists
38 publications 603+

This scientist: 606 publications — 99th percentile

99% of scientists in this discipline score the same or lower.

The last bar groups every scientist with 603 publications or more.

Michael J. Benton D-index placement in Earth Science in 2026

The chart shows the D-index (discipline H-index) distribution of Earth Science scientists ranked by Research.com in 2026. The highlighted bar marks where Michael J. Benton sits on this spectrum.

30 D-Index: 144 scientists 31 D-Index: 215 scientists 32 D-Index: 278 scientists 33 D-Index: 379 scientists 34 D-Index: 366 scientists 35 D-Index: 372 scientists 36 D-Index: 389 scientists 37 D-Index: 366 scientists 38 D-Index: 344 scientists 39 D-Index: 349 scientists 40 D-Index: 296 scientists 41 D-Index: 289 scientists 42 D-Index: 277 scientists 43 D-Index: 279 scientists 44 D-Index: 248 scientists 45 D-Index: 257 scientists 46 D-Index: 212 scientists 47 D-Index: 202 scientists 48 D-Index: 207 scientists 49 D-Index: 204 scientists 50 D-Index: 183 scientists 51 D-Index: 178 scientists 52 D-Index: 181 scientists 53 D-Index: 178 scientists 54 D-Index: 163 scientists 55 D-Index: 117 scientists 56 D-Index: 163 scientists 57 D-Index: 120 scientists 58 D-Index: 113 scientists 59 D-Index: 136 scientists 60 D-Index: 135 scientists 61 D-Index: 96 scientists 62 D-Index: 103 scientists 63 D-Index: 83 scientists 64 D-Index: 103 scientists 65 D-Index: 83 scientists 66 D-Index: 89 scientists 67 D-Index: 92 scientists 68 D-Index: 89 scientists 69 D-Index: 78 scientists 70 D-Index: 75 scientists 71 D-Index: 53 scientists 72 D-Index: 62 scientists 73 D-Index: 54 scientists 74 D-Index: 35 scientists 75 D-Index: 52 scientists 76 D-Index: 50 scientists 77 D-Index: 32 scientists 78 D-Index: 37 scientists 79 D-Index: 20 scientists 80 D-Index: 33 scientists 81 D-Index: 36 scientists 82 D-Index: 34 scientists 83 D-Index: 34 scientists 84 D-Index: 24 scientists 85 D-Index: 19 scientists 86 D-Index: 18 scientists 87 D-Index: 26 scientists 88 D-Index: 30 scientists 89 D-Index: 17 scientists 90 D-Index: 21 scientists 91 D-Index: 19 scientists 92 D-Index: 15 scientists 93 D-Index: 14 scientists 94 D-Index: 20 scientists 95 D-Index: 9 scientists 96 D-Index: 10 scientists 97 D-Index: 15 scientists 98 D-Index: 13 scientists 99 D-Index: 3 scientists 100 D-Index: 13 scientists 101 D-Index: 3 scientists 102 D-Index: 9 scientists 103 D-Index: 4 scientists 104 D-Index: 6 scientists 105 D-Index: 6 scientists 106+ D-Index: 98 scientists
30 D-Index 106+

This scientist: 94 D-Index — 98th percentile

98% of scientists in this discipline score the same or lower.

The last bar groups every scientist with 106 D-Index or more.

Research.com Recognitions

  • 2014 - Fellow of the Royal Society, United Kingdom
  • 2008 - Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh

Overview

Michael J. Benton is affiliated with the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom and has a significant body of research within Earth and Planetary Sciences and Environmental Science. Their work extensively covers Paleontology and its related disciplines, contributing notably to both the fossil record and evolutionary biology.

The scientist's main research fields include:

  • Earth and Planetary Sciences
  • Environmental Science

Subfields of interest focus on:

  • Paleontology
  • Nature and Landscape Conservation
  • Global and Planetary Change
  • Geology
  • Atmospheric Science

Michael J. Benton's published topics emphasize:

  • Paleontology and Evolutionary Biology
  • Evolution and Paleontology Studies
  • Paleontology and Stratigraphy of Fossils
  • Ichthyology and Marine Biology
  • Amphibian and Reptile Biology
  • Geology and Paleoclimatology Research
  • Marine Biology and Ecology Research

Noteworthy recent publications include:

  • The Angiosperm Terrestrial Revolution and the origins of modern biodiversity, 2021, New Phytologist
  • The origin of endothermy in synapsids and archosaurs and arms races in the Triassic, 2020, Gondwana Research

In collaboration, Benton frequently partners with other researchers, including:

  • Emily J. Rayfield (20 joint publications)
  • Thomas L. Stubbs (19 joint publications)
  • David I. Whiteside (16 joint publications)
  • Christopher J. Duffin (13 joint publications)
  • Li Tian (11 joint publications)

The scientist has contributed multiple articles to key venues such as:

  • Proceedings of the Geologists Association
  • Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology
  • Current Biology
  • Palaeontology
  • Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)

Michael J. Benton has also authored books published by Princeton University Press, including titles focused on dinosaur behavior published in 2023.

Recognition includes fellowships awarded by authoritative scientific bodies:

  • Fellow of the Royal Society, United Kingdom (2014)
  • Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (2008)

Best Publications

  • Paleontological Evidence to Date the Tree of Life

    Michael J Benton;Philip C J Donoghue

  • Diversification and extinction in the history of life

    MJ Benton

  • The timing and pattern of biotic recovery following the end-Permian mass extinction

    Zhong-Qiang Chen;Michael J. Benton

  • Best practices for justifying fossil calibrations

    James F. Parham;James F. Parham;James F. Parham;Philip C. J. Donoghue;Christopher J. Bell;Tyler D. Calway

  • The fossil record 2

    M. J. Benton

  • The Red Queen and the Court Jester: Species Diversity and the Role of Biotic and Abiotic Factors Through Time

    Michael J. Benton

  • How to kill (almost) all life: the end-Permian extinction event

    Michael J. Benton;Richard J. Twitchett

  • When Life Nearly Died: The Greatest Mass Extinction of All Time

    Michael J. Benton

  • Superiority, Competition, and Opportunism in the Evolutionary Radiation of Dinosaurs

    Stephen L. Brusatte;Michael J. Benton;Marcello Ruta;Graeme T. Lloyd

  • Classification and phylogeny of the diapsid reptiles

    Michael J. Benton

  • Rocks and clocks: calibrating the Tree of Life using fossils and molecules

    Philip C.J. Donoghue;Michael J. Benton

  • Recovery from the most profound mass extinction of all time.

    Sarda Sahney;Michael J Benton

  • Dinosaurs and the Cretaceous Terrestrial Revolution

    Graeme T Lloyd;Katie E Davis;Davide Pisani;James E Tarver

  • Fossilized melanosomes and the colour of Cretaceous dinosaurs and birds

    Fucheng Zhang;Stuart L. Kearns;Patrick J. Orr;Michael J. Benton

  • Early Jurassic mass extinction: A global long-term event

    Crispin T. S. Little;Michael J. Benton

  • The origin and early radiation of dinosaurs

    Stephen L. Brusatte;Sterling J. Nesbitt;Randall B. Irmis;Richard J. Butler

  • Constraints on the timescale of animal evolutionary history

    Michael J. Benton;Philip C.J. Donoghue;Robert J. Asher;Matt Friedman

  • PHYLOGENY OF THE MAJOR TETRAPOD GROUPS - MORPHOLOGICAL DATA AND DIVERGENCE DATES

    Michael J. Benton

  • Ecosystem remodelling among vertebrates at the Permian–Triassic boundary in Russia

    M. J. Benton;V. P. Tverdokhlebov;M. V. Surkov

  • Dating the Tree of Life

    Michael J. Benton;Francisco J. Ayala

  • The Unity of Evolutionary Biology

    Michael J Benton

  • The age of dinosaurs in Russia and Mongolia

    Michael J Benton

Frequent Co-Authors

Zhong-Qiang Chen
Zhong-Qiang Chen China University of Geosciences
Xing Xu
Xing Xu Chinese Academy of Sciences
Jinnan Tong
Jinnan Tong China University of Geosciences
Philip C. J. Donoghue
Philip C. J. Donoghue University of Bristol
Howard J. Falcon-Lang
Howard J. Falcon-Lang Royal Holloway University of London
Richard J. Twitchett
Richard J. Twitchett Natural History Museum
James F. Parham
James F. Parham California State University, Fullerton
Haijun Song
Haijun Song China University of Geosciences
Ricard V. Solé
Ricard V. Solé Pompeu Fabra University
Walter G. Joyce
Walter G. Joyce University of Fribourg

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