Browsing Tag
paleontology
146 posts
Dinosaur ‘mummies’ help scientists visualize the fleshy details of these ancient animals
A mummy of a juvenile duck-billed dinosaur, Edmontosaurus annectens, preserved as a dried carcass. Tyler Keillor/Fossil Lab Paul…
Why 90% of Fossils Are Missing
Scientists are piecing together the past by understanding the fossils that are not there as much as the ones that are.
How Ancient Crocs Survived Two Apocalypses
While modern crocodilians are impressive survivors, their ancestors—from armored plant-eaters to swift two-legged hunters—used entirely different strategies to survive ancient apocalypses and conquer the world.
How Fire, Not Spears, Wiped Out America’s Giants
Researchers at the La Brea Tar Pits discovered that a combination of climate change and massive, human-sparked wildfires—not just hunting—led to the extinction of North America’s megafauna.
Greenland fossil jaw may be oldest known docodontan
A newly discovered fossil jawbone from Greenland, Nujalikodon cassiopeiae, has been identified as the oldest definitive docodontan, providing key insights into the evolution and dispersal of early mammal relatives.
Fossils are scientific evidence, and shouldn’t be auctioned for millions to private buyers
Jessica M. Theodor, University of Calgary; Kenshu Shimada, DePaul University; Kristi Curry Rogers, Macalester College, and Stuart Sumida,…
How Dinosaur Extinction Led to a World Full of Fruit
The cascade of changes that followed the extinction of the dinosaurs may have had one surprising effect: the evolution of a world teeming with fruit.
History’s Most Audacious Fossil Frauds
Delving into paleontological history reveals a world of audacious forgeries, from hilariously fake "Lying Stones" to a composite "missing link" dinosaur that fooled the experts.
Was Spinosaurus a Wader or a Swimmer?
New fossil evidence, from a crocodile-like snout to a massive paddle-shaped tail, has ignited a fierce debate over whether the giant predator Spinosaurus was a shoreline wader or a powerful underwater swimmer.
The Viewpoint: Bridging the Gap: A Look at Transitional Fossils
Transitional fossils bridge the evolutionary gap between ancestral species and their descendants, offering a fascinating glimpse into how life on Earth has changed over millions of years.