Paleontologists Uncover a Graveyard of Ancient Sea ‘Monsters’ in the Sands of Egypt’s Deserts
New research reveals the diversity of ancient shark communities that swam modern-day Egypt’s ancient oceans in the Late Cretaceous.
Paleontology
Scientists Just Found a New Way to Investigate How Extinct Giants Ended Up in Australia’s Underwater Caves
A recent analysis of bones found in two separate underwater cave systems in South Australia has provided researchers with a new framework for investigating how animal remains, including those of extinct megafauna, came to rest in these submerged environments.
A Mysterious 45,000-Year-Old Seafloor Discovery Reveals New Evidence Denisovans Were Extremely Large
Ancient human fossils dredged from the seafloor near Taiwan are providing new insights into the appearance—and the large size—of the mysterious Denisovans.
Scientists May Have Finally Solved Earth’s Greatest Extinction Mystery
A recent study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences suggests that differences in physiology, metabolism, and oxygen use helped determine which marine animals survived the Great Dying catastrophe.
The First Ancient Protein Analysis of Homo Naledi Has Revealed a New Burial Mystery
A recent study, published in Cell, marks the first ancient protein analysis of Homo naledi and raises the possibility that the Dinaledi Chamber may contain predominantly, or possibly exclusively, female individuals.
A Single Jawbone From Egypt Is Changing How Scientists Think About Ape Origins
For much of the past century, fossils from East Africa have shaped our understanding of ape evolution. Now, a jawbone found in the Egyptian desert adds a new dimension to that story.
Newly Discovered “Witch Croc” Reveals Dinosaur-Like Evolution in the Triassic
A newly described fossil from Ghost Ranch, New Mexico, belongs to the crocodile family tree, but unlike most crocodile-line archosaurs, it walked on two legs, had small arms, and a toothless beak.
These Ancient Canadian Fossils Could Rewrite the Timeline of Early Animal Evolution
Scientists in Canada have uncovered 567-million-year-old fossils that may rewrite the story of early animal evolution.
Mystery Fossils Reveal the First Known Ankylosaur Hatchling
For over two decades, paleontologists have puzzled over a set of unusually small dinosaur fossils from northeastern China.
Colossal Octopus Fossils Suggest a 60-Foot “Kraken” Once Ruled the Oceans
Giant 19-meter-long kraken-like octopuses may have been the apex predators in the Late Cretaceous-era oceans, according to new research.
Ancient DNA Shows Dogs Lived with Humans During the Ice Age, New Study Reveals
New research reexamines the relationship between humans and canines, pushing back the timeline of dog domestication by more than 5,000 years.
Deep Within a Cave in Central Texas, Scientists Have Made an Unexpected Discovery
Within an unexplored cave in Central Texas, scientists have made an ancient discovery never previously documented in the region.
Earliest Human Ancestors Were Hunted and Eaten by a Giant Prehistoric Monster
Scientists have identified a 3.3-million-year-old giant prehistoric monster crocodile species that likely hunted early human ancestor Lucy
Ancient DNA Reveals Ice Age Forests in the Lost World of Doggerland
Thousands of years before the North Sea flooded the region, a vast landscape known as Doggerland once connected Britain to mainland Europe.
Jurassic ‘Sword Dragon’ Fossil Narrows Timing of Ichthyosaur Evolution
The specimen, named Xiphodracon goldencapensis, also known as the "Sword Dragon of Dorset," was found near Golden Cap in Dorset in 2001 by fossil collector Chris Moore.
This Tiny Dinosaur Fossil Could Offer a Missing Link That Explains the Spread of an Unusual Class of Dinosaurs
A tiny dinosaur species may be the missing link in the bird-like dinosaurs Alvarezsaurs, after the discovery of the first complete fossil.
Did Archaeologists Uncover Evidence of a Neanderthal “Skull Cult” in This Ancient Spanish Cave?
Archaeologists in Spain have discovered an odd collection of animal bones that may point to evidence of an ancient Neanderthal "skull cult."
Scientists Unearth a Scimitar-Crested “Hell Heron” During a Daunting Sahara Desert Expedition
A new “scimitar-crested” spinosaurid, Spinosaurus mirabilis, has been uncovered in the Sahara, marking a major new dinosaur fossil find.
Free ‘DinoTracker’ App Can Identify 90% of Extinct Dinosaur Species by Their Fossilized Footprints
Scientists have released the DinoTracker app to help paleontologists and amateur enthusiasts identify fossilized dinosaur footprints.
Meet the 250-Kilogram Kangaroo Super-Hoppers of Prehistoric Australia
New fossil discoveries reveal that colossal kangaroos from Australia’s Ice Age could still bounce across the landscape, despite their size.
When Scientists Examined the Contents of a 14,400-Year-Old Ice Age Wolf’s Stomach, They Found a “Woolly” Surprise
When Swedish scientists examined the stomach contents of 14,400-year-old Ice Age wolf remains they discovered DNA from a woolly rhinoceros
A Jurassic-Era Discovery Reveals How Earth’s Orbit May Help Explain Why Some Shale Layers Are Rich in Oil
New research reveals the role of our planet's orbit in why some shale layers are rich in organic material.
Is Our Understanding of the Fossil Record Flawed? New Research Reveals a “Flood” of New Insights that Challenge Old Ideas
How paleontologists interpret the fossil record is about to change, as new research challenges our understanding of bone dispositions.
773,000-Year-Old Fossils Discovered in Morocco Shed Light on the Last Common Ancestor of Humans and Neanderthals
An African hominin population that existed very early in the Homo sapiens lineage is providing new insights into humanity's shared ancestry.
Fossilized Bones Can Reveal Chemical Traces of Ancient Biology, New Research Demonstrates
A new study in Nature led by scientists at New York University reports that fossil bones as old as 3 million years still contain thousands of preserved metabolic molecules.
7-Million-Year-Old Discovery Offers “Direct Evidence” of Oldest Human Ancestor That Shared This Crucial Trait with Modern Humans
A modern analysis of 7-million-year-old remains suggest this mysterious ancient primate is the oldest human ancestor ever found.
Scientists Reveal How Dinosaur Eggshells Can Function as Natural Clocks for Measuring Deep Time
New research shows that fossilized dinosaur eggshells can be used to help scientists more precisely date prehistoric nesting sites.
Giant Marine Predators Once Hunted in Freshwater Rivers, New Study Suggests
Large prehistoric marine reptiles known as mosasaurs dominated the oceans until their extinction 66 million years ago.
Inside These Fossils, Scientists Found First-of-Its-Kind Evidence of Unexpected Ancient Architects
The strange bee's nest discovered in bone fossils on Hispaniola is a first-of-its-kind discovery that highlights nature’s creativity.
1.5-million-year-old Skull Reveals Homo erectus Did Not Evolve the Way Scientists Thought
A 1.5-million-year-old skull suggests Homo erectus evolved through a messy transition, with multiple human forms coexisting.
Mysterious ‘Little Foot’ Could Be an Unidentified Humanlike Species, Researchers Conclude
Scientists challenge past conclusions about "Little Foot," an enigmatic ancient human fossil, now arguing that it is an unidentified species.
New Research Has Revealed a Big Surprise About Baby Dinosaurs, Upending Past Thinking About These Ancient Reptiles
Emerging research suggests that dinosaur babies didn’t just grow into adults—they transformed their environments.
“I Immediately Knew It Was a New Species”: Scientists Discover a New Ancient Winged Reptile, and Reveal its Gruesome Fate
When this researcher first laid eyes on a fossil, she instantly realized it was a new dinosaur species that had likely died a gruesome death.
Scientists Document a World Record 16,000+ Dinosaur Tracks Along an Ancient Shoreline
Scientists have set several world records by measuring, documenting, and mapping over 16,000 dinosaur footprints on an ancient shoreline.