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Dinosaurs

Sauropodomorphs are a group of massive, long-necked dinosaurs that are the largest dinosaurs and land animals that ever lived, and later evolved into Brachiosaurus and Apatosaurus.

Climate Change May Have Aided Dinosaurs’ Journey From South America to Greenland

A shift in CO2 levels millions of years ago made conditions on Earth milder, allowing herbivores, like sauropodomorphs, to migrate to Greenland

This fossilized dinosaur head and vertebrae were discovered in 1883 but only recently gained its name, Smitanosaurus agilis.

Smithsonian Voices

Scientists Name Old Dinosaur for the Smithsonian

A new study has reclassified a fossil discovered in 1883 as a dicraeosaurid—a family of long-necked dinosaurs rarely found in North America

Published in Scientific Reports, the new study by astronomers Amir Siraj and Avi Loeb of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, propose that a series of break-ups and chance events sent the huge chunk of space rock our way.

Astrophysicists Chart Source of Asteroid That Killed Dinosaurs

A new model explains a possible route for the extraterrestrial rock before it blasted Earth

Podokesaurus holyokensis, lived during the Mid-Jurassic period, 195-180 million years ago, in what is now Massachusetts and could sprint up to 9 to 12 MPH.

Meet Massachusetts’ Official State Dinosaur

The ‘swift-footed lizard’ won 60 percent of 35,000 total online votes

An artist's rendering of a new species of mosasaur named Xenodens calminechari. The marine reptile was about the size of a porpoise and had serrated shark-like teeth.

New Research

Newly Discovered Marine Reptile Sawed Prey With Serrated Teeth

Researchers say the new species of mosasaur had teeth unlike those of any known reptile

The four-inch-long footprint happened to be in a rock at about the height of a four-year-old child's shoulder.

Cool Finds

Four-Year-Old Lives Every Child’s Dream and Discovers a Dinosaur Footprint

Found on a beach in Wales, the fossil is 220 million years old and shows the details of the muscles and joints in the reptile’s foot

Fossil remains of crocodiles from as early as the Jurassic period show identifying characteristics in modern crocodiles

Are Crocodiles Flawless? The Reptiles Haven’t Changed in 200 Million Years

For crocs, slow and steady wins the evolutionary race

A paleontologist excavating a 98 million-year-old fossil which may belong to the largest land animal ever. Researchers first started unearthing the creatures remains in 2012 at the Candeleros Formation in the Neuquen River Valley, Argentina.

New Research

Dinosaur Unearthed in Argentina Could Be Largest Land Animal Ever

The skeleton is still far from complete but paleontologists say what they’ve found suggests the dinosaur may be more than 120 feet long

This fossil is the oldest known preserved dinosaur cloacal vent.

3-D Reconstruction of Fossil Reveals Secret Sex Life of Dinosaurs

The newly discovered orifice is the oldest known fossilized cloacal vent in existence

Centrosaurus had the first well-documented case of malignant bone cancer in a non-avian dinosaur.

The Top Ten Dinosaur Discoveries of 2020

Paleontologists uncovered a great deal about the “terrible lizards” this year

An artist's rendering of Ubirajara jubatus, a newly described dinosaur species featuring two sets of rods sticking out of its shoulders and a mane of fluffy proto-feathers.

New Research

With a Mane and Strange Shoulder Rods, This New Dinosaur Was Quite a ‘Little Show-Off’

The chicken-sized carnivore was found in Brazil and researchers say it may have been quite colorful

An artist's illustration of a newly described species of ichthyosaur called Thalassodraco etchesi swimming in the Late Jurassic seas off the coast of England.

New Research

Amateur Fossil Hunter Discovers New ‘Sea Dragon’ Species on British Beach

Researchers think the new species may have been a deep diving specialist, due to its cavernous ribcage and enlarged eyes

The pterosaurs were flying reptiles that lived in the age of the dinosaurs. This is an artist's illustration of a member of the genus Pteranodon, which included some of the largest known flying reptiles. .

New Research

Study Reveals Humble Origins of Flying Pterosaurs

Tiny, flightless reptiles called lagerpetids may have given rise to the largest flying animal ever to have lived on Earth

Lost Animals: Extinct, Endangered and Rediscovered Species by John Whitfield is just out from Smithsonian Books.

Ten Exquisite Creatures That Once Roamed the Earth

From Smithsonian Books, comes a magnificent tome to highlight evolution’s greatest hits

Dinosaurs found in Alaska's Prince Creek formation likely remained in the region when it snowed during the winter.

How Dinosaurs Thrived in the Snow

Discoveries made in the past decades help show how many species coped with cold temperatures near both poles

Fourteen years ago, a team of commercial fossil hunters discovered a dinosaur pelvis jutting out of a hillside on a private farm in Montana, and their discovery revealed an intertwined T. rex and Triceratops.

The Mystery of the ‘Dueling Dinosaurs’ May Finally Be Solved Now That They’ve Found a Home

The duo is headed to the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, where researchers will soon determine whether the fossils were even sparring at all

Reconstruction of a titanosaur with ulcerations

First Evidence of Parasites in Dinosaur Bones Found

A team of paleontologists used CT scans and tissue samples to uncover blood pathogens in an infected titanosaur

Buriolestes schultzi was about the size of a fox and had a pea-sized brain.

New Research

Scientists Reconstructed a Dinosaur’s Pea-Sized Brain

The brain is larger relative to the dinosaur’s body size than brontosaurus’ tennis ball-sized brain

A Tyrannosaurus rex posed with a Triceratops at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History.

Hypersensitive Profanity Filter Censors ‘Bone’ at Paleontology Conference

Moved online due to the pandemic, an automated content filter banned terms including “sexual,” “pubic” and “stream”

The skeleton of a T. rex known as "Stan" is displayed in a gallery at Christie’s auction house in September in New York City.

A T. Rex Sold for $31.8 Million, and Paleontologists Are Worried

The auction of a famous specimen named “Stan” is likely to raise tensions between scientists, land owners and commercial fossil dealers

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