Paleontology
First-Ever Fossilized Mother Bird Found With Unlaid Egg
The rare 110-million-year-old bits of shell shine light on the reproduction during the age of dinosaurs
Fossil Treasure Trove of Ancient Animals Unearthed in China
The fossils from the Cambrian Period include dozens of new species and provide a window into life more than 500 million years ago
Did Great White Sharks Drive Megalodon to Extinction?
An earlier extinction date puts megalodon's fall in line with the rise of the great white
Meet the Dinosaur With the Heart-Shaped Tail Bone
The newly discovered long-neck dino could help scientists figure out why some dinosaurs grew to be so large
Prehistoric Crocodile Cousin Crushed the Bones of Its Prey Long Before T. Rex
Fossilized feces filled with bone reveal the feeding habits of an ancient predator
Pandas Weren't Always Picky Eaters
A new study suggests the all-bamboo diet was adopted in the recent past, not millions of years ago
Scientists Model How Prehistoric Shark Cut Through Prey With 'Scissor Jaws'
The 330-million-year-old species <i>Edestus</i> had one of the most unique bites in natural history
Studying the History of Life on Earth Keeps This Paleontologist Optimistic
Smithsonian scientist Nick Pyenson explains how taking an interest in natural history can help us understand our future
New Prehistoric Shark Species Discovered Alongside Sue the T. Rex
The teeth of <i>Galagadon nordquistae</i> were discovered in the rock that once surrounded the famous <i>T. rex</i> skeleton.
Scientists Used a Robot to Study How Prehistoric Lizards Walked
OroBOT, a robot version of an ancestor to the dinosaurs, is helping fill in some gaps in the evolution of walking
What Is a Shark Tooth Doing in the Neck of a Flying Pterosaur?
A new study suggests that the winged reptile fell prey to a hungry predator lurking in the water
Trove of Well-Preserved Dinosaur Footprints Unearthed Along Sussex Coast
Researchers discovered more than 85 fossilized footprints left by at least seven prehistoric species
Neanderthal Genes Influence Contemporary Humans’ Skull Shape, Brain Size
Individuals carrying these ancient ancestors' DNA are more likely to have slightly elongated, rather than rounded, brains
We Still Don’t Know Why the Reign of the Dinosaurs Ended
The asteroid strike on the Yucatán Peninsula 66 million years ago is only part of the story
Early Mammals Were Thought to Be Small and Unseen in the Age of Dinosaurs. An Elephant-Sized Fossil Complicates That Story
At a time when proto-mammals and other creatures were getting smaller, this dicynodont bulked up with the thunder lizards
How a Changing Climate May Have Killed Off the Marsupial Lion
The fearsome predator, related to koalas and wombats, ruled the wilds of Australia until the loss of its habitat helped drive it to extinction
Weasel-Like Fossils Reveal Evolutionary Clues of the First Mammals
A protomammal known as <i>Kayentatherium</i> was discovered with 38 babies in 185-million-year-old rock
This Dino-Era Bird Was as Advanced as Modern Species. So Why Did It Disappear?
An enantiornithine fossil found in the western U.S. sat in storage for 25 years before it was officially described
The Mystery of Ancient Dolphins’ Super-Long Snouts
A new study suggests the extinct cetaceans used their snouts to hit and stun prey, much as swordfish do
Ancient Ape Was Just the Size of a House Cat
12.5 million-year-old teeth found in Kenya belonged to a species that ate leaves, but was likely outcompeted by an explosion of monkeys
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