Paleontology

Regaliceratops peterhewsi, the “Hellboy Dinosaur”

Dinosaur Horns Were For Making Love, Not War

The elaborate horns and frills were more likely for attracting mates than fighting off enemies

The handbones seen in the whale model in the center of this image tell the curious story of how whales went from land to water.

What’s a "Missing Link"?

While some still use the term, experts abhor it because it implies that life is a linear hierarchy

An endocast revealing the brain of an Iguanodon, an herbivorous dinosaur of the early Cretaceous period. This was the first fossilized dinosaur brain found by modern scientists, announced in 2016.

The Woman Who Shaped the Study of Fossil Brains

By drawing out hidden connections, Tilly Edinger joined the fields of geology and neurology

Thousands of years ago, a herd of Columbian mammoths trudged across present-day Oregon to an ancient lake, recording their interactions in the muddy sediments.

Rare Mammoth Tracks Reveal an Intimate Portrait of Herd Life

Researchers piece together a 43,000-years-old tableau of an injured adult and concerned young

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Dinosaur and Ancient Mammal Stomping Ground Found in NASA Parking Lot

The slab is covered in 70 foot prints and is one of the best collections of animal traces yet found

Habelia optata

This Fierce 508-Million-Year-Old Relative of Scorpions Had Five Jaws and Body Armor

A new analysis of <em>Habelia optata</em> could help us understand the history of modern arthropods

This dinosaur footprint was found in sandstone at Dinosaur Track at Hackberry Canyon in Grand Staircase-Escalante National. A proclamation recently signed by President Trump would reduce the protected area by half.

What Shrinking Fossil-Rich National Monuments Means for Science

<i>Smithsonian.com</i> asks paleontologists how their work will change after the decision to slash Bears Ears and Grand Staircase

The Ten Best Children's Books of 2017

Our picks are full of silly words, weird animals and unknown histories

99-Million-Year-Old Tick That Feasted on Dino Blood Found Trapped in Amber

Sorry, there's no DNA left. But the find does provide the first strong evidence that the parasites preyed on dinosaurs

Wakaleo schouteni

New Species of Extinct Marsupial Lion Deepens Their Fierce Family Tree

The dog-sized animal adds more diversity to the history of Australia's largest predator

Gaze Into a 530-Million-Year-Old Eye, the Oldest Yet Discovered

Found on an Estonian trilobite, the eye once processed 100 "pixels" of information

What's a dinosaur, anyways? The answer is in the evolutionary tree.

What Makes a Dinosaur a Dinosaur?

The question may sound like a "duh," but it gets to the heart of how we categorize and define nature

Artist’s concept of Halszkaraptor escuilliei, the newly discovered dinosaur that blends characteristics of raptors, penguins, swans, and ducks.

Newly Discovered Swimming Dinosaur Is Delightfully Bizarre

The cartoonish creature blends characteristics of velociraptors, penguins, swans, and ducks

Little Foot, the Most Complete Australopithecus Fossil, Goes on Display

After 20 years of excavation and cleaning, the 3.67-million year old hominin is ready for her closeup

University of Michigan paleontologist Daniel Fisher holds up an intact mammoth rib unearthed from the field.

Mammoth Remains Unearthed at Michigan Farm, Hint at Ancient Human Butchering

Researchers have found 40 additional bones, including the skull, tusks and teeth of an ice age creature

Hundreds of pterosaur eggs were found, 16 of which contained partial embryonic remains.

Cache of 120-Million-Year-Old Fossilized Pterosaur Eggs Found in China

Some of the eggs contained embryonic remains, offering unprecedented insight into the pterosaur’s early life phases

A new depiction of Anchoirnis and its contour feather.

This Dinosaur Was Much Fuzzier Than Scientists Once Thought

A new analysis shows the extent of ancient bird-like dino's fluff

When the Dinos Went Away, Mammals Came Out (in Daylight) to Play

While it's challenging to imply one caused the other, a new study shows that mammals came into the light of day soon after the dinos disappeared

Decennatherium rex

Four-Horned Giraffe Ancestor Unearthed in Spain

The fossil is an unusually complete individual of an ancient giraffid species

Scientists Unearth Near-Complete Marine Reptile Fossil in India

Palaeontologists have unearthed the remains of an ichthyosaur, a prehistoric creature more frequently seen in North America and Europe

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