Paleontology

  1. Animals

    A tooth fossil shows Gigantopithecus’ close ties to modern orangutans

    Proteins from the past help clarify how an ancient Asian ape that was larger than a full-grown, modern male gorilla evolved.

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  2. Life

    Remarkable fossils capture mammals’ recovery after the dino-killing asteroid

    A fossil-rich site in Colorado is revealing how mammals rebounded and flourished after an asteroid strike 66 million years ago.

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  3. Paleontology

    Big dinosaurs kept cool thanks to blood vessel clusters in their heads

    Giant dinosaurs evolved several strategies for cooling their blood and avoiding heatstroke.

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  4. Earth

    50 years ago, an Antarctic fossil pointed to Gondwanaland’s existence

    Fifty years ago, fossils from Antarctica helped seal the deal that the southern continents were once connected in one, giant landmass called Gondwanaland.

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  5. Life

    Fly fossils might challenge the idea of ancient trilobites’ crystal eyes

    Fossilized crane flies from 54 million years ago probably got their crystal lenses after death.

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  6. Paleontology

    This newfound predator may have terrorized the Cambrian seafloor

    A newly discovered spaceship-shaped predator raked through the Cambrian seafloor in search of food.

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  7. Paleontology

    A flexible bone that helps mammals chew dates back to the Jurassic Period

    A flexible bone that helps with chewing may have helped give rise to the Age of Mammals, a new fossil shows.

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  8. Paleontology

    An ancient bird found encased in amber had a bizarrely long toe

    A 99-million-year-old fossil holds a bird with an oddly long toe, which might have helped the critter hook hard-to-reach dinners.

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  9. Animals

    Some ancient crocodiles may have chomped on plants instead of meat

    Fossil teeth of extinct crocodyliforms suggest that some ate plants and that herbivory evolved at least three times in crocs of the Mesozoic Era.

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  10. Paleontology

    Signs of the color blue have been found in a fossil for the first time

    Scientists think they’ve spotted hints of blue plumage in a fossilized bird from 48 million years ago.

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  11. Paleontology

    Hyenas roamed the Arctic during the last ice age

    Two teeth confirm the idea that hyenas crossed the Bering land bridge into North America, a study finds.

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  12. Science & Society

    The Smithsonian’s ‘Deep Time’ exhibit gives dinosaurs new life

    The Smithsonian’s renovated fossil hall puts ancient dinosaurs and other creatures in context.

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