Paleontology

Paleontology

Dinosaur ‘mummies’ may not be rare flukes after all

Bite marks on a fossilized dinosaur upend the idea that exquisite skin preservation must result from a carcass's immediate smothering under sediment.

Paleontology

Pterosaurs may have evolved from tiny, fast-running reptiles

A mysterious little ground-dwelling reptile unearthed in a Scottish sandstone over 100 years ago turns out to be part of a famous flying family.

Paleontology

Ancient fish fossils highlight the strangeness of our vertebrate ancestors

New fossils are revealing the earliest jawed vertebrates — a group that encompasses 99 percent of all living vertebrates on Earth, including humans.

Paleontology

Living fast may have helped mammals like ‘ManBearPig’ dominate

Staying in the womb for a while but being born ready to rock may have helped post-dinosaur mammals take over the planet.

Life

Ancient ‘demon ducks’ may have been undone by their slow growth

Mihirung birds grew to more than half a ton and took their time getting there. That slow growth may have been a vulnerability when humans got to Australia.

Paleontology

This bizarre ancient critter has been kicked out of a group that includes humans

A wee sea creature without an anus was thought to be the oldest deuterostome. New imaging showing it had spines led to its reclassification.

Paleontology

50 years ago, the dinosaurs’ demise was still a mystery 

In 1972, scientists blamed dinosaur biology for the reptiles’ demise. Years later, researchers ID’d the real killer: an apocalyptic asteroid.

Paleontology

Mammal ancestors’ shrinking inner ears may reveal when warm-bloodedness arose

An abrupt shift in inner ear shape of mammal ancestors 233 million years ago, during a time of climate swings, points to evolution of warm-bloodedness.

Paleontology

A newfound dinosaur had tiny arms before T. rex made them cool

A predecessor to Tyrannosaurus rex, Meraxes gigas had a giant head and puny but muscular arms, suggesting the limbs served some purpose.

Paleontology

Feathers may have helped dinosaurs survive the Triassic mass extinction

New data show that dinosaurs were able to weather freezing conditions about 202 million years ago, probably thanks to warm feathery coats.

Paleontology

Megatooth sharks may have been higher on the food chain than any ocean animal ever

Some megalodons and their ancestors were the ultimate apex predators, outeating all known marine animals, researchers report.

Paleontology

Vampire squid are gentle blobs. But this ancestor was a fierce hunter

New fossil analyses of 164-million-year-old ancestors of today’s vampire squid show the ancient cephalopods had muscular bodies and powerful suckers.