paleontology
Scientists have discovered the proboscis butterflies use to suck nectar from flowers existed before flowers did. So: What were ancient butterflies using their long, tongue-like suckers for?
Amber-Trapped Tick Suggests Ancient Bloodsuckers Feasted On Feathered Dinosaurs
The tick was with a feather from a dinosaur that lived in the Cretaceous Period. Modern ticks love to bite mammals, and scientists have long wondered what the tiny vampires ate millions of years ago.
6,000-Year-Old Knee Joints Suggest Osteoarthritis Isn't Just Wear And Tear
Even after a Harvard team took into account differences in age and weight among ancient specimens and knees today, they found that modern humans tend to have more osteoarthritis.
Scientists Describe Ancient Bag-Like Sea Creatures From China
They were ugly. And, unfortunately, they were not equipped with an anus. But the sand dwellers could be an important part of filling in our own early evolutionary tree.
The Curious Case Of The Hyolith, An Ancient 'Ice Cream Cone' That's Found A Home
The creature, which roamed ocean floors over 500 million years ago, went years without a definitive scientific classification. Now, researchers think the oddball finally has a group to call its own.
Dinosaur 'Baby Teeth' Reveal That Dino Eggs Hatched Slowly
Early stages of dinosaur development remain a mystery. However, researchers have uncovered a new way to study the early stages using the teeth of fossilized dinosaur embryos.
Preserved Paleo Protein Provides Perspective on Dino Family Tree, and Maybe Life in Space. Wait. What?
You are a paleontologist on expedition hunting dinosaur fossils. For all your efforts, you've unearthed just a few bone fragments. Back at the lab, you and your team determine that, based on their shape and size, you're looking at a colossal waste of time and resources. But a new tool is emerging which allows us to use dinosaur DNA to better understand prehistoric evolutionary trees. It may also help to find life on Mars, or treat human diseases.
Researchers Say They've Found A Bit Of Fossilized Dinosaur Brain
A small rock might contain tissue from a 130 million-year-old dinosaur brain. If confirmed, it would be the first bit of fossilized dino gray matter ever found.
Can Ancient Fossils Prepare Humans for the Future?
Recently, Drs. Lindsay Zanno and Victoria Arbour took a brief scouting expedition to New Mexico, looking for dinosaur fossils exposed at the surface of 90-million-year-old rock. Only three North American dinosaur species have been identified from this time period. They want to find more.
Extinct 'Micro Lion' Is Named For Sir David Attenborough
Microleo attenboroughi was a tiny, marsupial lion that lived some 18 million years ago. Paleontologists in Australia said they named it after the famed naturalist "for his dedication and enthusiasm."