Paleontology
These Tiny Beautiful Fossils Tell the Future
What bountiful remains of foraminifera reveal about the ocean’s past and future in times of climate chaos
Famous Sea Monster Gets a Name
Traskasaura sandrae had “very odd” features that made it a crafty hunter
What Fueled the Ocean’s Largest Terror
Megalodon teeth reveal a secret to their ancient super-predator status
Conjuring Imaginary Creatures
Dinosaur illustrator Mick Ellison on the evolution of using science and art to visualize the long-extinct animals of the deep past
Lucy at 50
Donald Johanson reflects on his fossil discovery that shook the human family tree a half century ago.
What Happened to Ancient Megafauna?
Recent studies show it wasn’t the climate that did them in.
Unraveling the Evolution of Flight
Bird brain scans and dinosaur fossils hint at when the first creatures grew wings.
A Day in the Life of a Fossil Preparator
Recreating the past requires as much art and craft as science.
Digging for Our Origins in the Bone Beds of an African Park
In their search for the last common ancestor of chimps and humans, scientists at Gorongosa National Park are expanding the picture of early primate life.
Portrait of the Human as a Young Hominin
How the world looked when we were Australopithecus.
What Made Early Humans Smart
Walking upright made our ancestors easy prey. It also made them get smart.
