A University of Toronto study has ruled out the theory that duck-billed dinosaurs' crests were linked to their sense of smell. The research, led by David Evans, found that the brain changed little from non-crested dinosaur ancestors, suggesting the crests may have been used for visual display or attracting mates.
Researchers found that plateosaurs adjusted their growth to environmental conditions, growing faster in abundant food and slowing down during scarcity. This discovery challenges the conventional understanding of dinosaur growth, which was previously thought to be similar to modern mammals.
The discovery of Dallasaurus, a three-foot long lizard that lived 92 million years ago, fills a gap in the understanding of mosasaur evolution and reveals that they transitioned from land to sea. The fossil find provides significant insights into the biology and natural history of mosasaurs, which were top predators in their ecosystem.
Paleontologist Sankar Chatterjee presents evidence that dinosaurs like Microraptor gui used biplane wings, which were likely the first experiment in natural flight. The discovery supports the trees-down theory, suggesting that avian flight began with gliding and then developed into powered flight.
A University of Colorado researcher has discovered tracks of a previously unknown two-legged swimming dinosaur along the shoreline of an ancient inland sea that covered Wyoming 165 million years ago. The six-foot-tall bipedal creature, similar to a Coelosaur, likely waded along the shoreline and swam offshore to feed on fish or carrion.
The discovery of Buitreraptor gonzalezorum, a 90-million-year-old dinosaur, reveals that dromaeosaurs originated during the Jurassic period, challenging previous estimates. The fossil's bird-like features and unique characteristics provide evidence of a global distribution and evolutionary routes for these carnivorous theropods.
Recent discoveries in China have led to new questions about the claim of direct derivation between birds and theropod dinosaurs. Researchers found no evidence for protofeathers on dinosaurs and suggest decomposition patterns may be mistaken for feathers.
A team of scientists led by Dr. Alan Feduccia found that fossilized patterns resembling feathers are more likely skin-related tissues, contradicting the theory of feathered dinosaurs. The study also revealed embryos of developing birds have distinct wing structures, making it unlikely for birds to evolve from flightless dinosaurs.
Research suggests that increased oxygen levels in Earth's atmosphere led to the emergence of large placental mammals, including massive sloths and saber-toothed cats. The study, published in Science journal, uses deep-sea core samples to track changes in oxygen content over 205 million years.
The discovery of a 190 million-year-old Massospondylus embryo provides a rare glimpse into the life of an early dinosaur. The delicate bones of most dinosaur embryos were destroyed over time, but this well-preserved skeleton offers detailed anatomy insights into the earliest known dinosaur embryo.
Researchers found accelerated chromosomal evolution since dinosaurs disappeared, with rates of change increasing 2-5 fold. The study identified segmental duplication around breakpoint sites, potentially linked to human diseases like cancer.
A new study reveals that predatory dinosaurs, such as T. rex, had a more complex air sac system similar to that in modern birds. The findings suggest that these ancient beasts may have been warm-blooded creatures, with a pulmonary machinery for enhanced gas exchange.
The discovery of Revueltosaurus, a crocodile ancestor, upends the traditional understanding of dinosaur evolution. The fossil finds suggest that herbivorous ornithischians and meat-eating theropods did not co-evolve in the Late Triassic as previously thought.
A new family of catfish, Lacantuniidae, has been identified with a unique skeletal structure that sets it apart from other catfish families. The discovery sheds light on the evolutionary history of ancient fish species and their potential connections to dinosaurs.
Researchers at North Carolina State University discovered a link between dinosaurs and living birds by finding medullary bone in a T. rex fossil, indicating the dinosaur was female and likely producing eggs. The presence of this tissue provides an objective means of sexing dinosaurs.
Scientists have discovered a new species, Falcarius utahensis, in Utah that provides clues about the evolution of plant-eating dinosaurs. The dinosaur had leaf-shaped teeth and a larger gut to digest plant material, and its neck and forelimbs were more elongated for reaching plants.
Researchers found evidence of the first elephant shrews' presence in North America, suggesting a greater animal migration than previously thought. This discovery has significant implications for our understanding of mammalian evolution and the history of continental breakups.
Researchers propose that spinels, rich in magnesium and iron, condensed from the cooling vapor cloud after a massive asteroid impact. The study strengthens the link between the Chicxulub impact and the mass extinction event that ended the Age of Dinosaurs.
The discovery of Neuquenraptor argentinus provides the first uncontroversial evidence that raptors roamed beyond the Northern Hemisphere. The find reveals a common raptor ancestor likely existed on both Gondwana and Laurasia supercontinents before they split apart.
A new avian species called Vegavis iaai has provided unprecedented fossil proof that some close cousins to living bird species coexisted with dinosaurs during the Cretaceous period. The research, published in Nature, places Vegavis within the Anseriformes group and indicates its evolutionary relationship to ducks and geese.
Research refutes old idea that dinosaurs were declining in diversity during their time on Earth. Early dinosaur diversity increased dramatically throughout the Cretaceous period, reaching 245 genera.
Researchers studied Tanytrachelos ahynis fossils from the late Triassic Cow Branch Formation, finding no significant differences in size or morphology between populations of the same species. The team analyzed over 90 specimens and discovered that environmental factors rather than intrinsic differences may be responsible for preservati...
Researchers used growth line counts on T. rex and other relatives to estimate accelerated growth from age 14-18, gaining insight into how these dinosaurs became gargantuan. The study compares T. rex's growth rate to modern-day elephants.
Researchers found Archeopteryx had a brain three times larger than crocodiles and similar to modern birds, supporting the theory of evolution. The study disproves the idea that some dinosaurs couldn't fly due to feathers.
Researchers analyzed fossil records and found dinoflagellates in ancient sea, indicating a sudden cooling event. The team's discovery confirms climate models and suggests prolonged feedback effects kept ocean depths cold for centuries.
Research team led by Mark Springer has traced solenodon origins to the Mesozoic era, 76 million years ago. The findings suggest that these shrew-like creatures branched off from insect-eating relatives and have remained biologically unchanged over millions of years.
Researchers retrieved clues to ancient ocean chemistry and global greenhouse gas accumulation from 130-million-year-old sediments. The study provides a high-resolution record of seawater sulfate changes, shedding light on the interactions between the Earth's atmosphere, land, and ocean systems during the Cretaceous period.
Fossils of Rugops primus and Spinostropheus gautieri reveal that Africa separated from southern continents around 100 million years ago. The discoveries provide fresh evidence on the timing of continental drift, shedding light on how dinosaurs like Rugops and other animals used narrow land bridges to colonize adjacent continents.
A team of researchers discovered two new dinosaur species in Antarctica, one a carnivorous theropod and the other a sauropod. The theropod's primitive characteristics suggest it may have thrived in Antarctica due to its unique environment.
Stephanie Novak, a doctoral candidate at Washington University in St. Louis, developed a novel model to determine classification of a new species based on skeletal differences. The Archosaurian Morphospecies Concept found that Postosuchus from different locations were part of the same species.
A team of scientists has found evidence that a massive ancient meteorite struck the Earth 251 million years ago, triggering climate change and volcanic activity. This led to the extinction of nearly nine-tenths of all life on Earth.
Researchers suggest that ultra-low oxygen and greenhouse warming sparked two mass-extinction events, killing 90% of species on Earth. The development of an unusual breathing system in some dinosaurs, still found in birds today, may have helped them survive harsh conditions.
Researchers have uncovered detailed insights into the brains of ancient flying reptiles, revealing a larger flocculus that enabled them to process sensory data from their wings. The study suggests that this neural center played a crucial role in the pterosaurs' ability to fly and hunt, allowing them to become highly adapted predators.
Researchers have discovered that three species of cassowaries can produce low-frequency sounds that may be similar to those made by dinosaurs. The birds' helmet-like casques are thought to serve a function in sound reception and could provide clues about dinosaur communication.
Researchers suggest a similar eruption under the Indian Ocean before the dinosaurs' extinction had a devastating impact on the environment. The eruptions were caused by mantle plumes, which can last between one and two million years and eject over 1 million cubic kilometers of lava.
A massive tsunami is predicted to hit the Atlantic Coast on March 16, 2880, as a result of an asteroid impact. The simulation models a 2-mile diameter asteroid striking the ocean at 38,000 mph, generating waves up to 400 feet high and affecting coastal areas from Cape Cod to Cape Hatteras.
Scientists have discovered fossilized evidence of a dinosaur, Majungatholus, that regularly consumed members of its own species. The discovery expands our understanding of dinosaur relationships and provides insight into the animal kingdom's common practice of cannibalism.
A team of geologists has discovered a crab fossil within inches of a massive plant-eating dinosaur fossil in Egypt. The find, dating back to the Cretaceous Period, sheds light on the ecosystem where these species coexisted, revealing a diverse array of organisms including fish, sharks, and turtles.
Kirk Johnson's latest discovery of the rainforest in Denver provides answers to key questions about ancient landscaping and will aid scientists in predicting groundwater availability. The rainforest, one of the oldest-known on earth, is now on display at the DMNS, accompanied by a Web site and book.
Researchers have analyzed fossil records of plants and insects to understand how the Earth's climate has changed over time. The study reveals that the K-T boundary, which marked the extinction of dinosaurs, was caused by an extraterrestrial impact, while the P-E interval saw a more gradual change due to global warming.
Researchers found convincing evidence of sexual dimorphism in fossils from 252-260 million years ago, with male Diictodon having large tusks used as weapons for combat. The study suggests complex social behavior among ancient animals.
Scientists have discovered that ancient birds used a unique 'wing-assisted incline running' behavior to help them climb vertical surfaces, which may be the key to explaining how dinosaurs learned to fly. This behavior, found in modern-day birds, involves rapid movement of the front appendages to gain foot traction as it climbs.
Researchers have resolved terrestrial paleoclimate records near the K-T boundary, correlating with marine data. Climate changes occurred globally, with warming events occurring 66 million years ago, and cooling trends preceding the K-T collision.
Researchers use novel genetic approach to study feather formation in chickens, revealing that barbs form first and fuse to create rachides. This discovery sheds new light on dinosaur evolution and has implications for understanding human development and organ formation.
Researchers have determined the age of the oldest known meteorite impact on Earth, a catastrophic event that generated massive shockwaves billions of years before the dinosaur extinction. The ancient meteorite is estimated to be approximately 12 miles wide and was buried in rocks formed during the Archean eon.
Researchers analyzed iridium levels and magnetic fields to correlate with plant and animal life, suggesting a comet or asteroid impact led to the rise of dinosaurs in the Jurassic period. This impact is thought to have cleared the way for other species to adapt, ultimately paving the way for dinosaur dominance.
Researchers found a mass extinction event occurred less than 30 thousand years before giant theropod dinosaurs emerged, linked to an asteroid or comet impact. The discovery was made in lake sediments from the Newark Supergroup basins, showing a quadrupling of iridium abundance and fern spore spikes.
A new statistical approach reveals primates originated 85 million years ago, rather than 65 million, due to gaps in the fossil record. This challenges traditional methods of interpreting fossils and constructing evolutionary trees, including the human lineage.
A newly discovered dinosaur, Liaoceratops yanzigouensis, has provided valuable insights into the evolution of horned dinosaurs. Weighing only about seven pounds, it had rudimentary horns and a frill, unlike its larger cousin Triceratops.
Dinosaur expert Paul C. Sereno has made groundbreaking discoveries in Africa, including the giant predator Carcharodontosaurus and the spinosaur Suchomimus. His research is transforming our understanding of dinosaur evolution, shedding light on their diversity and abundance during the Cretaceous period.
A new species of carnivorous dinosaur, Sinovenator changii, has been discovered in China, revealing that major structural modifications towards birds occurred earlier than previously thought. The fossil is closely related to the oldest known bird, Archaeopteryx, and provides evidence that birds did not evolve from dinosaurs.
A new theory proposes that modern birds' evolution of flight was driven by their parenting skills, which led them to settle in trees for better protection. This contradicts two leading theories on avian flight and is supported by evidence from Archaeopteryx fossils.
A North Carolina State University graduate student has discovered a nearly hatched dinosaur embryo in a well-preserved dinosaur egg unearthed over 30 years ago in Alabama. The discovery, made by James Lamb, is the first of its kind in the eastern United States and provides new insights into dinosaurs' diets and climate.
Dr. Peter Makovicky's discovery sheds new light on the feeding behavior of ornithomimid dinosaurs, revealing a possible adaptation to filter-feed tiny invertebrates and particles from water and sediment. The find is significant as it provides evidence for the unique beak structure found in two well-preserved specimens.
A new study reveals that dinosaurs' noses were positioned closer to the mouth than previously thought, offering insights into their respiratory system and evolutionary advantages.
The National Science Foundation has funded a study that sheds light on the soft tissue biology of dinosaurs, specifically their nasal structures. The research, led by Lawrence Witmer, provides clues to how air flowed and affected olfaction and heat exchange in these prehistoric creatures.
A new study in the journal Science found that dinosaurs' fleshy nostrils were typically positioned forward of their bony nose openings. This finding has implications for how dinosaurs breathed, smelled, and regulated body temperature and water loss, potentially providing clues to their adaptations to different environments.
Research by Lawrence Witmer reveals that many dinosaurs had large nasal passages, contrary to previous depictions. The study suggests that these passages were positioned closer to the mouths and farther from the eyes, which could have been important for heat exchange and other physiological processes.
A nearly complete long-necked sauropod dinosaur was recently unearthed in Madagascar, providing the first comprehensive view of a titanosaur skull. The discovery, announced by NSF-funded scientists, confirms a close relationship between titanosaurs and brachiosaurs, revolutionizing our understanding of Mesozoic reptiles.
A new predatory dinosaur, Masiakasaurus knopfleri, has been discovered in Madagascar with unique features including specialized teeth and jaws. The fossil remains date back to the Late Cretaceous period, around 65-70 million years ago.