Paleontology

This Little Brazilian Dinosaur Ran Across the Desert on One Toe

The recently unearthed dog-sized theropod is a rare example of monodactyl dinosaurs

An artist's interpretation of what life could have been like if ancient humans and ancient ostriches crossed paths.

Fossil of Ancient Bird Three Times Bigger Than an Ostrich Found in Europe

The fossil is about 1.8 million years old, meaning the bird may have arrived on the continent around the same time as <i>Homo erectus</i>

Pterosaurs May Have Flown as Soon as They Hatched

A new analysis of the flying reptile's embryos indicates the bones needed for flight were highly developed in the egg

The nuance of the new exhibition, "Fossil Hall—Deep Time," plays out in elaborate art, entertaining digital displays and magnificent fossil displays. But don't miss the small stuff.

Here Are 12 Things You Might Miss in the Smithsonian's New Fossil Hall

Hidden among the dinosaurs and megafauna, are these small details that make "Deep Time" all the more impressive

Artist's reconstruction of Fostoria dhimbangunmal, a newly described iguanodontian dinosaur.

Dinosaur Bones Shimmering With Opal Reveal a New Species in Australia

A discovery in an Australian opal mine remained unexamined for three decades—it turned out to be the most complete opalized dinosaur skeleton in the world

"I’ve never lost the wonder," says Hans-Dieter Sues (above). "To be the first human to find and touch an extinct creature is a singular moment that cannot be easily put into words."

How Do Paleontologists Find Fossils?

Smithsonian’s Hans-Dieter Sues, who has collected fossil vertebrates in the U.S. and around the world shares some of his tips

Towering over the Fossil Hall is the plant-eating sauropod Diplodocus, which has been on display since 1931 and now is posed with tail in the air.

Amid All the Fossils, Smithsonian's New Dinosaur Exhibition Tells the Complex Story of Life

The much-anticipated exhibition is packed full of Mesozoic dinosaur drama, new science, hands-on discoveries and state-of-the-art museum artistry

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Beyond Dinosaurs: The Secrets of Earth's Past

From the formation of Earth through the changing climates and creatures of the past, the Smithsonian's new Hall of Fossils explores our planet's Deep Time

T. rex moves in for the kill on a doomed Triceratops—an herbivore that existed mainly on a diet of palm fronds.

The 'Nation's T. Rex' Prepares to Make Its Smithsonian Debut

In a new exhibit about "deep time" at the National Museum of Natural History, <em>T. rex</em> is still the king

Artist Gary Staab assembles the massive megalodon. A scale model at the bottom right shows what the finished creature will look like.

Reimagining the Megalodon, the World's Most Terrifying Sea Creature

The ancient beast of the oceans comes to life in a new display at the National Museum of Natural History

For the First Time, Researchers Find Color Red Preserved in Fossil

The fossilized rodent, dubbed 'mighty mouse', is the first to show chemical traces of a red pigment in soft tissue

Reconstructed color patterns of Sinosauropteryx based on the pigmentation of fossil plumage. The dinosaur is portrayed in the predicted open habitat in which it lived around the Jehol lakes, preying on the lizard Dalinghosaurus.

The Colors of Dinosaurs Open a New Window to Study the Past

Old fossils and new technology are coloring in life’s prehistoric palette

This Prehistoric Fish Makes a Great White Look Like a Goldfish

Meet Dunkleosteus, perhaps the fiercest fish that ever existed

Life reconstruction of the bizarre membranous-winged Ambopteryx longibrachium.

Newly Discovered Bat-Like Dinosaur Reveals the Intricacies of Prehistoric Flight

Though <i>Ambopteryx longibrachium</i> was likely a glider, the fossil is helping scientists discover how dinosaurs first took to the skies

An artist's rendering of how Suskityrannus hazelae may have looked.

When Tyrannosaurs Were Tiny

A new study describes an early T. rex relative that stood about three feet tall and weighed no more than 90 pounds

A new study identifies the remains of two previously mislabeled species: a short-faced bear and wolf-like carnivore

Divers Find Ice Age Megafauna Remains in Underwater Mexican Cave

The animals include at least seven short-faced bears and one or two wolf-like carnivores

New Analysis of Depression-Era Fossil Hunt Shows Texas Coast Was Once a 'Serengeti'

Over 11 million years ago, the area was full of animals

All of the Denisovan specimens found to date originated from a cave in Siberia

The Hominins We’ve Been Calling Denisovans Are More Diverse Than Previously Thought

Researchers have identified three distinct Denisovan lineages, including one that could constitute an entirely separate species

The 13 bones and teeth were found in a cave on the island of Luzon

A New Human Ancestor Species Was Discovered in the Philippines

'Homo luzonensis' boasted an eclectic mix of features comparable different species of hominins

Conditions were ripe for fossil-making when this tiny dinosaur walked through the mud some 120 million years ago. In the lower right corner of this image, you can even see splash mark from a rain droplet.

‘Exquisitely Preserved’ Skin Impressions Found in Dinosaur Footprints

The fossils were so well-preserved that the researchers could even see marks left by raindrops

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