Old Dinosaur Turns into Something New
A fossil uncovered in the 1970s turns out to be a previously unknown species
Stories by Brian Switek
Paleontologists Unveil Shovel-Billed Dinosaur
A new hadrosaur from Texas has a striking, shovel-shaped mouth
Fossils Show How Shovel-Beaked Dinosaurs Grew
A collection of tiny skull bones offers new insights to the early life of Edmontosaurus
Fossil Frog Had a Salamander Lunch
A fossil found in China reveals a Cretaceous amphibian’s last meal
Dinosaurs of a Feather Nested Together
A special site in the Gobi Desert preserves rare evidence of a dinosaur nesting ground
A Strange Dinosaur's Unusual Strut
A newly named dinosaur balanced on one toe of each foot
Sloths Climb a New Evolutionary Tree
Analysis of ancient genes changes what researchers expected about giant sloth evolution
Iconic Fossil Feather Probably Didn't Belong to Archaeopteryx
A new analysis of a famous fossil suggests that there may be more feathered dinosaurs in Germany’s lithographic limestone than we currently know
Bone Up on What's Inside You
Author and self-described fossil fanatic Brian Switek talks about his new book Skeleton Keys: The Secret Life of Bone.
Fighting Saber-Toothed Cats Bit Each Other on the Face
A pair of fossil skulls reveal how Smilodon fought with each other
Dawn of the Crunch
A tiny fossil skull reveals the oldest known vertebrate capable of crunching hard-shelled prey
Run like a Dinosaur
Birds are living dinosaurs, but can they help us understand how their extinct relatives moved?
When Fingers Changed Fins
A new study offers a surprising look at what happened when fishy fins evolved into arms and legs
Fossil Jaws Are a Sign of When Mammals Bounced Back
A new analysis of fossil beasts adds a new wrinkle to the story of when the Age of Mammals really took off
Tiny Tyrannosaur Named the "Coyote King"
Fossils found in New Mexico reveal a carnivorous dinosaur from before the time of T. rex
New Duckbill Dinosaur Looks Sharp
Fossils found in the Gobi Desert reveal an unusual herbivore.
Who Is a Paleontologist, Really?
Academic gatekeeping obscures the contributions of communities vital to the study of ancient life
Busted Mastodon Is Ice Age Roadkill
A mastodon said to be pulverized by Ice Age humans was probably busted up by roadwork
Mastodons to the Max
A fossil skeleton found in California leads to the discovery of a new mastodon species.
Is "Scotty" the Biggest T. rex? Maybe Not
A huge T. rex was crowned as king of the tyrants. But the bones may tell a different tale
