Possible Dinosaur DNA Has Been Found
New discoveries have raised the possibility of exploring dino genetics, but controversy surrounds the results
Stories by Riley Black
Smallest Known Dinosaur Found in Amber
A bird skull from Myanmar hints at a lost world of tiny fossils that are waiting to be unearthed
Some Dinosaurs Regurgitated Pellets Just like Birds
Small, feathery dinosaurs jettisoned indigestible food just like some modern birds do
My Own Personal Extinction
At the end of her time at Scientific American, Riley Black reflects on the history of Laelaps
Saber-Toothed Protomammal was a Quick Healer
An injury on an ancient bone hints that a saber-toothed carnivore healed fast for its time
Sharp-Nosed Marine Reptile Is a Triassic Surprise
A fossil found in Alaska may help explain why a mysterious group of seagoing creatures went extinct
Squishy Cephalopod Was Almost a Pterosaur’s Lunch
The fossil of an ancient squid relative tells paleontologists something new about the reptile that tried to feed on it
Penguin Skin Offers Hints about Dinosaur Fluff
A fossil penguin wing found in Antarctica has broader implications for what dinosaurs looked like
Paleontologists Dig Into a Giant Sloth Boneyard
Ancient drought and unfortunate bathroom habits may have doomed some ice age sloths
What Did Dinosaurs Smell Like?
Smell was certainly an important part of dinosaur life. What do we know about it?
The Biggest Whales Are Yet to Come
A study of whale feeding habits found that food is the main limit to the size of ocean giants
The Time of Giants
Envisioning the Jurassic world requires a lot of fossil detective work
Doing the Crocodile Trot
A new study finds that many crocodile species can bound and gallop. But alligators can’t
Alligators Don’t Play Pick-Up Sticks to Lure Lunch
A new study casts doubt over the suggestion that alligators use sticks to catch birds
The Secret of the Crocodile “Death Roll”
Out of 25 living crocodilian species, all but one have been seen to “death roll”
Tiny Tyrant Gets a New Identity
A fossil thought to be a young Daspletosaurus turns out to be something else
Paleontologists on the Trail of "Ghost Tracks"
Ground-penetrating radar has the potential to reveal a world of hidden footprints
Old Stegosaur Alters History of Armored Dinosaurs
A skeleton that was kept in storage for 60 years is a Jurassic surprise
Stunning Skeleton Reveals Early Carnivorous Dinosaur
A fossil uncovered in Brazil adds new details about the earliest days of predatory dinosaurs
What Made Dinos Sore?
A new review digs into how the terrible lizards dealt with aches and pains
