paleontology

Dec 1, 2020

Dueling Dinosaurs: A Q&A With Lindsay Zanno

Lindsay Zanno talks about the Dueling Dinosaurs fossil and what it could reveal. 

Mar 2, 2020

Original Cartilage and Evidence of DNA Preserved in 75 Million-Year-Old Baby Dinosaur

Researchers have found evidence of preserved protein fragments and apparent chromosomes in cartilage from a baby dinosaur. 

Feb 21, 2019

New Species of Tiny Tyrannosaur Foreshadows Rise of T. Rex

A new tiny tyrannosaur nicknamed "harbinger of doom" paved the way for T. rex to rule. 

Dec 5, 2018

Soft Tissue Shows Jurassic Ichthyosaur Was Warm-Blooded, Had Blubber and Camouflage

Soft-tissue analysis of Jurassic ichthyosaur reveals they were most likely warm-blooded, had insulating blubber and camouflage coloration. 

Oct 17, 2017

Keratin, Pigment, Proteins From 54 Million-Year-Old Sea Turtle Show Survival Trait Evolution

Fossil tissues show that a pigment-based survival trait common to modern sea turtles evolved at least 54 million years ago. 

Jan 23, 2017

80-Million-Year-Old Dinosaur Collagen Confirmed

Researchers have isolated additional collagen peptides from an 80-million-year-old Brachylophosaurus. 

Nov 21, 2016

Keratin and Melanosomes Preserved in 130-Million-Year-Old Bird Fossil

Researchers have found evidence of original keratin and melanosome preservation in a 130-million-year-old Eoconfuciusornis specimen. 

Nov 8, 2016

Original Dinosaur Claw Sheath Proteins Preserved for 75 Million Years

Researchers find original proteins in a 75 million-year-old dinosaur's claw sheath. 

Sep 27, 2016

Outrageous Heads Led to Outrageously Large Dinosaurs

Bling and big bods: theropod dinosaurs with bony crests, horns and knobs on their heads got bigger faster than their unornamented brethren. 

Mar 23, 2016

What Do We Really Know About Dino DNA?

Paleontologist Mary Schweitzer explains what we really know about dinosaur DNA. 

Mar 15, 2016

Pregnant T. Rex Could Aid in Dino Sex-Typing

Pregnant T. rex could help paleontologists figure out gender of other meat-eating dinos 

Dec 1, 2015

Researchers Confirm Original Blood Vessels in 80 Million-Year-Old Fossil

Researchers confirm that blood vessel-like structures in an 80 million-year-old hadrosaur fossil are original blood vessels, not biofilms or other contaminants. 

Oct 5, 2015

True Colors: Using Molecular Analysis to Clarify Dino Color Claims

Paleontologist Mary Schweitzer wants to see colleagues use of molecular analysis and other technologically advanced tools to confirm claims about dino color. 

Aug 31, 2015

Tail as Old as Time: How Ankylosaur Tail Evolved

How did the ankylosaur get its tail club? Researchers traced the evolution of the ankylosaur’s distinctive tail, finding that the handle arrived first on the scene, and the knot at the end of the tail followed. 

Jul 15, 2014

Cretaceous Cold Case No. 5: When Evidence Dries Up

This is the fifth post in a series called “Cretaceous Cold Cases” in which the science of taphonomy, or prehistoric forensics, is explained by fascinating cases from the files of Terry “Bucky” Gates, a research scientist with NC State and the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. South Africa, 250 million years ago. The United States,145…