Very few bilby and bandicoot fossils have ever been found. Four new discoveries help fill in the picture of how these elusive animals evolved.
Academic rigour, journalistic flair
Articles on Fossils
Displaying 121 - 140 of 385 articles
The recent discovery of fragments of a jaw fossil show that at one point, herbivorous reptiles evolved highly complex and efficient teeth.
By looking at the eye bones and ear canals of extinct dinosaurs, researchers show that a small ancient predator likely hunted at night and had senses as good as a modern barn owl.
Combining evidence from archaeology, geochronology and paleoenvironmental science, researchers identified how ancient humans by Lake Malawi were the first to substantially modify their environment.
So how accurate is the T. rex’s running speed in that famous Jurassic Park jeep-chase scene?
These new finds indicate that Diictodon was burrowing and giving some parental care to its young. This was long thought to be unique to mammals.
Using the incredible wealth of fossil data and a modern ecological theory, researchers estimated population density for the extinct apex predator.
Preserved in amber, a tiny beetle has shed light on the moment the world first burst into bloom.
Gigantic flying reptiles had impressive wingspans of up to 12 metres – and a special trick in their necks.
People were drawn to Ga-Mohana for many reasons. Surface water was likely among them.
The environmental, cultural and scientific sensitivity of some sites, and rarity of some fossils, means amateur fossil collecting comes with huge risks.
‘Tetrapods’ were the first fish to evolve lungs and walk onto land. They were also our ancestors. Now, a new study sheds light on the size and shape of these unique animals’ brains.
Since the 19th century, biologists have treated the larvae of lampreys as a relic of evolutionary ancestry that could potentially give clues about vertebrate origins. Now fossils overturn that view.
Because of its skeleton’s heavy architecture, scientists have always assumed that Anteosaurus was a rather sluggish, slow-moving animal, only capable of scavenging or ambushing its prey, at best.
New study sheds light on how the starfish evolved.
Kate Winslet plays palaeontologist Mary Anning in the film Ammonite. The love story may be fictional — but how does the science stand up?
New fossil detective work sheds light on the life of megalodon, the biggest predatory shark ever discovered.
The research shows that 2 million years ago humans were not constrained technologically and already had the capacity to expand their geographic range.
New research shows crocodiles have landed upon an equilibrium state of evolution.
‘Worm’ is really a catchall term for a huge variety of animals with different characteristics that span the tree of life. They hold clues about our own origins as well as hints about human health.
Top contributors
-
Senior Researcher in Vertebrate Palaeontology, University of the Witwatersrand
-
Research Associate, African Centre for Coastal Palaeoscience, Nelson Mandela University
-
Strategic Professor in Palaeontology, Flinders University
-
Professor of Vertebrate Palaeontology, University of Bristol
-
Professor in Evolutionary Biology (jointly appointed with South Australian Museum), Flinders University
-
Associate Professor, Vertebrate Palaeontology Group, Flinders University
-
Senior Lecturer in Paleontology and Evolutionary Biology, Life Sciences at the University of Bath, University of Bath
-
Associate Professor, Southern Cross University
-
Research Assistant in Palaeontology, University of Bristol
-
Research associate, Curtin University
-
Professor, Flinders University
-
Lecturer, University of Cape Town
-
Honorary Research Associate, Evolutionary Studies Institute, University of the Witwatersrand
-
Lecturer in Palaeontology, Flinders University
-
Honorary Associate Professor, UNSW Sydney
