Hollow bones were essential for dinosaurs like Tyrannosaurus rex.
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Articles on Fossils
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It hasn’t been clear how common the species was on the Cape south coast because its body fossils are predominantly from southern Africa’s west coast.
At twice the size of a wedge-tailed eagle, the newly discovered Dynatoaetus gaffae would have competed with thylacines and Tasmanian devils for prey.
The largest birds that ever lived on Earth, elephant birds have a spotty fossil record. But understanding them could help protect Madagascar’s biodiversity.
Fossil evidence of how the earliest life on Earth came to be is hard to come by. But scientists have come up with a few theories based on the microbes, viruses and prions existing today.
Fossils aren’t just pieces of the past that allow scientists to look backwards. They can play a role in modern policy decision-making, too.
Birds and dinosaurs lived together for millions of years, but only toothless birds survived the asteroid impact that upended life on Earth.
The Wapiti Formation in Alberta is turning out to be a rich site for dinosaur and other fossils. A recent discovery could fill in the gaps about a transition between different ecological communities.
Ancient rocks from Western Australia may not contain the world’s oldest fossils – but they do preserve organic compounds that may have formed the raw materials for the first living cells.
Close relatives of primates adapted to life in the High Arctic 52 million years ago – this may offer insight into future changes in the Arctic.
Studying fossil dung offers another avenue for scientists trying to recreate ancient landscapes.
The findings have repercussions today: it is clear that slow-growing animals will be the most vulnerable to extinction amid shifting climates.
A closer look at these fossil bones revealed more than the suggestion of a previously undescribed species - it pointed to the individual animal having suffered with osteoarthritis.
The feet of a bird tell us a lot about its life. Newly described, the fossil feet of the ancestors of modern birds reveal how superbly adapted they were to their world.
Tiny plant and insect fossils provide unique insight into an ancient ecosystem that would, later, be altered by climatic shifts.
Despite causing hurt and offence, the legality of removing a whale fossil from the West Coast remains unclear. So what rules and laws govern amateur fossil hunting, and should they be strengthened?
Track marks are a way to fill in the blanks that sometimes exist in the body fossil record.
Without intervention, the rock may have been destroyed by high tides and storm surges.
Fossils of a giant killer mosasaur have been discovered, alongside the fossilised remains of its prey.
Derided as ‘toys for the rich,’ the specimens being bought and sold raise broader questions about the relationship between science and capitalism.
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Top contributors
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Senior Researcher in Vertebrate Palaeontology, University of the Witwatersrand
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John Long is a Friend of The Conversation.
Strategic Professor in Palaeontology, Flinders University
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Research Associate, African Centre for Coastal Palaeoscience, Nelson Mandela University
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Professor of Vertebrate Palaeontology, University of Bristol
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Professor in Evolutionary Biology (jointly appointed with South Australian Museum), Flinders University
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Associate Professor, Vertebrate Palaeontology Group, Flinders University
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Honorary Associate Professor, UNSW Sydney
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Honorary Research Associate, Evolutionary Studies Institute, University of the Witwatersrand
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John Curtin Distinguished Professor, Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University
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Associate Professor, Southern Cross University
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Palaeontologist, Earth Science Faculty, University of New England
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Palaeontologist, University of Southampton
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Chancellor's Fellow in Vertebrate Palaeontology, The University of Edinburgh
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Professor of Palaeobiology, University of Leicester
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Curator of Cenozoic Palaeontology, Research and Exhibitions, Iziko Museums of South Africa; Honorary Research associate Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town
