Located in the Arctic Ocean, between the Chukchi Sea and the East Siberian Sea, Wrangel Island is a 7,600 km² enclave, equivalent in size to Crete. It is part of Russia’s Chukotka Autonomous District and has been recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2004 due to its unique biodiversity and historical significance. The […]
Extinct Animals
Fossil Remains of the Oldest Mammal Ancestor in the World Found in Mallorca, Spain
An international team of paleontologists, led by the Institut Català de Paleontologia Miquel Crusafont (ICP-CERCA) and the Museu Balear de Ciències Naturals (MUCBO | MBCN), has made a discovery that rewrites part of evolutionary history: the fossil remains of the oldest known gorgonopsian. This animal, which lived between 270 and 280 million years ago, represents […]
An Exceptional Fossil Lost World, 280 Million Years Old, Found in the Italian Alps as Glacier Snow Recedes
In an unprecedented discovery, an exceptional paleontological site has emerged from the mountains of the Orobie Valtellinesi Park in the Italian Alps. The fossils, preserved in delicate layers of sandstone and clay for 280 million years, reveal a complete Paleozoic-era ecosystem. This unique window into the past has been made possible by climate change, which […]
A Fossil Found in Utah Reveals the Origin of the Earth’s First Vertebrates
The history of life on Earth dates back more than 500 million years, when complex-structured organisms emerged during the Cambrian period. A recent discovery in the western Utah desert sheds light on this crucial period in the evolution of vertebrates, the group that includes all animals with a backbone. In a geological area known for […]
Fossil of an Extinct Animal That Lacked Eyes Found Petrified in Pyrite in an Exceptionally Well-Preserved State
Paleontologists have made a fascinating discovery in New York State: fossil remains of an ancient species of arthropod that existed approximately 450 million years ago, whose preservation is exceptional thanks to a unique fossilization process that involved the infiltration of pyrite, commonly known as “fool’s gold”. This new species, named Lomankus edgecombei, belongs to an […]
Search for the Skull and Extraction of the Complete Skeleton of the Heaviest Animal to Have Ever Existed on Earth Begins in Peru
The vast Ica desert in Peru, a remote and difficult-to-access region, captured the scientific world’s attention in 2023 thanks to a colossal discovery: the first remains of Perucetus colossus, an ancient cetacean that lived approximately 40 million years ago and has been classified as the heaviest animal ever to have existed on Earth. Now, a […]
A Mysterious Animal in South African Rock Art May Represent a Pre-Dinosaur Extinct Species
In the rugged landscapes of South Africa, ancient rock art panels created by the San people—one of the region’s earliest inhabitants—have long intrigued researchers. Among these works is a particularly enigmatic depiction found in the “Horned Serpent” panel, which showcases various animals and cultural symbols. Painted between 1821 and 1835, this panel has been the […]
Terror Birds, the Superpredators of Prehistoric South America
In the vast plains of ancient South America, millions of years ago, a menacing shadow loomed over the grasslands. It wasn’t a dinosaur or a mammalian predator, but a colossal bird that dominated the food chain. These creatures, scientifically known as Phorusrhacidae (terror birds), were one of the most formidable groups of predators to have […]
The dodo was neither slow nor fat, it was a giant, strong and fast land pigeon
The dodo bird, often depicted as a slow, chubby creature doomed to extinction, has long been misunderstood. However, new research published in the Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society challenges these misconceptions, revealing the dodo as a giant, ground-dwelling pigeon that was both strong and fast. This study, conducted by researchers from the University of […]
New Fossil Discovery Reveals the Ancestry of Mollusks as Armored Spiny Slugs
Researchers from the University of Oxford have unearthed a fossil that reshapes our understanding of the early evolution of mollusks. This remarkable find, a new species named Shishania aculeata, dates back 500 million years and provides insights into the origins of one of the most diverse and widespread groups of animals on the planet. The […]