Prehistoric life
New tests on rare skull from the world’s first ever bird finally settles debate on avian evolution
‘Few birds are as likely to start as many arguments among palaeontologists as Vegavis,’ says lead scientist
Which plants existed in prehistoric times?
We know plenty about the dinosaurs that roamed the Earth in prehistoric times. But what do we know about the plants that the herbivores ate? Stuart Blackman explains
Meet Megarachne, the giant prehistoric spider, with a whopping 50cm leg span, that turned out to be something else entirely
Weirdest fossils ever discovered: These bizarre prehistoric oddities will have you scratching your head
You might have an idea of what a fossil looks like – but these fossils are slightly different (and will change the way you think about ancient wildlife and civilisations!)
66 million-year-old fossilised animal vomit discovered
A local Danish fossil hunter has made an unexpected discovery that has given fascinating new insights into how prehistoric animals ate – and puked
Weird new dinosaur with exceptionally long hands discovered in Mexico
The ‘long-handed Mexican dragon’ is thought to be around 73 million years old
9 mythical monsters that may have been inspired by huge, real-life, prehistoric creatures
These monsters from mythology may be able to trace their roots back to some real-life, prehistoric creatures…
10 deadly prehistoric snakes: from dinosaur-eaters and ferocious ocean predators to giant serpents as long as a bus
Meet the snakes that once slithered underneath dinosaurs, swam the world’s oceans and terrified our ancestors…
Dwarf elephants the size of dogs once roamed prehistoric Europe
Discover the tiny but mighty, elephants that lived thousands of years ago
Lost photo reveals "surprising" secrets of enormous dinosaur skeleton destroyed by bombs in 1944
At ten metres long, the dinosaur was one of the largest land predators in history.
This big cat skull was found in a cave in Portugal. But all is not as it first seemed…
The almost perfectly preserved skull of the 'leopard of Algar da Manga Larga' was discovered in the early 2000s – now a new study of the specimen reveals it has been hiding a big secret.
How deadly, prehistoric sabre-tooth cats developed their lethal, bone piercing fangs
Computers and 3D printing reveal how the mighty sabre-tooth cats became so deadly
Rare fossil found of tiny prehistoric cat, so small it could fit in the palm of your hand
The world's tiniest cat fossil has been found at an ancient human site in eastern China, according to a new study.
Prehistoric prey and predator fossil discovery reveals a violent fight for survival millions of years ago, in first-ever evolutionary arms race
Hundreds of punctured shells from the Cambrian reveal unique predator-prey interactions in the ocean 517 million years ago
10 cutest prehistoric animals, including an adorable 3-foot dwarf elephant you will want to take home with you
Not all animals from prehistory were monsters, some would even have made great pets…
A complete fossilised jaw from a prehistoric giant - found in a New York backyard - has got scientists excited
Researchers sink their teeth into new ‘stunning’ mastodon fossil
These huge, deadly prehistoric insects, from acid-spaying ants to cat-sized scorpions, are among the most terrifying bugs that have ever lived
Entomophobes look away now! Here are some of the largest, deadliest, and most terrifying bugs to ever live…
An ancient and exquisite thing has been discovered in a lake in New Zealand
The extremely rare fossils were found attached to the underside of a leaf – in the very position they would have lived and died – near Dunedin on the South Island.
80 prehistoric tombs filled with bizarre animal skulls found in Wyoming
The chambers were built as refuges, but the animals that created them ended up getting trapped inside then fossilised for 230 million years, a new study finds.
Mummified sabre-toothed cat cub found in Siberian permafrost stuns scientists
The specimen, discovered in 2020 on the banks of the Badyarikha River in eastern Siberia, is believed to be about 31,800 years old.
“I was awestruck from the moment I first saw it to the moment I finished assembling the skull and brain”
Evolutionary biologists say a "one-of-a-kind" fossil discovered in Brazil could transform our understanding of how the unique intelligence of modern birds evolved.
Should the mammoth live again? Why bringing back the extinct mammoth COULD keep the Arctic frozen
What would happen if mammoths were brought back? Helen Pilcher investigates
10 petrifying prehistoric beasts that would have terrified early man
Our time on this planet has been relatively short, yet in this time we’ve come face to face with some of Earth’s most infamous beasts. From giant cats with canines the size of our forearms to killer eagles capable of snatching children, here are 10 creatures that would have made our ancestors run away in terror…
They look as if they could just get up and scuttle away…" Glittering fossils preserved in gold reveal exciting new evolutionary clues
A new species of arthropod, distantly related to spiders and scorpions, has been discovered fossilised in fool’s gold in New York