Although no bigger than chickens, a pair of 50-million-year-old fossil birds turn out to be some of the earliest known ancestors of today’s giant, flightless birds, like the ostrich and the emu.
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Fossil of Earliest Known ‘Jesus Lizard,’ A Reptile That Walked on Water, Discovered in Wyoming
It had three-pointed teeth, prominent cheekbones, and a long ridge protruding over its eyes that likely bestowed what experts have described as “an angry look.” But probably the most distinguishing…
Read MoreTiny, Toothy Mammal Discovered in Wyoming Fossil Named for Lady Gaga
The fossil of a small, deer-like mammal with unusual teeth has earned the name of “little monster.” The little animal browsed on leaves and grasses in what’s now southwestern Wyoming about…
Read MoreNew Species of ‘Bizarre’ Giant-Eyed Insect Discovered in Washington Fossil
A “bizarre” fossilized bug whose head was nearly covered by two giant, bulbous eyes may help explain the evolution of unusual predatory insects that are still flying today, paleontologists say….
Read MorePrehistoric Global Warming Caused Dwarfism in American Mammals, Fossils Show
As temperatures climb, animals shrink. It may sound unlikely — and the mechanism behind it is not very well understood — but it’s a pattern that’s been observed many times…
Read MoreFirst Fossil of Blood-Filled Mosquito Discovered
Through a series of events that scientists themselves admit was “extremely improbable,” a mosquito that feasted on the blood of Eocene animals some 46 million years ago managed to die…
Read MoreExtinct Tropical Bird Discovered in Wyoming
Providing yet another reminder of how much the land — and the life on it — changes over time, scientists say they’ve found, on the arid plateaus of southwestern Wyoming,…
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