Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity
- Fossils
Analyze This: How big was the biggest T. rex?
Only around 80 fossil Tyrannosaurus rex skeletons have been found. They probably don’t include the biggest T. rex that ever lived.
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- Archaeology
An Egyptian mummy’s silent ‘scream’ hints at her violent death
A rare muscle stiffening known as a cadaveric spasm might explain the mummy’s open-mouthed expression.
- Animals
Weird? These bat toes can glow greenish-blue
Hairy bristles on the toes of Mexican free-tailed bats fluoresce under UV light. The reason is a mystery.
- Archaeology
Scientists Say: Stone Age
This vast, mysterious stretch of time marks the dawn of human civilizations.
- Archaeology
Analyze This: Human brains can last thousands of years
Ancient brains may not be rare finds. An analysis of over 4,000 preserved human brains reveals five processes that protect against decay.
- Animals
The last woolly mammoths offer new clues to why this species died out
The last woolly mammoth herd experienced a drop in genetic variation. But this is likely not what doomed these majestic beasts to extinction, new data suggest.
- Animals
Freeze-drying turned a woolly mammoth’s DNA into ‘chromoglass’
The 3-D structure of this now-glassy DNA revealed similarities — and differences — between woolly mammoths and elephants.
- Fossils
Stunning trilobite fossils include never-before-seen soft tissues
Well-preserved fossils from Morocco help reveal the weird way trilobites ate and perhaps why these iconic animals went extinct.
- Brain
Just how brainy was a T. rex?
A debate rages over how to count brain cells in dinosaurs. At issue: figuring out how these extinct animals likely behaved.
- Fossils
This paleontologist studies ancient mammal movement — virtually
Anne Kort uses computers to piece together the fossils of ancient mammals. Studying fossils virtually offers her more ways to study fragile remains.
- Animals
Corals may have been the first life forms to glow in the dark
Ancestors of modern octocorals may have lit up the deep sea as far back as 540 million years ago.
