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ScienceDaily: Paleontology News
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Paleontology News and Research. Read about the latest discoveries in the fossil record including theories on why the dinosaurs went extinct and more.
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Ancient reptiles 'Make tracks': Discovery of fossilized footprints reveals when reptiles first conquered dry land
A discovery of fossilized footprints reveals when reptiles first conquered dry land. The 318-million-year-old reptile footprints were found in sea-cliffs on the Bay of Fundy, New Brunswick, Canada. They show that reptiles were the first vertebrates (animals with a backbone) to conquer dry continental interiors.
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Temperature constancy appears key to tropical biodiversity
The tropics owe their stunning biodiversity to consistent year-round temperatures, not higher temperatures or more sunlight, according to a novel survey of insect diversity at different latitudes and at different points in the planet's history. The finding may finally answer a question that has dogged scientists for centuries.
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Remarkable fossil cave shows how ancient marsupials grew
The discovery of a remarkable 15-million-year-old Australian fossil limestone cave packed with even older animal bones has revealed almost the entire life cycle of a large prehistoric marsupial, from suckling young in the pouch still cutting their milk teeth to elderly adults.
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Fossil find puts a face on early primates
When paleontologist Iyad Zalmout went looking for fossil whales and dinosaurs in Saudi Arabia, he never expected to come face-to-face with a significant, early primate fossil.
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Triceratops and Torsaurus were same dinosaur at different stages
Triceratops and Torosaurus were the same dinosaur at different stages of growth, according to new research. Since the late 1800s, scientists have believed that Triceratops and Torosaurus were two different types of dinosaurs. Triceratops had a three-horned skull with a rather short frill, whereas Torosaurus had a much bigger frill with two large holes through it.
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New research on rapidly-disappearing ancient plant offers hope for species recovery
Living fossil cycads now number about 300 species, and many of these species are endangered, especially those on islands like Guam. New molecular research on a threatened species, Cycas micronesica, shows these plants are not relics and that there is hope in careful management of the remaining plants.
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Ancient birds from North America colonized the South, thanks to Panama land bridge
Scientists studying ancient species migration believe northern birds had the ability to colonize continents that southern species lacked. The research reveals how the ancient 'land bridge' of Panama, which first connected North and South America, caused an uneven species migration, leading to a new understanding of species diversity today.
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Why you should never arm wrestle a saber-toothed tiger
Saber-toothed cats may be best known for their supersized canines, but they also had exceptionally strong forelimbs for pinning prey before delivering the fatal bite, says a new study.
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Mojoceratops: New dinosaur species named for flamboyant frill
When Nicholas Longrich discovered a new dinosaur species with a heart-shaped frill on its head, he wanted to come up with a name just as flamboyant as the dinosaur's appearance. Over a few beers with fellow paleontologists one night, he blurted out the first thing that came to mind: Mojoceratops. With the publication of Longrich's paper describing his find in the Journal of Paleontology, the name is now official.
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Dig discovers ancient Britons were earliest North Europeans
Archeologists have unearthed the earliest evidence of human occupation in Britain. Their findings demonstrate that ancient humans occupied Britain over 800,000 years ago, marking the first known settlement in northern Europe -- far earlier than previously thought.
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Paleontology News 
