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An animal’s dentition is one of its most important physical attributes because it can tell you a lot about how it lived, what it ate, and other aspects of its lifestyle.  Fortunately, the teeth are also one of the best-preserved bones in fossil animals.  Many of the dinosaurs found so far are known from their […]

Prehistoric times were a time of giants.  Almost every animal seemed to be bigger in the past than they were today.  The Mesozoic Era (also known as the age of dinosaurs) saw some of the biggest animals walk the planet.  Dinosaurs grew to astronomical sizes, towering high above all other animals in their ecosystem.  Mammals

For most of the Mesozoic Era, China and other parts of Asia had an arid or semi-arid climate.  Interestingly, the region’s ecosystem still managed to support a rich array of dinosaurs.  In fact, China hosts some of the richest assemblage of dinosaurs in the world.  The country also has a long and rich history of

The dromaeosaurid dinosaurs are arguably one of the most fascinating groups of dinosaurs.  They’re commonly referred to as “raptors,” which means “plunderer” or “robber.”  The name refers to the modifications of their forelimb, which allows them to use it for “seizing” or “grasping prey.”  But the most prominent physical attribute of the dromaeosaurids had to

The ocean is one part of our planet that has remained relatively unexplored due to the challenging nature of deep-sea exploration.  It is home to several creepy and weird-looking creatures demonstrating a wide range of adaptations to survive in harsh undersea conditions.  A vast majority of these deep-sea species are still unknown to us today. 

One of the most fascinating aspects of dinosaur paleontology is figuring out how a prehistoric animal lived and what it ate when it was alive. By studying the dentition of a fossil species, scientists can determine whether it was a herbivore or carnivore.  Most of the dinosaurs discovered so far can be categorized neatly into

An animal’s claw is one of its most formidable weapons or tools.  It is useful for self-defense, killing prey, and, in the case of herbivores, for cropping vegetation.  Burrowing animals also rely on their claws for digging; some even use claws as part of their mating display or rituals.  The animal with the longest claws

In the early days of dinosaur discovery, what made them famous was their colossal, astounding sizes. Then, as we discovered new species of meat-eating dinosaurs, their status as apex predators that could easily snack on even the largest living animals today became apparent.  The largest carnivorous dinosaurs were the most fearsome predators of their time,

The fossil record is populated by several of the strangest dinosaurs.  Paleontologists have identified more than 1,000 species of dinosaurs so far.  A large number of these incredible beasts were strange indeed.  In fact, some of these dinosaurs were so strange they’d probably be circus characters if they were still living today.  Not only do