20 Recent Discoveries About Prehistoric Creatures

Using powerful electron microscopes, paleontologists analyzed the pigment cells found in fossilized feathers. This allowed them to confirm that some small raptors had reddish plumage with an iridescent sheen. They were probably more beautiful than traditional illustrations of dinosaurs suggest.

It has always been assumed that dinosaur-sized predators lived exclusively on land. Recently discovered tail fossils confirm that Spinosaurus was built for swimming and catching fish. It had a broad, paddle-shaped tail and likely hunted in what are now the river systems of North Africa.

By a strange twist of fossilized fate, a badger-sized predatory dinosaur was discovered in the midst of a life-or-death struggle with a much larger theropod. This recently discovered mammal was standing over its fallen opponent. Judging by the injuries on both skeletons, it was the one that initiated the fight. Who would have thought that the ancestors of mammals could be so ferocious?

Although the largest members of this group were gigantic, we now know that some sauropods remained small. One dwarf species was only four meters long because of its island habitat. The lack of resources forced it to abandon its usual growth pattern and adapt to a smaller size.

Scientists have discovered well-preserved soft tissues that reveal flying reptiles had brightly colored feathered crests on their heads. They likely used these to show off to mates and rivals, even from a distance. Imagine having to compete with this guy using nothing but your appearance and your calls.

In the deserts of Nevada, a ichthyosaur skull measuring more than nine meters long was discovered. This means that this creature was almost as large as a modern-day whale. This shows that these animals reached their maximum size more quickly than previously thought.

Scientists have unearthed dozens of ancient eggs with tough shells in Mongolia that may have belonged to early dinosaurs. Dinosaurs weren’t the only ones to lay hard-shelled eggs; many species preferred soft shells, much like modern turtles. That’s why dinosaur eggs from certain periods are rarely found: they didn’t fossilize.

Ancient plants once thrived in Antarctica, as evidenced by the pollen fossils and root structures discovered by palynologists. If you could travel back to the time of the dinosaurs, you would find vast tropical forests where the ice desert now lies. Don’t forget to pack some pineapples on your next trip to the South Pole.

Thousands of gigantic Tyrannosaurus skeletons have been discovered together at a single site. This could indicate that T. rex hunted in packs, like wolves, or that it lived in family groups. These large dinosaurs may have used complex social strategies to ambush large prey.

The skull of a primitive bird was unearthed with its brain still inside. Researchers believe that the bird brain evolved in a unique way to enable powered flight. After examining it using CT scans, they concluded that only certain specific parts had developed very early on.

Thanks to the fossilized remains of a heart found in a Brazilian dinosaur specimen, scientists can understand how their circulatory system worked. Dinosaurs had sophisticated hearts, similar to those of mammals and birds, rather than the simple hearts found in modern reptiles. This allowed them to pump blood at a steady rate to supply their highly active bodies.

A recently discovered dolphin fossil measured more than three meters long, which is unprecedented among modern freshwater dolphins. Found in the Amazon Basin, this ancient dolphin lived more than sixteen million years ago. There were once very large dolphins in the Amazon River.

The mountains were home to many dinosaurs, as evidenced by fossils, which indicate that some species were able to live in high-altitude climates. Dinosaurs living at these high altitudes developed thick plumage to protect themselves from the cold at night. Contrary to popular belief, dinosaurs are not always found alongside ferns the size of a dinosaur.

A recently discovered dinosaur species resembled a giant heron and has been nicknamed the “hell heron.” This dinosaur had a slender skull, specially adapted for catching slippery aquatic prey. Like many modern wading birds, it likely probed the water with its beak.

By examining the growth rings on the tusks of this mammalian ancestor, scientists discovered evidence of a state similar to hibernation. This creature lived within the Antarctic Circle and likely slept during the dark, cold winters to conserve energy. This is the oldest known evidence of a vertebrate animal using hibernation to survive.

Flowers may have first appeared hundreds of millions of years earlier than previously thought. Some of the oldest flower fossils were extremely small and blended in with taller plants. It took the gradual evolution of flowering plants to give rise to the diversity of insects.

Scientists have discovered fossils of what appears to be a centipede the size of a car. Centipedes grew to gigantic sizes because oxygen levels were higher at their peak. This high oxygen content allowed them—and many other giant insects—to survive.

Tiny fragments of fossilized skin have been discovered in the feathers of several dinosaurs. These fragments show that dinosaurs shed their skin in small patches, much like humans and modern birds. Imagine, as a child, having tiny bits of “dinosaur dandruff” all over your homework.

Technically, dinosaurs couldn’t sing, but new fossils show that they could produce powerful sounds. Like today’s elephants, dinosaurs likely produced low-pitched vocalizations that were felt rather than heard. Rather than hearing a T. rex roar through the trees, you would have felt it.

Patagotitan was one of the largest animals ever to have walked the Earth. We now know how it was able to reach such a size: its bones had a completely unique structure. They were designed to withstand the highest pressures of any animal without breaking or giving way under the weight of its owner.