The Latest Breaking News on Paleontology

Human ancestor fossils unearthed in Spain point to grim secret of first Europeans

Findings shed light on the biology, social relationships, and behaviour of Homo antecessor

The Independent UK · Aug 6

Dinosaur fossils unearthed

More than 100 dinosaur fossil fragments estimated to be over 130 million years old have been found in Chaiyaphum, raising hopes of identifying one of Thailand's oldest known carnivorous dinosaurs.

Bangkok Post · Aug 5

World's oldest amber has been found in China, and it is 65 million years older than expected

In a remarkable discovery, scientists uncovered ancient amber specimens in China that are approximately 385 million years old. This significant find pushes the amber fossil record back by an impressive sixty-five million years. It indicates that early vascular plants may have developed advanced resin-producing capabilities, which could have provided a…

The Times of India · Aug 4

Meet Matthew Myerscough: The man who survived a 20-minute avalanche and discovered a 201-million-year-old sea dragon

In 2014, Matthew Myerscough’s life changed during a mountain accident that nearly cost him his life. While climbing Yr Wyddfa, also known as Snowdon, he was caught in an avalanche and buried beneath snow for around 20 minutes before being rescued. The experience altered his relationship with the mountains and…

The Times of India · Jul 30

Unique and nearly-complete fossil from 30 million years ago found to be of early dog

Prehistoric canids were shorter and stockier than modern dogs and not built for running

The Independent UK · Jul 30

500,000-year-old elephant bone tool found in England reveals advanced early human technology

An ancient elephant bone tool found in southern England reveals early human sophistication. This five-hundred-thousand-year-old implement was used for shaping stone tools precisely. Researchers found microscopic evidence of repeated use on the bone fragment. The discovery shows early humans planned and curated their technology carefully. This find offers new insights…

The Times of India · Jul 29

Ancient footprints found in Kenya reveal how early human relatives may have travelled and lived together 1.43 million years ago

Ancient footprints found in Kenya offer rare glimpses into early human relatives. These impressions date back approximately 1.43 million years to a lakeshore environment. The tracks suggest several large-bodied individuals moved together across muddy ground. This discovery provides new evidence about hominin body size and social organization. The findings reshape…

The Times of India · Jul 29

Inside Spain's 'cannibal cave': Scientists thought only children were victims. New fossils reveal adults were also eaten by Homo antecessor

New fossil discoveries at Gran Dolina cave in northern Spain show that cannibalism practised by an ancient human relative called Homo antecessor was not limited to children, as earlier evidence had suggested. Researchers recovered two dozen bones and teeth belonging to this now extinct species, which lived in Europe between…

The Times of India · Jul 29

How one man’s near-death experience led to the discovery of the first Jurassic sea dragon in Wales

Matthew Myerscough’s remarkable find is one of many detailed in his new book. But his journey into fossil hunting began years earlier, when he was caught in an avalanche

The Guardian - UK · Jul 28

518 million years ago, one tiny sea creature may have started the evolution of the fangs seen in spiders today

Scientists have identified the earliest known evidence of spider fangs in a 518 million-year-old fossil recovered from southern China, tracing the origin of one of the animal kingdom's most feared biological tools back to a small marine creature that lived long before spiders existed. The fossil belongs to a species…

The Times of India · Jul 27