Complete map of the geological end table (main biological evolution)

Why Did Sacabambaspis Go Extinct? What Fossils Really Show

Why did Sacabambaspis go extinct? Fossils show a local mass-death event in Bolivia, but the true cause of the genus’s extinction remains uncertain.

Horseshoe Crab (Limulus polyphemus) — Ancient “Living Fossil” of the Atlantic Coast

The American horseshoe crab, Limulus polyphemus, is often described as one of Earth’s most ancient-looking animals. Despite its common name, it is not a true c···

Dickinsonia: One of the Oldest Known Animals on Earth

Life on Earth has changed dramatically over hundreds of millions of years. If we could travel back more than half a billion years, we wouldn’t recognize many o···

Goblin Shark (Mitsukurina owstoni): A Deep-Sea “Living Fossil” With a Slingshot Jaw and an Oil-Rich

The goblin shark is one of the ocean’s strangest predators. With a blade-like, elongated snout, semi-translucent pink skin, and a protrusible, slingshot-style ···

Deinosuchus: The Giant “Terror Croc” of the Late Cretaceous

Deinosuchus (“terrible crocodile”) was a colossal crocodylian within the Alligatoroidea superfamily that prowled eastern North America during the Late Cretace···

Why the Dodo Bird Went Extinct

You’ve probably heard of the dodo bird, a now-extinct species that today can only be seen in museums. Popular culture often portrays it as a fat, clumsy bird, ···

Why Did Mammoths Go Extinct?

The mammoth, a giant mastodon that roamed the Earth during the Ice Age, is one of the most iconic and charismatic extinct animals. With their massive size and l···