| OLogy: Paleontology |
An adult triceratops weighed more than the largest modern elephant. The Western United States is one of the best places in the world to find dinosaur fossils. Sauropods had the longest necks and longest tails of any known dinosaurs. Many sauropods grew new teeth as often as once a month, as old ones wore out. Scientists think that dinosaurs might have been brightly colored, like many modern-day birds and reptiles. |
All dinosaur illustrations: Rick Spears
Meet some of the more unusual members of T. rex and Velociraptor's family tree.
Match up these eight dinosaur fossil photos with their descriptions.
Don't throw out your chicken bones! Bury them in plaster of Paris. Then, scrape by scrape, see firsthand the challenges archaeologists face when excavating fossils.
Ever wonder how scientists can look at a bunch of bones and draw what a dinosaur looked like? Learn their five-step trick.
Illustrations: Deena Soris and Proto Andy: Jim Steck
About 80 million years ago two dinosaurs were locked in deadly combat when they were suddenly buried alive. See what's been called one of the greatest fossil specimens ever found.
All photos courtesy of Carl Mehling
You don't have to be a professional paleontologist to collect the remains of ancient life. This handy guide shows you how and where to find your own fossils.
Photos: Going Gobi Mike Grows Up: Mike the kid: courtesy Mike Novacek; Mike the paleontogolist and Plastering fossils: courtesy Discovery Channel Online; Journey to Mongolia: Desert Driving: All color photos: courtesy Discovery Channel Online; Journey to Mongolia: Local Animals: Camel: courtesy Discovery Channel Online; A Typical Day; Afternoon: All images: courtesy Discovery Channel Online except 3pm; A Typical Day: Night: All images: courtesy Discovery Channel Online except 10pm; Fossil Hunting: Where's the Fossil?: All images: courtesy Discovery Channel Online; Fossil Hunting: Preparations: Excavation: courtesy Discovery Channel Online; Fossil Hunting: Great Discoveries: All images: courtesy of Mick Ellison, AMNH; Our Favorite Memories: Mike Novacek: courtesy Discovery Channel Online James Clark: courtesy James Clark Minjin Bolorsetseg: courtesy Minjin Bolorsetseg Pete Makovicky: courtesy Pete Makovicky; Illustrations: Oviraptor, Map of Mongolia, and Kryptobataar: Ed Heck, American Museum of Natural History
Take a peek inside two paleontologists' scrapbook.
Solve an 80-million-year-old mystery about what killed a couple of fighing dinos.
Photos: Skeleton (Mongolia) and Lab Table: courtesy David Clark; Ghost Ranch lab and dig site: courtesy Duncan Clark
How do your fossil-sorting skills stack up? Put them to the test with this kid-friendly online puzzle.
Illustrations: Rick Spears
Send a note to a friend with these colorful letterheads.
Photos: courtesy of AMNH
Find out what cool stuff Mark has uncovered.
Photos: Mark Norell Photos: courtesy of AMNH; Kid photos: courtesy of the subjects
Find out what cool stuff Mark, Anna, Max, and Reva have uncovered.
All photos: AMNH
Create your own miniature Mesozoic Museum. Don't forget to invite your friends and family to the opening!
Make your opinion count!
Dig your way through this list of ten titles.
Take a up-close look at a famous fossil, with notes about the clues it's given scientists.
Photos: Question 2: courtesy T. Tokaryk, USGS Western Region Geological Survey
How much do you know about the Age of Dinosaurs? Brush the dust and other sediment off your brain, and test your paleontology knowledge with this interactive quiz.
Hi, I'm John Flynn and I'm a paleontologist at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. I research fossil mammals and the relationships between living and fossil mammals.
A paleontologist travels to Antarctica to collect fossil evidence.
Reconstruct and identify a fossil skeleton.
Images: Jonah Choiniere, © Jonah Choiniere; Sauropod parade, © Raúl Martin; wire frame of Diplodicus skull with brain case, © AMNH / D.Finin; Stegosaurus and T. rex illustrations, © Ed Heck; Apatosaurus illustraton, © Sean Murtha; sauropod CT brain scan, © Amy Balanoff; T. rex CT brain scan, © Larry Witmer; human brain illustration, © Richard Tibbitts/Antbits; Camarasaurus, Diplodicus and T. rex teeth, © AMNH / D.Finin; human teeth diagram, © AMNH; Camarasaurus skull, © AMNH / D. Finin; microscopic view of tooth growth lines, © Greg Erickson; giraffe, Apatosaurus, Mamenchisaurus, Europasaurus and Argentinosaurus silhouettes, © AMNH; CT scan of sauropod vertebrae, © Mathew Wedel; construction crane, © flickr/Ben Sutherland; Barosaurus, © Scott Hartman; Charles Knight swamp painting, © AMNH; manatee ribs, AMNH / C.Chesek ; Apatosaurus ribs, AMNH / R.Mickens; sauropod ribcage illustration, © AMNH; sauropod ribs animation, © AMNH; Apatosaurus leg, © AMNH / R.Mickens; CT scan of femur showing growth rings, © Anusuya Chinsamy-Turan; fossilized sauropod nest and fossilized egg, © Luis Chiappe; close-ups of egg shell pores, © Dr. Frankie Jackson; baseball, © flickr/Yi-tao ?Timo? Lee; volleyball, © flickr/ Jason Cornelio; beach ball, © flickr/Timothy Valentine; sauropod nest and hatchling, © AMNH / D.Finin; Mamenchisaurus growth chart, © AMNH; fossilized oviraptor nest, © AMNH.
Examine fossils and gather clues from experts!
Reconstruct and identify a fossil skeleton.
Photos: The Big Bang: Gas: courtesy of Neil de Grasse Tyson; Neil today: courtesy of Denis Finnin, AMNH; Illustrations: Create your own Timeline: Daryl Collins
Plot major cosmic events on a thirteen-billion-year timeline.