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Extinct Animals
Extinct animals are those species which are no longer living. This group includes prehistoric animals like dinosaurs and ice-age mammals, as well as moden species like the Dodo.
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The Now-extinct Castoroides Was a Bear-sized Beaver
The giant castoroides thrived in the Great Plains, the Great Lakes region, the American South and Alaska. So why did this massive beaver die out?
Tyrannosaurus Rex Was the Tyrant Lizard King
Tyrannosaurus rex, one of the fiercest meat-eaters ever, is the animal that probably springs to mind when most of us hear the word "dinosaur."
Ankylosaurus: A Tank-like Herbivore With a Killer Club Tail
Ankylosaurus was a dinosaur with short, squat legs that allowed it to run at about 6 miles per hour â fast, but not fast enough to outrun a large carnivorous predator like Tyrannosaurus rex.
Stegosaurus: Body Like a Bus, Tiny Little Brain
Stegosaurus, an herbivorous dinosaur from 149 million years ago, walked on four legs, had a long, beak-tipped skull, a row of spikes adorning its tail and a pea-sized brain.
Triceratops: Facts About the Life and Times of a Three-horned Dinosaur
Triceratops â which literally means "three-horned face" â is one of the most spectacular and well-known of all dinosaurs. It shared the Cretaceous landscape with, and probably was preyed upon by, Tyrannosaurus rex.
The Massive Titanoboa Snake Once Ruled the Colombian Rainforest
The extinct Titanoboa snake lived around 66 million to 56 million years ago. These things were massive and could reach 50 feet long and 3 feet wide making them the largest snake ever to have roamed the Earth.
Giganotosaurus Was One of the Largest Carnivorous Dinosaurs That Ever Lived
Constantly compared to the Tyrannosaurus rex, the Giganotosaurus was one of a handful of dinosaurs that rivaled, or possibly exceeded, the creature in size.
Once Thought Extinct, the Tasmanian Tiger May Still Be Prowling the Planet
On Sept. 7, 1936, Benjamin, the last known Tasmanian tiger, died in captivity at the Hobart Zoo in Tasmania, Australia. But there are those who believe this extinct species still walks the Earth.
Giant VW-sized Turtles Once Prowled South American Waters
Back in the day, the soupy pre-Amazonian waters were filled with beasts like Stupendemys geographicus, a giant turtle the size of a sensible sedan.
Prehistoric Predator Rediscovered in Museum Drawer
The fossilized remains of Simbakubwa kutokaafrika, which means "big lion from Africa," were discovered not once, but twice.
Scary Prehistoric 'Hell Pigs' Once Roamed the Earth
These super-frightening entelodonts (aka hell pigs) once patrolled throughout Eurasia, North America and Africa.
Fanged, Flying Reptiles Once Soared Over Jurassic England
Mid-Jurassic England was teeming with flighted creatures. Now we know it included one pterosaur called Klobiodon rochei.
Lonesome George Lived to Be 100 Years Old. Genome Sequencing Is Figuring Out How
Lonesome George, the last of his species of tortoises, died in the Galapagos in 2012. But scientists have now finished analyzing his DNA and found some fascinating clues about giant tortoise longevity.
Newly Discovered Gordodon Beast Was an Herbivorous Pioneer
This fin-backed pelycosaur roamed what's now the American Southwest 298 million years ago. And it's by far the oldest-known vegetarian tetrapod with gaps between some of its teeth, which is a big deal.
How Two Rival Mammoths Lost an Epic Duel 12,000 Years Ago
The battle clearly ended in a slow death for both massive male beasts.
Spinosaurus Was a Lousy Swimmer, Study Says
The villainous dinosaur from 'Jurassic Park' probably never had an affinity for water.
Prehistoric Turtle Had a Toothless Beak But No Shell
A 220 million-year-old turtle fossil discovered in China is the first of its kind ever to be found.
Who Owns the Rights to a Dinosaur Skeleton?
Someone just paid $2.36 million to take home an exquisite dinosaur skeleton. The sale has added to the growing scientific anxiety about the commodification of precious, irreplaceable fossils.
Today’s Birds Likely Evolved from Ground-Dwelling Feathered Dinosaurs
New research suggests the asteroid impact that killed the dinosaurs probably burned Earth's forests, requiring modern birds' common ancestors to live on the ground.
The Mastodon Boneyard That Stole Thomas Jefferson’s Heart
Massive mastodons roamed lower Kentucky during the last ice age. Jefferson was so fascinated by the creatures he was convinced they still roamed the plains in the 1800s.
Possible 'Baby' T. Rex Enters Dinosaurian Debate
University of Kansas paleontologists are comparing the bones of a new T. rex to determine if they've got a juvenile Tyrannosaurus or a mature Nanotyrannus on their hands.
Ancient Fish Strutted Seafloor Before Land Animals
Walking evolved not on land but underwater.
Rare Egyptian Fossil Find Holds Clues About African Dinosaur Migration
Could this exciting find help bridge the gaps between Africa's late Cretaceous fossil record and that of other continents?
Scientists Unearth Another Archaeopteryx, an 'Icon of Evolution'
The fossilized find provides us with another example of the oldest bird species we know of.
Huge Cache of Pterosaur Eggs Discovered in China
Paleontologists in China hit the jackpot of fossilized pterosaur eggs.
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