Vertebrate paleontology is the scientific discipline within paleontology that focuses on the study of fossilized remains of vertebrate animals, including their morphology, systematics, evolutionary relationships, and paleoecology. It integrates anatomical analysis, comparative biology, stratigraphy, and geochronology to reconstruct the origin, diversification, and extinction patterns of vertebrates through deep time. Research in vertebrate paleontology often involves detailed examination of skeletal elements, functional morphology, and phylogenetic methods to infer evolutionary trajectories and biogeographic histories, as well as to interpret environmental and climatic conditions recorded in vertebrate fossil assemblages and associated sedimentary contexts.
Fossil finds are exciting moments that sometimes introduce the world to an ancient mammal or dinosaur that existed millions of years ago. But a longstanding problem in paleontology is that fossils are often incomplete, and ...
Paleontology & Fossils
Jul 16, 2026
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On July 14, 2026, "Gus," one of the most complete specimens of Tyrannosaurus rex, went to an as-yet-unidentified buyer for $50.1 million. This auction at Sotheby's set a record for the most valuable fossil ever sold. Another ...
Paleontology & Fossils
Jul 15, 2026
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Tyrannosaurus rex was a giant of the prehistoric world, standing up to 13 feet (4 meters) tall and weighing around 9 tons (8 tonnes). So you might expect that its hatchlings were also a considerable size.
A collection of fossilized dinosaur bones from Wyoming features tooth marks that provide evidence that some bites were likely made by Tyrannosaurus rex, according to a study published July 15, 2026, in PLOS One by Bethania ...
Paleontology & Fossils
Jul 15, 2026
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Bones preserved in underwater caves offer a rare and powerful window into the past—but until now, researchers have had limited tools to understand how the remains of extinct megafauna and other animals came to rest in their ...
Paleontology & Fossils
Jul 15, 2026
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Ancient DNA can be a powerful tool for helping us reconstruct the long-dead past. Most surviving genetic material comes from the bones and teeth of animals that lived in cold environments, where freezing temperatures help ...
For more than 150 years, fossils of Jurassic fish scattered across Europe's museums were studied and drawn by generations of scientists. However, when a paleontologist decided to shine an ultraviolet light on them, a hidden ...
A Tyrannosaurus rex fossil billed as one of the world's largest and most complete specimens sold for a record $50.1 million Tuesday to a mystery bidder.
Paleontology & Fossils
Jul 14, 2026
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The world's largest whale graveyard has been discovered at the bottom of the Indian Ocean by Chinese scientists, who found that the vast expanse of both new and ancient carcasses supports huge communities of deep-sea life.
Plants & Animals
Jul 11, 2026
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Roughly 50,000 years ago, a kangaroo unlike any alive today lived in the mountain rainforests of New Guinea.
Paleontology & Fossils
Jul 10, 2026
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