Fossils

Find out everything there is to know about fossils and stay updated on the latest fossil news with the comprehensive articles, interactive features and fossil pictures at LiveScience.com. Learn more about these fascinating findings as scientists continue to make amazing discoveries about fossils.
Latest about Fossils

Scientists finally solve 390 million-year-old 'murder mystery' from an ancient supercontinent
By Harry Baker published
Researchers mapped out "cake-like" fossil layers belonging to a group of ancient marine creatures from the supercontinent Gondwana that mysteriously died off 390 million years ago.

Jurassic pliosaur 'megapredator' was a giant 'sea murderer'
By Patrick Pester published
The earliest pliosaur 'megapredator' helped rule the oceans 170 million years ago during the age of dinosaurs.

'Fleeing vampire' haunted Jurassic oceans with glow-in-the-dark organs, fossil reveals
By Patrick Pester published
The newfound vampyromorph species was equipped with defensive features not previously seen in the fossil record — and it's related to modern-day vampire squid.

500 million-year-old worm with 'shuriken' spikes named after gigantic 'Dune' sandworms
By Kiley Price published
The newly discovered species was part of the phylum annelid, which is made up of segmented worms.

Final moments of dinosaur and mammal's epic 'mortal combat' battle preserved by volcanic eruption
By Harry Baker published
A small badger-like mammal and a juvenile bipedal dinosaur were locked in a battle to the death 125 million years ago when they were both killed and perfectly preserved by a volcanic mudflow.

400,000-year-old mammoth tusk found sticking out of the ground in English quarry
By Kiley Price published
Fossil hunters stumbled upon a large mammoth tusk during a "fossil walk."

Hidden 36 million-year-long cycles may fuel biodiversity on Earth, ancient rocks reveal
By Kiley Price published
As tectonic plates clash and pull apart, sea levels change. This process has shaped marine biodiversity over time, a new study suggests.

Scientists reveal face of 10-foot 'killer tadpole' that terrorized Earth long before the dinosaurs
By Lydia Smith published
With huge teeth and large eyes, Crassigyrinus scoticus was specially adapted to hunt in the coal swamps of Scotland and North America.
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