Articles for author: Awais Khan

Microraptor's aerodynamic feathers hint at gliding or even early flight, soaring through prehistoric skies.

Could Dinosaurs Blush or Change Skin Color?

Dinosaurs, those magnificent creatures that once ruled our planet for over 165 million years, continue to captivate our imagination despite having vanished approximately 66 million years ago. While paleontologists have made remarkable strides in understanding dinosaur anatomy, behavior, and even some aspects of their appearance through fossil evidence, certain physiological capabilities remain shrouded in mystery. ...

Dinosaur skeleton exhibit under blue and purple lighting at the Museum of Mongolian Dinosaurs. The setting is dramatic and educational.

How Fossils Get Lost in Museum Basements for Decades

In the vast network of museum collections worldwide, millions of precious fossils lie carefully preserved – yet many remain unstudied and essentially lost to science for decades or even centuries. Behind the gleaming public exhibits that draw visitors, museums house enormous research collections in their basement storage areas, containing specimens that often outnumber displayed items ...

Dinosaur skeletons displayed in a museum exhibit. Two complete fossil structures positioned in a sandy setting with green foliage for realism.

Did Dinosaurs Fight for Territory Like Lions Do Today?

Prehistoric territorial battles have long fascinated paleontologists and dinosaur enthusiasts alike. When we observe modern animals like lions fiercely defending their territories, it raises intriguing questions about whether dinosaurs, those magnificent rulers of Earth for over 165 million years, engaged in similar territorial behaviors. While we can’t directly observe dinosaur behavior, scientific evidence from fossils, ...

Fossilized dinosaur skull with sharp teeth and hollow eye sockets. The weathered gray bone highlights intricate jaw and cranial features against a beige background.

How Fast Did Dinosaurs Digest?

Dinosaurs, those magnificent prehistoric creatures that roamed Earth for over 165 million years, continue to captivate our imagination despite being extinct for 65 million years. While we’ve learned much about their appearance, behavior, and habitats through fossil records, some aspects of dinosaur physiology remain less understood. One such fascinating aspect is their digestive processes. How ...

Illustration of a large, armored prehistoric reptile with a striped shell, moving across a rocky terrain, surrounded by lush green ferns and plants.

Typothorax: The Strange Armored Reptile From the American Southwest

Beneath the rust-colored rocks and windswept mesas of the American Southwest lies a prehistoric legacy that continues to captivate paleontologists worldwide. Among the many fossil treasures discovered in this region, few are as distinctive as Typothorax, an armored reptile that roamed the landscape during the Late Triassic period, approximately 230-200 million years ago. With its ...

Close-up of a dinosaur footprint fossil embedded in rocky ground. The texture is rugged, with shades of brown and green, conveying an ancient, historical feel.

What Fossil Footprints Reveal About Dinosaur Stampedes

Across the ancient landscapes of our planet, dinosaurs once thundered in massive herds, leaving behind only their fossilized footprints as evidence of these dramatic events. These trace fossils, preserved in stone for millions of years, provide paleontologists with a remarkable window into dinosaur behavior that skeletal remains alone cannot offer. Unlike bones, which reveal information ...

A realistic dinosaur statue, with an open mouth and sharp teeth, against a blue sky. The large sculpture conveys a sense of power and ferocity.

Could Dinosaurs Wink, Blink, or Cry?

Dinosaurs have captivated human imagination since their fossils were first discovered. While we’ve made tremendous advances in understanding their anatomy, behavior, and evolution, certain aspects of their biology remain shrouded in mystery. Among these enigmas are questions about their ocular capabilities and expressions: Could dinosaurs wink playfully at each other? Did they blink to protect ...

Dinosaur skeleton displayed in a glass case against a textured wall. The bones are arranged on a sandy surface, conveying an ancient, historical tone.

How Scientists Tell the Age of a Dinosaur Bone

When we marvel at dinosaur skeletons in museums, we’re looking at remains that are millions of years old. But how exactly do scientists determine the age of these ancient bones? Dating dinosaur fossils is a fascinating blend of chemistry, physics, geology, and paleontology that allows researchers to peer back into Earth’s distant past. The methods ...

Black and white image of a dinosaur fossil skull, with intricate details of the jaw and teeth. The texture is weathered, conveying ancient history.

The Dinosaur Fossil That Was Assembled Backwards

The field of paleontology has been punctuated by moments of brilliance and occasional blunders that have shaped our understanding of prehistoric life. Among these fascinating stories of scientific discovery and misinterpretation, few are as intriguing as the case of Iguanodon—a dinosaur whose initial reconstruction became one of paleontology’s most famous mistakes. This remarkable tale of ...

Dinosaur skeleton exhibit in a museum, featuring a partial view of a long-necked fossil against a colorful, informative background display.

Have We Found Fossils With Soft Tissue Preserved?

For centuries, our understanding of prehistoric life has been built on the study of fossilized bones and other mineralized remains. The conventional wisdom held that soft tissues—muscles, blood vessels, skin, and internal organs—could never survive the fossilization process. However, remarkable discoveries over the past few decades have challenged this assumption, opening exciting new windows into ...