Articles for author: Awais Khan

Psittacosaurus

Psittacosaurus: The Dino With Cheek Horns and a Bristly Tail

Imagine a dinosaur that looked like someone crossed a parrot with a porcupine, then decided to throw in some rhino DNA for good measure. That’s essentially what Psittacosaurus was – a creature so bizarre and captivating that it challenges everything we thought we knew about prehistoric life. This wasn’t your typical lumbering giant or razor-toothed ...

Fly in amber (Amber Formation, Middle Eocene; Yantarnyi, Samland Peninsula along the Baltic Sea, far-western Russia)

7 Unusual Ways a Fossil Can Form (That Aren’t Just Bones Turning to Stone)

When most people think of fossils, they imagine dinosaur bones preserved in stone. While this type of preservation—known as permineralization—is indeed common, the world of fossilization is far more diverse and fascinating than many realize. Fossils can form through numerous processes, many of which preserve not just bones but soft tissues, behaviors, and even microscopic ...

The Fossil That Still Smelled: Rare Preservation and Organic Traces

The Fossil That Still Smelled: Rare Preservation and Organic Traces

Picture this: you’re standing in a paleontology lab, handling a fossil that’s millions of years old, when suddenly your nose catches an unexpected scent. Not the dusty smell of old rocks, but something organic, something that shouldn’t exist after eons of burial. This isn’t science fiction – it’s the incredible reality of exceptionally preserved fossils ...

Close-up of a hyena gazing to the right, its fur shaggy and brown against a blurry earth-toned background, conveying a curious and alert demeanor.

10 Creatures Today That Still Eat or Chew on Bones

Picture this: you’re walking through a forest and stumble upon what looks like a crime scene. White fragments scattered across the ground, strange gnaw marks, and an eerie silence. But this isn’t the work of some sinister villain – it’s nature’s cleanup crew at work. While most of us cringe at the thought of crunching ...

Were Dinosaurs More Nocturnal Than We Thought?

Were Dinosaurs More Nocturnal Than We Thought?

Picture this: a moonlit Cretaceous landscape where massive predators silently stalk their prey under the cover of darkness, their keen senses perfectly adapted for night hunting. While we’ve long imagined dinosaurs as creatures of the day, basking in prehistoric sunlight like modern lizards, groundbreaking research is painting a dramatically different picture of these ancient giants. ...

A grand historic building with ornate architecture, featuring two tall towers and intricate stonework, set under a vibrant blue sky with scattered clouds.

What Makes the NHM in London a Global Dinosaur Destination

The Natural History Museum in London stands as one of the world’s premier institutions for dinosaur enthusiasts, paleontology scholars, and curious visitors alike. Nestled in South Kensington’s museum district, this Victorian architectural masterpiece houses one of the most comprehensive and scientifically significant dinosaur collections on the planet. From spectacular mounted skeletons to groundbreaking research facilities, ...