Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky – Deep within the world’s longest known cave system, paleontologists identified fossils belonging to two new species of prehistoric sharks that prowled ancient seas over 325 million years ago. These discoveries emerged from limestone formations that once lay beneath a vast shallow ocean, preserving delicate teeth and even rare cartilage ...
In the lush rainforests of British Guiana – now Guyana – early 20th-century explorers uncovered ecosystems driven by creatures far smaller than the charismatic megafauna often celebrated. William Beebe, a visionary curator at the New York Zoological Society, led expeditions that shifted focus from elusive birds to the dominant insects shaping jungle life. Recent digitization ...
Southern Florida – Intense summer heat poses a severe threat to the state’s most endangered bat species. Researchers from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign tested innovative artificial roosts to combat this challenge. Their findings highlight designs that maintain safe temperatures and successfully attract bats, offering hope for conservation efforts. A Rare Success in Sweltering Conditions ...
Three hundred million years ago, dragonfly-like griffinflies with wingspans reaching 70 centimeters dominated the skies over vast coal swamps on the supercontinent Pangaea. These colossal insects, far larger than any flying bugs today, sparked a enduring scientific debate about what allowed their immense size. A recent study led by researchers from the University of Pretoria ...
Maryland – Lawmakers took a decisive step toward honoring a prehistoric giant by unanimously passing a bill in the House of Delegates to designate the megalodon as the state’s official shark. This measure positions Maryland to pioneer the first such state symbol in the U.S., drawing on the creature’s ancient presence in the Chesapeake Bay ...
Floreana Island, Galápagos – Nearly two centuries after vanishing from their ancestral home, giant tortoises once again roam the rugged landscapes of this remote Galápagos outpost. Conservation teams released 158 captive-bred juveniles on February 20, 2026, in a landmark step toward ecological revival. The effort revives a species driven to extinction by 19th-century whalers, whose ...
Researchers at Florida Atlantic University have demonstrated that common daily challenges trigger measurable shifts in the gut microbiomes of northern cardinals. These vibrant songbirds, known for their striking red plumage, faced simulated stressors over an 11-day period in a study published in Scientific Reports. The work reveals how even subtle disruptions influence the microbial communities ...
Prehistoric insects once dominated the skies with sizes unimaginable today, including griffenflies like the 300-million-year-old Meganeuropsis permiana. These creatures challenged the limits of what insects could achieve in terms of scale. A fresh examination of their flight muscles now questions the dominant explanation for their gigantism, pointing instead to a more complex story rooted in ...
Republic, Washington – Fine sediments entombed a leaf more than 50 million years ago, capturing tiny holes chewed by hatching beetle larvae. This Eocene-era specimen highlights how prehistoric insects interacted with plants in ancient forests. Such trace fossils provide essential clues about insect behavior when body remains prove elusive. A Gardener’s Eye Meets Ancient Evidence ...
Okay, hear me out. When someone says “grace,” you probably picture a swan gliding across a still lake, or maybe a ballet dancer mid-leap. You almost certainly do not picture a winged reptile from the Jurassic period with a skull crest and hollow bones, screaming across prehistoric skies. Yet here we are. The pterodactyl, it ...
