All articles tagged with #prehistoric
Researchers report a red hand stencil in Sulawesi dating to about 68,000 years ago—the oldest cave art known—suggesting early symbolic behavior in Southeast Asia and challenging Europe-centered views on the origins of modern human creativity, with implications for early human migrations toward Sahul (Australia–New Guinea).
Researchers report 85 fossilized footprints on a northern Moroccan beach dating to about 90,000 years ago, likely left by at least five individuals in a multigenerational group. Preserved by clay-rich sand and rapid tidal burial, the tracks represent North Africa’s oldest known human trackway, but the site faces erosion risk and urgent documentation before it degrades.
A 7-million-year-old fossil of Sahelanthropus tchadensis provides strong evidence that early human ancestors could walk upright, suggesting that bipedalism evolved much earlier than previously thought. The discovery was made through detailed analysis of skeletal features, including a femoral tubercle and limb proportions, indicating that this species was adapted for upright walking despite its small brain and tree-dwelling habits.
New research indicates that mosasaurs, giant marine reptiles, could also live in freshwater environments, as evidenced by isotope analysis of fossil teeth from North Dakota, suggesting they were not limited to oceans and may have preyed on dinosaurs in rivers before their extinction.
A complete 330-million-year-old shark fossil, the Bearsden Shark, was discovered in Scotland in 1982, providing valuable insights into prehistoric marine life. Local enthusiasts aim to commemorate this find with a sculpture in Bearsden, highlighting its significance and ongoing scientific mysteries about these ancient creatures.
An 11-year-old girl discovered a fossil in England that led scientists to identify a new giant ichthyosaur species, Ichthyotitan severnensis, potentially the largest marine reptile ever, measuring up to 25 meters long and dating back to the late Triassic period.
A silver coin smuggling case led to the discovery of a well-preserved prehistoric fortress in Croatia's Papuk Mountains, revealing sophisticated stone fortifications and a highly organized society from the Iron Age, despite some loss of context due to looting.
Scientists discovered a perfectly preserved 3,460-year-old brown bear in Siberia's permafrost, providing unique insights into ancient wildlife, including soft tissues and diet, challenging initial assumptions that it was an Ice Age cave bear.
A 326-million-year-old fossil of Arthropleura, a giant millipede, was discovered in England, revealing it to be the largest land invertebrate in Earth's history, measuring nearly nine feet long. The find challenges previous assumptions about prehistoric gigantism being driven solely by oxygen levels and highlights the diverse ecosystems of the Carboniferous period. The fossil provides new insights into ancient invertebrate life and their environments.
Ancient rock engravings in northern Arabia, dating back around 12,000 years, served as maps and markers for water sources and travel routes during a period of climate transition, highlighting early human adaptation and cultural identity in a challenging environment.
A 15,600-year-old human footprint discovered in Chile is the oldest in the Americas, suggesting humans reached South America over a thousand years earlier than previously believed, reshaping our understanding of early migration.
Archaeologists in White Sands, NM, have discovered 22,000-year-old human footprints and drag marks that may represent the earliest evidence of transport technology, possibly a primitive vehicle called a travois.
Scientists discovered a fossil of Arthropleura, a giant millipede from 326 million years ago, which grew up to 9 feet long, providing new insights into prehistoric ecosystems and arthropod evolution.
Scientists discovered Australia's oldest crocodile eggshells from 55 million years ago, belonging to a bizarre, tree-hunting crocodile species called Wakkaoolithus godthelpi, which exhibited unique terrestrial and semi-arboreal behaviors, providing insights into prehistoric ecosystems and crocodile evolution.
A 9-year-old boy named Matthew Berger discovered a nearly 2-million-year-old fossil in South Africa, which has been identified as Australopithecus sediba, a crucial link in human evolution that shows characteristics of both ape-like and human-like traits, providing valuable insights into the transition from tree-dwelling to ground-walking ancestors.