Digging in to save amazing dinosaur gem
A collection of ancient rocks with opalised bones from Lightning Ridge in NSW is about to ‘come to life’ in a novel project involving scientists from […]
Giant NZ bird’s links with Africa
Scientists have linked New Zealand’s giant flightless bird, the now extinct adzebill, with origins in Africa – showing that some of its closest living relatives are the […]
Marsupial Lion ‘similar to Tassie Devil’
New research into the first complete skeleton of Australia’s legendary ‘Marsupial Lion’ provides extraordinary insights into the species’ hunting ability, social traits – and similarities with […]
When did hunters kill off Madagascar megafauna?
Prehistory hunters on the Indian Ocean island of Madagascar are thought responsible for the eventual extinction of megafauna such as giant lemurs, hippos and elephant birds. […]
Climate change gave roos an evolutionary jump
Surprising new findings by Flinders University researchers have changed scientific understanding of how kangaroo evolution was linked to environmental change over the past 12 million years. […]
Follow in the footsteps of megafauna
Australia’s giant ‘wombat’, the Diprotodon, is described as the world’s largest marsupial, weighing more than 2.5 tonnes at almost 3m long. Award-winning Flinders University science writer […]
Baby snake in amber a golden find
Newly discovered prehistoric fossils are painting a colourful picture of the biodiversity of the former supercontinent called Gondwana. Among these discoveries are a range of invertebrates, […]
When is a croc not a croc? When it’s a thoracosaur
The fearsome Thoracosaurus, a dinosaur-era reptile from North America with jaws like giant pincers, bears an uncanny resemblance to a modern fish-eating croc called a gharial. […]
Bizarre ‘platypus fish’ found on Australia’s original reef
Scientists in Australia have discovered a remarkable ancient fish fossil with a long snout, reminiscent of a platypus bill. The fossil, named Brindabellaspis after the nearby […]