Dinosaur Discoveries

The 21st century is shaping up as a great time to be a paleontologist. 

Excavations by Museum scientists in northern China have uncovered an “animal Pompeii” of exquisitely preserved specimens. A 28-inch-long fossil of a baby Sciurumimus discovered in Germany suggests that all predatory dinosaurs might have had feathers. The oldest evidence of dinosaurs ever found—fossilized tracks from an animal smaller than a house cat—has been uncovered in Poland. New research is shedding light on how fast the non-avian dinosaurs went extinct, dino eggshells and ancient climate, and the evolution of bird-like brains in dinosaurs well before they took to the air as birds.

Blog Post Desert Dinosaur Likely Hunted in the Dark, Study Shows Research suggests a small desert-dwelling dinosaur had nocturnal hunting abilities. May 7, 2021 Blog Post Study: Dinosaurs and Pterosaurs Descended From Tiny Reptiles Learn how a newly discovered tiny reptile provides insights into the evolutionary history of early dinosaur relatives. July 6, 2020 Video Why Isn't Pterodactyl a Dinosaur? Paleontologist Danny Barta explains what is and is not a dinosaur. Video Did an asteroid kill the dinosaurs? An extinction mystery explained by paleontologist Aki Watanabe. Video How do you find dinosaur fossils? Hint: it’s not as easy as it looks in the movies. Video Are dinosaurs still alive today? We’re still living in the Age of Dinosaurs! Video How long did a T. rex live? The life of the ultimate predator, from the birth to death. Video Fossil Hunting In the Gobi 360 Join a 1920s fossil-hunting expedition to the Gobi Desert, then revisit the findings with a present-day paleontologist. Video What Did a Baby T. rex Look Like? Did you know T. rex hatchlings were most likely covered in fluff? Learn more about the life history of the ultimate predator. Article Tyrannosaurus rex Seven questions about T. rex answered! Video Google Field Trip: Dinosaur Fossils at the Museum Curator Mark Norell leads a tour of the Paleo Prep Lab. Blog Post Dinosaurs Fell Victim to “Perfect Storm” of Events, Study Infers New research suggests that a combination of catastrophic events led to the mass extinction of dinosaurs 66 million years ago. July 28, 2014 Video How do we know where to look for dinosaur fossils? Dinosaur fossils are found almost exclusively in sedimentary rocks. Blog Post Oldest Evidence of Dinosaurs Found in Polish Footprints Discovery of fossilized footprints in Poland represents the oldest known evidence of dinosaur existence. October 28, 2010 Blog Post How Dinosaur Brains Led to Modern Birds How dinosaur structures of dinosaurs evolved, leading to the development of unique cognitive abilities in modern birds. March 14, 2016 Reading Going Gobi Take a peek inside two paleontologists' scrapbook about their expeditions to the Gobi Desert in Mongolia. Video Are Any Dinosaurs Still Alive Today? Birds descended from the common ancestor of all dinosaurs. Video Google Glass in the Gobi: Road Trip Graduate student Aki Watanabe gives a paleontologist's-eye view of a fossil excavation in the Gobi desert. Game + Video Living Large Sauropods dominated the Earth for 140 million years. How did they reach their massive sizes? What did they look like, how did they... Video Shelf Life 10: The Dinosaurs of Ghost Ranch New Mexico’s Ghost Ranch is home to four quarries that Museum paleontologists have excavated for decades. Blog Post Researchers Describe ‘Animal Pompeii’ in China A unique 'Animal Pompeii' in China, where animals were preserved in volcanic ash, provides a snapshot of prehistoric life. February 4, 2014 Blog Post Which Came First: The Bird or the Bird Brain? Explore the evolutionary sequence of birds and their brains, shedding light on the development of flight and intelligence. July 31, 2013 Exhibit Dinosaur Mummy The Museum’s dinosaur mummy is a fossilized imprint of the carcass of a duck-billed dinosaur. Article Explore the Family Tree of Birds Scientists on many parts of the globe are working to decipher the family tree of animals at the transition from non-avian dinosaurs... Video What was dinosaur skin like? Rare dinosaur "mummies" preserve dinosaur skin. Permanent Hall Hall of Ornithischian Dinosaurs Exhibits feature fossils from ornithischian dinosaurs, including Triceratops, Stegosaurus, Corythosaurus, and others. Permanent Hall Hall of Saurischian Dinosaurs This hall features the fossils of Tyrannosaurus rex, Apatosaurus, and others, as well as an example of a dinosaur trackway. Blog Post New Research: Some Dinosaur Groups Diminishing Before Mass Extinction Explore research examining the decline of dinosaurs before the asteroid impact, shedding light on Earth's ancient ecosystems. May 1, 2012