Scientists discovered fossil jaws from giant octopuses that lived 100-72 million years ago in the Cretaceous Pacific, revealing apex predators up to 20 meters long with wear patterns indicating aggressive hunting of hard-shelled prey, providing a possible biological basis for kraken legends.
Scientists have directly estimated Tyrannosaurus rex's body temperature at approximately 97 degrees Fahrenheit using chemical analysis of fossilized tooth enamel, confirming decades of suspicions that the predator was warm-blooded. The technique, which measures isotope bonds in tooth enamel, reveals that T. rex maintained an active metabolism comparable to modern humans, positioning it between cold-blooded reptiles and warm-blooded birds. This finding provides new insights into the dinosaur's behavior, physiology, and ecological role 66 to 69 million years ago.
Excavations at Bianfu Cave in China's Yunnan Province have uncovered the richest collection of Denisovan fossils to date, including remains of at least three individuals who lived 167,000–134,000 years ago. Alongside over 1,300 tools and 1,600 butchered animal bones, the findings provide rare insights into Denisovan culture and hunting practices, significantly expanding knowledge of this ancient human species.
Scientists discovered rare bird feathers preserved in fossilized dinosaur feces from 66 million years ago at Montana's Hell Creek Formation, providing new insights into Late Cretaceous bird morphology and extinction patterns. Separately, paleontologists found fossilized titanosaur eggs in Patagonia that reveal breeding behaviors of the largest land animals ever.