Paleontologists have discovered the most detailed fossils of a prehistoric species that dominated the planet for millions of years, although it is not dinosaurs. This discovery challenges previous assumptions about the origins of certain legends, including the griffin legend. Paleontologists Mark Witton and Richard Hing from the University of Portsmouth are involved in this research.
๐๏ธ From the archive: Far from a creature of myth in Game of Thrones, the dire wolf was an iconic canid during Americaโs Ice Age โ with an unexpectedly complicated genetic heritage. https://t.co/k0ejT8aMSI
Interesting what AI reconstruction gets right and wrong. Here two images of Sophie Stegosaurus from @NHM_London produce a video that at first glance looks kind of OK until you notice the back plates float off into the distance ...and a second head walks in from stage left ๐ https://t.co/QA9ZwO1ENy https://t.co/OYMhizI4an
For centuries, scientists thought they knew where the griffin legend came from. @portsmoutuni paleontologists @MarkWitton & Richard Hing challenge the popular claim that dinosaur #Fossils were the inspiration. #Dinosaurs https://t.co/5HpRgwZ4EU
๐๏ธ From the archive: Earth was once home to giant animals, and some are still around today. Here are five of the biggest animals to ever live on earth. https://t.co/Ejp5VWSnKh
๐๏ธ From the archive: A recent study suggests that the Tyrannosaurus rex may have ruled the Late Cretaceous Period with brawn and brains. Paleoneurologists share what a T. rex skull can tell us about its brain and intelligence. https://t.co/OGFPxG6xOn
๐๏ธ From the archive: Several creatures that still walk the Earth today are closely related to dinosaurs. Find out which species are considered descendants of these prehistoric animals. https://t.co/RVu1nxnTUR
๐๏ธ From the archive: Jurassic Park helped popularize this head butting dino. Learn why paleontologists are undecided about the evolution and behavior of the Pachycephalosaurus. https://t.co/buisHu4887
They dominated the planet for millions of years, and paleontologists just discovered the most detailed fossils of them ever preserved. (Hint: Itโs not dinosaurs.) https://t.co/ysaOUYs5Tc