Evolution is one of the most important theories in modern science. It provides a framework for understanding where modern species came from, including our own. Evolution teaches scientists how to understand trends in biodiversity, genetics, and Earth’s history. Further, evolution provides insights into such disparate topics as endangered species conservation, vaccine development, and antibiotic, pesticide, and herbicide resistance. How do … Continue Reading

As a child, I often annoyed everyone around me talking about dinosaurs nonstop. Honestly, I still do this. However, one thing always annoyed me too. Why did everyone think that I wanted to be an archaeologist? What’s the difference between paleontology and archaeology? Paleontology is the study of prehistoric life through fossils while archaeology is the study of ancient humans … Continue Reading

Dinosaur names are notoriously difficult to say. We all know the most popular ones because they’re prevalent in pop culture. Tyrannosaurus, Triceratops, and Stegosaurus are no more difficult to say than Elephant; how many people can pronounce, much less, spell Tuojiangosaurus? Do dinosaurs have common names? Dinosaur names are often hard to pronounce because their scientific names are derived from … Continue Reading

One thing has been held for centuries: children love dinosaurs. They beg for dinosaur toys, adorn their rooms with dinosaur posters, and become engrossed in dinosaur films. The concept of conceptual domains or topics of “intense interest” is the most likely source of this obsession with dinosaurs. You may wonder: why do kids like dinosaurs so much when most adults take … Continue Reading

Why were prehistoric animals so large? Tyrannosaurus Rex, Brachiosaurus, Triceratops, and many other prehistoric animals were massive! The largest living land animal, the African elephant is barely comparable to Triceratops in size and about a quarter of the size of many sauropods (the long-necked dinosaurs). Compared to animals like Brachiosaurus, it’s no wonder that many ask why prehistoric animals grew … Continue Reading

A common question directed to paleontologists is why is paleontology important? Why does it matter to us when other sciences seem more relevant? Paleontology is not flashy like other sciences. Those that create medicine or allow us to travel to the moon often command the headlines. To many, paleontology is merely the study of the past, but do not be … Continue Reading