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Fossils

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Artist Mark Dion's Deep Dive Into The Tar Pits

What blows this celebrated artist's mind? Microscopic ice age plants and rat poop

Earth's First Giant

The two-meter skull of a humongous new ichthyosaur species, Earth’s first known giant creature, reveals how both the extinct marine reptiles and modern whales became giants.

Talking Tar Pits Turkeys

Dig into some ancient turkey with our Tar Pits team member, Preparator Laura Tewksbury.

Tooth Fast, Tooth Curious?

A new study uncovers a novel approach to a plant-based diet, unique to long-necked dinosaurs

three-dimensional scan of the pathological pelvis and femur

These Hips Don’t Lie: 3D Imaging of a Pelvis Suggests Social Care for Saber-Tooths

A new study reveals saber-toothed cats suffered from hip dysplasia, an affliction common in pet cats and dogs, and points to supportive social structures for Smilodon.

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Toothy Grins from the Past

The first 3D reconstructions of extinct Cretaceous birds reveal a reptilian tooth replacement pattern

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Scientists hiking a mountainous trail to a cave in the distance.

Gypsum Cave

The holotype skeleton of the extinct aquatic herbivore Neoparadoxia cecilialina from the Monterey Formation of Orange County.

Vertebrate Paleontology

Vertebrate Paleontology is the study of ancient animals that have a vertebral column including fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals.

Project Paleo

Do you want to be a paleontologist? Do you want to be a curator of natural history collections? Project Paleo is your opportunity to work with fossils and contribute to the curation of Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County's collections.