Science Rocks: Forgotten Discoveries in Paleontology of the Past Decade

Tiktaalik (2006). The first boned creature to walk on land. A transition between fish and amphibian.

Luke Adelhoch, Staff Writer
September 22, 2016

Dinosaurs were first formally discovered in 1841. Science and the public have come a long way since then in accurate portrayal of these creatures as well as the many other strange creatures found in our massive fossil record. Despite this, many details that are common knowledge to the scientific community and hardcore fans of paleontology still manage to evade the minds of the general public. With old discoveries such as most dinosaurs having feathers and birds not only evolving from dinosaurs, but being dinosaurs themselves, still being forgotten by many people, how many important and interesting discoveries from the past ten years have been forgotten and ignored? It would be impossible to cover them all, but here are several particularly fascinating discoveries that many people are still not aware of.

 

Beelzebufo (2008)

A giant frog from Madagascar, could have potentially eaten young dinosaurs.
A giant frog from Madagascar, could have potentially eaten young dinosaurs.

Tamisiocaris (2010)

One of the first filter-feeders ever, part of a group of animals with no close relatives that still live, can be dated back to when life first diversified.
© National
One of the first filter-feeders ever, part of a group of animals with no close relatives that still live, can be dated back to when life first diversified.
Pelagornis (2014). The largest flying bird of all time, looked like a giant seabird with teeth.
Pelagornis (2014). The largest flying bird of all time, looked like a giant seabird with teeth.