We've heard about pygmy pigs—why not pygmy mammoths? Fossil evidence proves their existence, but the dilemma is figuring out where they lived. A video describes different theories on their evolution and migration.

You may struggle to find similarities between humans and many of our ancestors. Fossil evidence finds more and more signs of similarities between humans and many other species. A lesson outlines the fossil evidence and the questions...

Ancient fossils have many stories to tell. Scientists must use different strategies to read these remnants. A video lesson explains how archeologists use different strategies to date each specimen. The timeline of a fossil helps identify...

Would you believe the Midwest region of the United States was once the Western Interior Seaway? An interesting presentation from the PBS Eons series describes the geography of the ancient seaway and the species that lived there. The...

Your family get-togethers are about to become more interesting! A video lesson in the PBS Eons series describes the primate family tree that leads to the one and only—homo sapiens. Discover the fossil evidence that leads scientists to...

Take an evolutionary journey as an ancient amphibian. A lesson from a PBS series describes the features and evolutionary sequence of a large amphibian group, the Temnospondyls. Although extinct over 210 million years ago, many...

Just how long can a fossil preserve DNA? It seems that DNA becomes unreadable after about 6.8 million years. Learn about the science that helped make this conclusion and the mistakes made along the way in a lesson from a PBS Eons video...

Scientists know a great deal about extinct dire wolves thanks to a large number fossilized in one geographical area. They lived in groups, hunted opportunistic or wounded prey, and were fierce in battle and sex. Learn more with an...

Today very few animals exist with both an endoskeleton and exoskeleton. Yet, in the Devonian period, a large number of fish species lived with both. Scientists debate if they were for protection or mineral storage, because none of them...

How old is Earth and how do scientists know the answer? Throughout history, many researchers, scholars, and leaders answered this question with varying degrees of accuracy. The 20th episode of Crash Course History of Science introduces...

Volcanoes cause mass extinctions, climate change, and physical alterations of our planet. They also create great fossil records, time markers in layers of Earth, and an interesting way to study geology. A video describes how one...

Scientists believe confuciusornis developed a beak and lost teeth as a key step in the evolutionary process. Learn more about confuciusornis and other birds, dinosaurs, and animals that evolved into the birds of today. PBS Eons walks...

Change is good ... unless you're a tuatara! Meet Earth's oldest surviving reptile species in a fun video from an extensive science playlist. Content includes why the tuatara did not evolve and its unique anatomy.

Scientists learn about animals and plants living today by understanding the fossil record. A helpful resource includes a brief explanation of the process to help scholars complete the online game. It also mentions the gaps in knowledge...

Snakes are just lizards without legs, right? Scholars study the sensational evolutionary history of the snake with a video from a well-written biology playlist. Topics include snake fossils, theories on snake evolution, and...

Like something from a low-budget horror movie, terror birds ruled the roost in South America millions of years ago. Things didn't go as well when they headed north! With an intriguing video, biology scholars explore the massive migration...

Fungi are more than fun ... they're also functional! Most everyone knows they serve as Earth's decomposers, but ancient fungi took their job to a whole new level! An entertaining video from a large biology playlist examines the giant...

How did scientists unravel the mystery of an ancient beaver species? An engaging video from a well-written biology playlist discusses the discovery of strange spiral fossils found in Nebraska farm country. Junior paleontologists examine...

Gigantopithecus was the greatest of the great apes! Whatever became of them? Take a journey to Asia and explore the forests and grasslands that were once home to the large primate using a video from an extentsive biology playlist....

Global warming ... greenhouse gases ... climate change ... sounds familiar, right? What about palm trees in Wyoming, or swimming in the sea near Antarctica? Science scholars discover the unbearable conditions Earth experienced during its...

Would you move to Mars? A video discussion explores the realities of traveling and living on Mars. Characteristics of the planet, its orbit, and revolutions provide key facts to help you make your decision.

Many reference mysterious fossils as belonging to monsters, but clearly they existed. A science series presents a video on problematic creatures. It specifically focuses on the tully monster, which, despite many fossils, has yet to...

Trilobites survived on Earth for longer than mammals have, so what was their secret? From their evolution to diversity, they survived multiple large changes in the environment—and even flourished. Then, in the matter of less than a...

Dimetrodon lived before flowers, and people often believe it was a dinosaur. Research, however, proves a different story. An informative video teaches more about the dimetrodon, a mammal often confused for a reptile. It explains the...