environment
Ordovician-Silurian extinction
The Ordovician-Silurian extinction, around 445 million years ago, was caused by a rapid ice age and fluctuating sea levels, eliminating nearly 85% of marine species.
Welcome to Prehistoric World
Discover the fascinating creatures that once roamed our planet
Featured Creatures
Featured Creatures
Brachiosaurus altithorax
Jurassic
Brachiosaurus, meaning "arm lizard," was one of the most magnificent dinosaurs ever to walk the Earth. Living during the Late Jurassic period (154-150 million ...
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Sarcosuchus imperator
Cretaceous
Sarcosuchus, nicknamed the "SuperCroc," was one of the largest crocodile-like reptiles to ever live! Swimming through African and South American rivers about 112 million years ago during the Early Cretaceous period, this ...
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Raptorex lancensis
Cretaceous
Raptorex, meaning "robber king," is a fascinating small tyrannosaur that lived approximately 125 million years ago during the Early Cretaceous period. This pint-sized predator looked ...
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Latest Discoveries
October 28, 2026
Charnia
Proterozoic
Charnia is one of the most important fossils ever discovered! This mysterious frond-shaped organism lived during the Ediacaran period, approximately 575 to 555 million years ago, making it one of Earth's oldest known complex life forms. Charnia was the...
Location: England, Canada, Australia, Russia
Scientific Name: Charnia masoni
October 28, 2026
Tribrachidium
Proterozoic
Tribrachidium is one of the strangest creatures to ever exist! Living during the Ediacaran period about 558-555 million years ago, this bizarre disc-shaped organism had three-fold symmetry — a body plan found in no living animal today. It...
Location: Australia, Russia, Ukraine
Scientific Name: Tribrachidium heraldicum
October 28, 2026
Spriggina
Proterozoic
Spriggina is one of the most intriguing fossils from the Ediacaran period, living approximately 550-560 million years ago. With its distinctive horseshoe-shaped head and segmented body, it has sparked decades of debate about whether it represents...
Location: Australia
Scientific Name: Spriggina floundersi
October 28, 2026
Wiwaxia
Cambrian
Wiwaxia is one of the strangest creatures from the Cambrian Explosion, living approximately 508 million years ago. This bizarre armored slug-like animal was covered in overlapping scales and tall defensive spines, making...
Location: Canada (Burgess Shale), China
Scientific Name: Wiwaxia corrugata
October 28, 2026
Pikaia
Cambrian
Pikaia is one of the most important fossils ever discovered—it may be one of our earliest ancestors! This small, leaf-shaped swimmer lived approximately 508 million years ago during the Middle Cambrian period....
Location: Canada (Burgess Shale)
Scientific Name: Pikaia gracilens
October 28, 2026
Olenoides
Cambrian
Olenoides serratus is one of the most famous and scientifically important trilobites ever discovered! Living approximately 508 million years ago during the Middle Cambrian, this trilobite is celebrated for its exceptional...
Location: Canada (Burgess Shale), USA
Scientific Name: Olenoides serratus
October 28, 2026
Ottoia
Cambrian
Ottoia was a fearsome predatory worm that terrorized the Cambrian seafloor approximately 508 million years ago. As the most abundant worm in the famous Burgess Shale, this priapulid (penis worm) used its...
Location: Canada (Burgess Shale), USA (Utah)
Scientific Name: Ottoia prolifica
February 2, 2026
Dickinsonia
Proterozoic
Dickinsonia is one of the most mysterious and ancient creatures ever found! Living during the Ediacaran period about 558-555 million years ago, it was one of Earth's earliest complex life forms. This bizarre oval-shaped organism lived...
Location: Australia, Russia, Ukraine
Scientific Name: Dickinsonia costata
February 2, 2026
Orthoceras
Ordovician
Orthoceras was an ancient straight-shelled nautiloid—an early relative of today's squids and octopuses! Living from the Ordovician to Triassic periods (around 485-200 million years ago), these jet-propelled hunters had long, cone-shaped shells and were among the...
Location: Worldwide (Morocco, Sweden, North America)
Scientific Name: Orthoceras regulare
February 2, 2026
Birkenia
Silurian
Birkenia was a tiny jawless fish that swam in ancient Silurian seas about 430 million years ago! At only 10 cm (4 inches) long, this small but important fish was an anaspid—one of the early vertebrates that...
Location: Scotland, Norway
Scientific Name: Birkenia elegans
February 2, 2026
Tiktaalik
Devonian
Tiktaalik is one of the most important fossils ever discovered—a 375-million-year-old "fishapod" that shows the transition from fish to land animals! Found in the Canadian Arctic in 2004,...
Location: Arctic Canada (Ellesmere Island)
Scientific Name: Tiktaalik roseae
February 2, 2026
Phorusrhacos
Neogene
Phorusrhacos was one of the most terrifying "terror birds"—giant flightless predatory birds that ruled South America for millions of years! Standing 2.5 meters (8 feet) tall with a massive hooked beak, this apex...
Location: South America (Argentina)
Scientific Name: Phorusrhacos longissimus
February 2, 2026
Smilodon
Quaternary
Smilodon, the famous "saber-toothed cat," was one of the most iconic predators of the Ice Age! Living from about 2.5 million to 10,000 years ago, this powerful cat had enormous canine teeth that could...
Location: North and South America
Scientific Name: Smilodon fatalis
February 2, 2026
Woolly Rhinoceros
Quaternary
The Woolly Rhinoceros was a massive, shaggy beast that roamed the frozen steppes of Ice Age Europe and Asia! Living from about 350,000 to 10,000 years ago, this incredible animal was perfectly...
Location: Europe, Asia
Scientific Name: Coelodonta antiquitatis
February 2, 2026
Gorgonops
Permian
Gorgonops was one of the most fearsome predators of the Late Permian period, approximately 260-252 million years ago! Named after the Gorgons of Greek mythology (monsters with snakes for hair), this...
Location: South Africa
Scientific Name: Gorgonops torvus
Did You Know?
dinosaur
The Largest Land Animal Ever
Argentinosaurus may have weighed up to 100 tons—as heavy as 14 elephants! Its thigh bone alone was taller than an adult human.
discovery
The "Dueling Dinosaurs" Fossil
A T-Rex and Triceratops were found fossilized together, possibly killed while fighting! The Triceratops has a T-Rex tooth embedded in its body—evidence of a real prehistoric battle.
dinosaur
T-Rex vs Triceratops: Real Rivals
T-Rex and Triceratops actually lived at the same time and place! The Hell Creek Formation contains both—Triceratops makes up 40% of fossils there, T-Rex 24%. They definitely encountered each other.
evolution
The First Eyes Appeared 540 Million Years Ago
The evolution of eyes triggered an "arms race" of evolution. Trilobites were among the first creatures with complex eyes, with some having over 15,000 lenses!
evolution
First Land Animals
Tiktaalik, living 375 million years ago, was one of the first vertebrates to venture onto land, with primitive lungs and leg-like fins.
dinosaur
Not All Dinosaurs Were Giants
While many famous dinosaurs were enormous, the smallest known dinosaur was the Compsognathus, only about the size of a chicken!
evolution
Blue Whales: Bigger Than Any Dinosaur
The blue whale is the largest animal EVER—bigger than any dinosaur! At 200 tons, it weighs twice as much as the largest dinosaurs. Some dinosaurs were longer, but none were heavier.
environment
Pangaea: When All Land Was One
About 335 million years ago, all continents were joined into one supercontinent called Pangaea. You could have walked from Antarctica to the Arctic!
environment
Hangenberg event
The Hangenberg event, about 359 million years ago, was a mass extinction at the Devonian-Carboniferous boundary, caused by global cooling and anoxic oceans, wiping out many marine species.
discovery
Dinosaur Herding Started 193 Million Years Ago
The earliest evidence of herd behavior dates to 193 million years ago! Over 100 Mussaurus eggs and 80 skeletons were found together in Patagonia, showing complex social behavior.
discovery
Dinosaurs May Have Been Colorful
By studying fossilized melanosomes (pigment cells), scientists discovered some dinosaurs had bright colors! Sinosauropteryx had a striped tail like a raccoon.
discovery
Dinosaur Footprints Everywhere
Thousands of dinosaur trackways have been found on every continent! Some tracks in Colorado show dinosaurs walking together in herds, and some footprints are over a meter wide.
evolution
Largest Flying Animal Ever
Quetzalcoatlus had a wingspan of 10-11 meters—longer than a school bus! This pterosaur was as tall as a giraffe when standing and could fly at 80 mph for days.
dinosaur
T-Rex Teens Gained 45 lbs Per Week
During their teenage growth spurt, T-Rex gained 35-45 pounds PER WEEK until reaching adult size around age 20! Growth rings in SUE's bones revealed this incredible growth rate.
discovery
First Dinosaur Named: 1824
Megalosaurus was the first dinosaur ever scientifically named, by William Buckland in 1824. The word "dinosaur" itself wasn't invented until 1842 by Richard Owen!
environment
Earth's Oxygen Revolution
About 2.4 billion years ago, the "Great Oxidation Event" dramatically increased Earth's oxygen levels, making complex life possible.
dinosaur
Duck-Billed Dinosaurs: 300+ Teeth
Hadrosaurs had the most complex teeth ever—up to 300 teeth per jaw arranged in "dental batteries." These constantly replaced themselves and could grind the toughest plants.
evolution
Walking Whales
Early whales like Ambulocetus had legs and could walk on land, showing the remarkable transition of mammals back to marine life.
dinosaur
Fastest Dinosaurs Hit 70 km/h
Ornithomimus and Gallimimus were the speed champions, reaching up to 70 km/h (43 mph)—faster than a horse! Their ostrich-like build was perfect for running.
environment
One Day Was Only 22 Hours Long
When dinosaurs roamed Earth, days were shorter! The Moon's gravity is slowly slowing Earth's rotation. 200 million years ago, a year had about 385 days.
discovery
Mary Anning: Fossil Hunting Pioneer
At just 12 years old, Mary Anning discovered the first complete Ichthyosaur fossil in 1811. She became one of history's greatest fossil hunters, despite never receiving formal credit in her time.
dinosaur
T-Rex Had Tiny Arms for a Reason
Despite their tiny appearance, T-Rex arms were incredibly strong—each could lift about 200 kg (440 lbs)! Scientists think they helped grip prey or push up from the ground.
dinosaur
Stegosaurus: Ancient Even to T-Rex
Stegosaurus and T-Rex never met—they lived 80 million years apart! In fact, we are closer in time to T-Rex than T-Rex was to Stegosaurus.