Feathered dinosaurs, walking whales, killer kangaroos—these are but a few of the fantastic creatures that roamed the
planet before the dawn of humans. For more than 200 years, scientists have studied fossil remnants of eons past,
painstakingly piecing together the history of life on earth. Through their efforts, not only have long-extinct beasts come
to light, but the origins of many modern animals have been revealed.
In this exclusive online issue, Scientific American authors ponder some of the most exciting paleontological discoveries
made in recent years. Gregory Erickson reexamines T. rex and reconstructs how the monster lived. Ryosuke Motani
describes the reign of fishlike reptiles known as ichthyosaurs. Kevin Padian and Luis Chiappe trace today’s birds back to
their carnivorous, bipedal dinosaur forebears. And Stephen Wroe presents the menacing relatives of Australia’s beloved
pouched mammals. Other articles document the descent of whales from four-legged landlubbers and recount the challenges
and rewards of leading fossil-collecting expeditions to uncharted locales.