Fossils of the Cretaceous
- By Susan K. Lewis
- Posted 02.01.08
- NOVA
Roughly 130 million years ago, in what is now northeastern China, volcanoes repeatedly showered down fine-grained ash, capturing remarkable details of ancient animals and plants. The fossils have allowed scientists to reconstruct a vivid picture of the ecosystem and gain insights into how modern organisms evolved. Here, glimpse the creatures—some familiar, others entirely alien—that inhabited the region long ago.
Launch Interactive
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See the perfectly preserved fossils of feathered dinosaurs and other creatures that lived 130 million years ago.
Credits
Image Credits
- (all images)
- © Mick Ellison
Note: Special thanks to Mark Norell, Chair and Curator, and Mick Ellison, Principal Artist, of the Division of Paleontology at the American Museum of Natural History. Their book Unearthing the Dragon (PI Press, 2005) served as the primary source for this slide show.
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