Paleontologists unearth giant skull of Pachyrhinosaurus in northern Alberta

Paleontologists unearth giant skull of Pachyrhinosaurus in northern Alberta

It’s a dinosaur that roamed Alberta’s badlands more than 70 million years ago, sporting a big, bumpy, bony head the size of a baby elephant. On Wednesday, paleontologists near Grande Prairie pulled its 272-kilogram skull from the ground. They call it “Big Sam.” The adult Pachyrhinosaurus is the second plant-eating dinosaur to be unearthed from … Read more

B.C. researchers find fossils in ‘relatively unexplored’ area

B.C. researchers find fossils in ‘relatively unexplored’ area

Paleontologists have uncovered dozens of fossils in northern B.C., only one of which came from a dinosaur that was previously known to that area. Victoria Arbour, curator of paleontology at the Royal B.C. Museum, said it was her team’s third time to the Spatsizi Plateau Wilderness Provincial Park, southeast of Dease Lake. The area is … Read more

Rare fossil specimen offers evidence of social behaviour among ancient snakes

Rare fossil specimen offers evidence of social behaviour among ancient snakes

A perfectly preserved burrow of fossilized snakes shows that the reptiles have been social creatures for almost 40 million years, says a new research paper co-authored by a University of Alberta paleontologist.  It’s well known that snakes today gather in burrows for all kinds of reasons, including breeding and surviving cold temperatures by piling together … Read more