Science and Discovery

Paleontology

2 articles

A prehistoric short-faced bear foraging for sugary plants in an ancient landscape, with tar pits visible in the distance.

Extinct bears had surprising diet of sugary plants

Nearly one in six short-faced bears from the ancient tar pits of Rancho La Brea suffered from severe dental cavities.

Marcus Cole·June 6, 2026

Massive volcanic eruptions from the Siberian Traps spewing ash and gases into the atmosphere, representing a catastrophic event in Earth's history.

Mantle plumes trigger mass extinctions by altering Earth's climate

252 million years ago, a series of eruptions in Siberia, not an asteroid, unleashed enough greenhouse gases to wipe out over 90% of marine species.

Marcus Cole·May 28, 2026