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16 results for "platypus"
Fossils from South Australia reveal a toothed platypus ancestor that swam like modern platypuses but crushed hard-shelled prey with powerful teeth. The discovery shows the platypus body plan was already in place millions of years before today's toothless version evolved.
When Jessica McDonald spotted what she thought was a rat speeding across a Queensland road, she discovered something remarkable: a platypus, moving fast and far from its river home. Scientists are using increased sightings like these to push for stronger protections for the iconic but declining species.
Scientists just discovered fossils of a 25-million-year-old platypus with fully formed teeth that could crush shelled prey. The rare find reveals these unique mammals were once slightly larger and fiercer than their modern descendants.
More than 50 years after oil pollution wiped them out, platypuses are breeding successfully in Royal National Park. Scientists just released four more adults and discovered wild-born babies proving the species is making a real comeback.
Scientists in Australia discovered fossils of an ancient platypus with powerful teeth that shared freshwater lakes with dolphins 25 million years ago. The rare find reveals how one of Earth's strangest mammals thrived in a vanished rainforest world.
Scientists just discovered ancient platypus fossils in the Australian outback that solve a 25-million-year-old mystery. These remarkable creatures had full sets of teeth and thrived in a lush paradise where desert now stands.
After vanishing for 50 years, platypuses are breeding again in Australia's oldest national park. Scientists just found 20 individuals thriving in waters where the unique mammals once disappeared.
Scientists have created a breakthrough framework to save Australia's elusive platypus by mapping where they live and planning rescues before disasters strike. New DNA testing and citizen science are filling gaps that once made this river-dwelling mammal nearly impossible to track.
Ten astronaut candidates training for missions to the Moon and Mars just got a quirky nickname that perfectly captures their teamwork. The "Platypi" were named by the previous class for their diverse skills and unassuming kindness.
More than 150 Indigenous students from 18 schools helped write and create an animated feature film alongside Hollywood stars and Aboriginal elders. The result is Imagine, a trippy adventure celebrating Indigenous knowledge systems that proves kids can make movies Hollywood doesn't own.
Cassy Tzoutzias spends her Sundays shoulder-deep in creek water, rescuing dumped shopping trolleys from wildlife habitats in Rockhampton, Australia. Her volunteer mission has sparked a community movement pushing major supermarkets to take responsibility for their abandoned carts. ##
Scientists discovered a 252-million-year-old fossilized embryo in South Africa that proves our mammal ancestors laid eggs and reveals how they survived Earth's worst mass extinction. The find marks the first confirmed evidence of egg-laying in therapsids, the prehistoric creatures that gave rise to modern mammals.
Three Tasmanian landowners are handing their properties to the Aboriginal Land Council, showing a grassroots path forward when government land returns stall. One dumping ground is now becoming a training site for the next generation of Indigenous rangers.
Scientists in South Africa discovered the oldest embryo fossil ever found, proving our mammal ancestors laid eggs 250 million years ago. The tiny creature inside reveals survival secrets from Earth's deadliest extinction event.
Researchers discovered the first confirmed egg from a mammal ancestor, solving a 200-year mystery about how these ancient creatures reproduced. The fossil shows how one tough species survived Earth's worst extinction and paved the way for all mammals today.
Scientists discovered the first fossilized egg from a mammal ancestor, solving a century-old mystery about how these creatures reproduced. The breakthrough reveals how strategic reproduction helped life bounce back from Earth's deadliest extinction.