Ancient Planet

Ancient Planet Millions of years. One incredible planet. The planet’s greatest stories—brought back to life.

🐊 Machimosaurus rex was one of the largest marine crocodile relatives known from the Late Jurassic, living around 150 mi...
07/15/2026

🐊 Machimosaurus rex was one of the largest marine crocodile relatives known from the Late Jurassic, living around 150 million years ago. Fossil evidence suggests it reached about 9–10 meters (30–33 feet) in length and weighed several tons. Its enormous skull and powerful jaws were adapted for crushing hard-shelled prey such as turtles, while it likely also hunted large fish and other marine animals. Discoveries of Machimosaurus rex help scientists better understand the evolution of giant crocodyliforms and the diverse predators that ruled prehistoric coastal ecosystems.

Sources:

* Natural History Museum (London)
* Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History
* Peer-reviewed research published in PLOS ONE (description of Machimosaurus rex)
* Encyclopedia of Life (EOL)

Disclaimer: Paleoart is an artist’s reconstruction based on fossil evidence. The animal’s appearance and behavior may be refined as new discoveries are made.

🦏 The woolly rhinoceros (Coelodonta antiquitatis) roamed the cold grasslands of Europe and northern Asia during the Ice ...
07/15/2026

🦏 The woolly rhinoceros (Coelodonta antiquitatis) roamed the cold grasslands of Europe and northern Asia during the Ice Age, while the critically endangered Sumatran rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis) survives today in small populations across Southeast Asia. Although they share a distant evolutionary history, the woolly rhinoceros was much larger and evolved thick fur and a massive horn to withstand freezing climates. This comparison highlights how rhinoceroses have adapted to dramatically different environments over millions of years.

Sources:
• International Rhino Foundation (IRF)
• Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History
• Natural History Museum, London
• IUCN Red List

Disclaimer: The size comparison is an educational reconstruction based on current scientific evidence and fossil research.

🦴 Estemmenosuchus was a strange-looking prehistoric animal that lived around 267 million years ago, long before the dino...
07/15/2026

🦴 Estemmenosuchus was a strange-looking prehistoric animal that lived around 267 million years ago, long before the dinosaurs dominated Earth. Its distinctive horn-like skull remains one of paleontology’s biggest mysteries. Researchers have proposed that these bony structures may have been used for display, defense, or recognizing members of the same species, but there is no definitive evidence. Its diet is also debated, with studies suggesting it may have been primarily herbivorous while others consider it could have been an opportunistic omnivore. Discoveries like this remind us how much of Earth’s ancient history is still waiting to be understood.

Sources:
• Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History
• Natural History Museum (London)
• Encyclopedia of Life (EOL)
• Peer-reviewed paleontological research on Dinocephalia

Disclaimer: Paleoart is an artist’s reconstruction based on current scientific evidence. New fossil discoveries may change our understanding of extinct species.

Address

New York, NY

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Ancient Planet posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Featured

Share

Category