Most species that ever lived on Earth are now extinct, with the planet having experienced at least five mass extinction events. Live Science brings you expert coverage of extinction as researchers uncover fossils and gain new insights into ancient animals — and track the sixth mass extinction event that appears to have begun.
So whether you're after facts about dodos and dinosaurs, curious about extinct animals that could be brought back to life, or want to know what living animals could be gone by 2050, our writers and editors have you covered with the news, features and articles about extinct species.
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Largest dinosaur ever auctioned sells for over $6 million — and it's twice as long as a school bus
A 70-foot-long Apatosaurus skeleton, named Vulcan, recently became the biggest dinosaur fossil ever sold when it was acquired for around $6.4 million at an auction in France. The sizable remains weigh more than 22 tons.
35,000-year-old saber-toothed kitten with preserved whiskers pulled from permafrost in Siberia
Researchers have analyzed mummified remains pulled from Siberia's permafrost in 2020 and determined they belong to a 3-week-old saber-toothed kitten that died at least 35,000 years ago.
Mammoth quiz: Test your knowledge of the ice age beasts
Most of us are familiar with the mammoths in "Ice Age," but how much do you really know about these creatures? Find out by taking our quiz.
Cretaceous 'Pompeii' of China isn't what we thought
Incredibly well preserved dinosaurs at China fossil site were thought to have been buried in huge volcanic eruptions, similar to the Mount Vesuvius that covered the city of Pompeii 2,000 years ago. But new research says this isn't how things happened.
Armored dinosaur could withstand the impact of a high-speed car crash, thanks to the 'bulletproof vest' over its plate armor
The new research suggests that this dinosaur's armor was adapted for fighting between members of Borealopelta markmitchelli.
A giant crocodilian killed the largest 'terror bird' ever found, 12 million years ago
The fossilized leg bone of the terror bird went unidentified for almost 20 years.
Oldest tadpole on record was a Jurassic giant
The fossilization of the tadpole's "delicate structures," like its eyes and gills, allowed for a detailed analysis of the rare find.
Predatory birds from the Jurassic may have driven cicada evolution for millions of years
Researchers calculated the flight ability of more than 80 ancient cicada species to analyze their evolution over time.
'It was clearly a human assault on the species': The fate of the great auk
Two preserved great auk specimens displayed at a museum in 1971. The last pair of great auks were killed in 1844.
80 million-year-old dinosaur 'mini eggs' unearthed at Chinese construction site are the smallest ever found — and belong to a never-before-seen T. rex relative
Half a dozen dinosaur eggs, each around the size of a grape, were recently saved from a construction site in China. Researchers say the tiny fossilized shells are exceptionally well preserved.
