8 Discovered in Mongolia back in 1971, this 80-million-year-old fossil depicts a Velociraptor and Protoceratops locked in battle. The Velociraptor killed the Protoceratops with its claw before both got buried in the sand.

Perhaps the most famous fossil ever found, the “Fighting Dinosaurs” were discovered in the Gobi Desert of Mongolia back in 1971. The 80-million-year-old fossil tells us the story of a fierce battle between a Velociraptor and a Protoceratops and their ultimate doom. The Velociraptor was a carnivore and a predator from the Cretaceous Period. A vicious hunter, this species of dinosaur preyed on herbivores such as the sheep-sized Protoceratops.

Here, the Velociraptor is found to have sunken its deadly claw into the Protoceratops’ neck. The lethal blow may have also cut into the carotid artery, but that did not stop the Protoceratops from fighting back. In fact, the humble creature bit into the Velociraptor’s right arm, throwing the predator to the ground. However, before their battle could reach its conclusion, something happened to trap the animals under the Earth while they were still locked in their dueling stance.

Scientists have hypothesized that the two dinosaurs were likely fighting on wet sand dunes which must have collapsed while they were still in combat. The other theory is that the animals were caught in a sandstorm that buried them alive. (1, 2)

9 This 50-million-year-old fossil shows a school of baby fish swimming. The discovery helped scientists draw parallels between the behaviors of this extinct species and modern marine life.

Even though scientists are yet to uncover what happened to this school of baby fish, this unique fossil, etched in limestone, provides a rare look into ancient fish shoaling. “Shoaling” is a common social behavior among marine animals. It involves moving in large groups, specifically to guard against predators. Fish, for example, create an oblong formation when shoaling. They huddle together when swimming so that large predators cannot swallow them. Scientists who study animal behaviors have called it one of nature’s most impressive evolved activities.

This particular fossil belongs to the Eocene Epoch, which makes it roughly 50 million years old. The shale slab has perfectly preserved a school of thimble-sized fish known as the Erismatopterus levatus while they were shoaling. Excavated from the Colorado Green River Formation, the slab shows 259 fossilized fish swimming in unison. Up until the discovery of this fossil, scientists were left to guess the behavioral pattern of this species of fish, but they now know for sure! (1, 2)

10 The perfectly preserved foot of the moa, discovered over three decades ago, has left scientists shocked and excited. This 3,300-year-old fossil belongs to a prehistoric bird that was native to New Zealand.

Almost 30 years ago, a group of archeologists stumbled across an unusual and frightening object while conducting an expedition inside Mount Owen, New Zealand. It looked like an enormous dinosaur claw, but it was hard to figure out in the low visibility of the dark cave. With the scaly skin and flesh still intact, the claw looked like it has come from something that has recently died.

Upon retrieving the claw, the archeologists took it for a comprehensive analysis, and the results left them astounded! Over 3,300 years old, the claw was the mummified remains of a large, primitive bird known as the upland moa. The species was native to New Zealand and found primarily in the sub-alpine and alpine environments. The flightless bird went extinct sometime around the 1500 CE.
DNA analysis has suggested that the upland moa first appeared approximately 18.5 million years in the past. Scientists have discovered at least ten different species, some of which even grew up to 10 feet tall. The smallest species of moa stood about 4.2 feet. The bird had no tail or wings, and feathers covered its entire body except for the soles of the feet and the beak.

Ever since its first discovery, thousands of fossilized moa bones have been found. Some fossils were in perfectly preserved condition, sometimes with feathers, skin, and muscles intact. The fossils are commonly found in caves, swamps, and dunes where the birds possibly went to nest or to find shelter from bad weather. When they died in naturally dry locations, their bodies would be preserved through the meticulous process of desiccation. (1, 2)