Latest articles by Franz Anthony

fossils
over 3 years ago by Vasika Udurawane

The evolution of plants part 5: The grassland empire

We live on a green planet. Today we may take them for granted, but plants are the most important living things on Earth. Their colonization of land made it possible for all animal life to survive, from the smallest ants to the biggest dinosaurs. Their landscape once again changed when the grasses appeared, an incredible revolution in the history of life. How did they rise to dominance and conquer the Earth? And how did they manage to engineer the lives of the animals around them, ourselves included?
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fossils
over 3 years ago by Vasika Udurawane

The evolution of plants part 4: A tale of flowers and seeds

We live on a green planet. Today we may take them for granted, but plants are the most important living things on Earth. Their colonization of land made it possible for all animal life to survive, from the smallest ants to the biggest dinosaurs. After evolving into green-topped giants, how would plants ensure that their future generations were protected? What new ingenious systems of reproduction would they use?
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fossils
almost 4 years ago by Franz Anthony

Jianianhualong, the dinosaur with feathers made for flying

One fossil dinosaur from China shows that modern asymmetrical feathers, normally associated with flight, also evolved in grounded dinosaur groups.
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fossils
almost 4 years ago by Vasika Udurawane

The evolution of plants part 3: The Age of Coal

We live on a green planet. Today we may take them for granted, but plants are the most important living things on Earth. Their initial colonization of land made it possible for all animal life to survive, and once the Devonian ended, the forests grew bigger and stranger. How would plants change their own bodies and the environment in this golden age?
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fossils
almost 4 years ago by Franz Anthony

Sea scorpions stabbed and slashed their prey to bits

While sea scorpions are not true scorpions, they might have weaponized their tail like one. One fossil with a curved tail suggests how they might have moved their tail around.
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Franz
Anthony

Editor and Artist