"WardsSci000405"

Complete, including elongated fingers used to support the wing membrane. Resin. Germany.

At 12 m long and weighing 7250 kilograms, the T. rex was the largest meat-eating animal that ever lived.

A rare complete skeleton and shell replica of this 130 million year old fossil turtle, a distant relative of the modern-day snapping turtle.

Replica of the famous “chicken–size” dinosaur skeleton.

Major Representatives of Human Ancestry

One of the finest specimens of a Smilodon fatalis (saber-toothed cat) from the world famous La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles. The La Brea Tar Pits is home to the most extensive collection of Pleistocene fauna in the world, with over 3.5 million specimens curated. Approximately 90% of the fossils excavated from the Tar Pits are carnivores, with the saber-toothed cat being the second most common occurring carnivore and named the California State Fossil. With canines measuring up to 11 inches in length from root to crown, this ferocious animal fed on bison, horse, camel and small pronghorn. Studies suggest the saber-toothed cat probably lived in packs, evidenced by bones with extensive healing, indicating survival after a crippling injury. This indicates the individual was cared for or at least allowed to feed with the rest of the pack.

Trace the Evolution of Humans with Accurate Reconstructions

Bony fish first evolved during the Paleozoic era, over 400 million years ago. This fossil replica represents a mold of a ray-finned fish that died and was buried in the ocean.