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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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.
Half-a-billion-year-old 'marine Roomba' is earliest known asymmetrical animal
A backward question mark shape on the creature's back reveals early animal evolutionary history.
Most complete Tasmanian tiger genome yet pieced together from 110-year-old pickled head
Researchers working with Colossal Biosciences have assembled a near-complete Tasmanian tiger genome and developed artificial reproductive technologies that could help de-extinct the species.
Never-before-seen head of prehistoric, car-size 'millipede' solves evolutionary mystery
The fossil showed unique stalked eyes and centipede-like characteristics.
