Welcome to the Digital Atlas of Ancient Life
Identify fossils and explore the diversity and history of life on Earth
What's new?
New Digital Encyclopedia of Ancient Life Chapter:
Live-Dead Analysis in Conservation Paleobiology by Goben et al.
February 13, 2025
Live-dead analysis is a common conservation paleobiology tool that is frequently applied in shallow marine soft-sediment environments to compare living and death assemblages.
Learn more about live-dead analysis in this new chapter of the Digital Encyclopedia of Ancient Life.
American Paleontologist Newsletter!
April 4, 2024
Interested in learning more about paleontology and paleontologists? Become a member of the Paleontological Research Institution to receive the new electronic American Paleontologist Newsletter. The first issue is free for everyone.
We need your support
Continued development and maintenance of the Digital Atlas of Ancient Life and the Paleontological Research Institution's (PRI's) broader Earth@Home project depends on support from visitors like you.
Donations of any amount are welcome.
Regional field guides to fossils
Digital Encyclopedia of Ancient Life
A free, open access paleontology textbook
Topics online now:
- Nature of the Fossil Record
- Geological Time
- Evolution and the Fossil Record
- Systematics
- Paleoecology
- Conservation Paleobiology
- Phylum Porifera (sponges)
- Phylum Cnidaria, Order Rugosa (rugose corals)
- Phylum Cnidaria, Order Tabulata (tabulate corals)
- Phylum Cnidaria, Order Scleractinia
- Phylum Brachiopoda (brachiopods)
- Phylum Bryozoa
- Phylum Mollusca, Class Gastropoda (gastropods)
- Phylum Mollusca, Class Bivalvia (bivalves)
- Phylum Mollusca, Class Cephalopoda (cephalopods)
- Phylum Echinodermata (echinoderms)
- Phylum Chordata (chapter in progress)
- Embryophytes (land plants, chapter in progress)
- Angiosperms (flowering plants, chapter in progress)
- Paleontological Methods and Techniques: Photogrammetry
Virtual Exhibits
Explore virtual museum exhibits about different topics in natural history
New: Our first virtual exhibit, "Survivors: Up Close with Living Fossils," is online now. Explore here.
