Welcome to the Digital Atlas of Ancient Life
Identify fossils and explore the diversity and history of life on Earth
What's new?
Dec. 5, 2019
Our latest Digital Encyclopedia of Ancient Life chapter is now live and is all about fossil sponges (phylum Porifera) and their modern relatives.
Explore here.
Major work on the Cretaceous Atlas of Ancient Life from the Western Interior Seaway is now complete. This Atlas includes images and occurrence information for over 760 invertebrate and vertebrate species.
Visit the Cretaceous Atlas here.
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
- Systematics
- Phylum Porifera (sponges)
- Phylum Cnidaria, Order Rugosa (rugose corals)
- Phylum Cnidaria, Order Tabulata (tabulate corals)
- Phylum Cnidaria, Order Scleractinia
- Phylum Brachiopoda (brachiopods)
- Phylum Mollusca, Class Gastropoda (gastropods)
- Phylum Mollusca, Class Cephalopoda (cephalopods)
- Intro to Embryophytes: Origin of land plants, Land plant life cycle, Greek & Latin in botanical terminology
- 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.
