Welcome to the Digital Atlas of Ancient Life
Identify fossils and explore the diversity and history of life on Earth
What's new?
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.
August 12, 2022
A new page on Nearest Living Relative methods has been added to the paleoecology chapter. NLR methods use the nearest living modern relatives of fossil plants in order to estimate paleoclimate.
June 24, 2022
A new page on Leaf Margin Analysis (LMA) has been added to the paleoecology chapter. LMA is a technique used to estimate mean annual temperature using fossil leaves of flowering trees and shrubs.
May 23, 2022
Undergraduate students at the University of Kansas have created a series of videos that explain the idea of punctuated equilibrium and stasis, as well as its connections to macroevolutionary theory.
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.
