Welcome to the Digital Atlas of Ancient Life
Identify fossils and explore the diversity and history of life on Earth
What's new?
Jan. 6, 2020
Evolution and the Fossil Record, the latest chapter of the Digital Encyclopedia of Ancient Life, is now online. It covers natural selection, species, speciation, macroevolutionary theory, and more.
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
- Evolution and the Fossil Record
- 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)
- Phylum Echinodermata (echinoderms, chapter in progress)
- 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.
