An 11-year-old rock hunter has uncovered an almost complete turtle shell dating to roughly 48 million years ago. That intact shell secured a rare glimpse into a vanished river world before weather ...

“It blew all of our minds," his mother said of the prehistoric find Craig Thomas, BLM Rock Springs Field Office; courtesy of the Tate Geological Museum, Casper, Wyoming An 11-year-old discovered a ...

Shell integration typically involves 50 to 60 individual bones fusing into a permanent structural cage. The carapace creates a mechanical constraint that prevents the chest from expanding during ...

Every time arctic air drops south, and temperatures plummet well below zero, social media lights up with a scary (and slightly cinematic) rumor called "exploding trees." Videos circulate of loud, ...

Massachusetts is already preparing for sub-zero temperatures and a massive snowstorm this weekend, but will residents also have to look out for exploding trees? Not exactly. “Exploding trees” have ...

Experts say trees do not explode but can crack loudly due to rapid temperature changes. This phenomenon, known as "frost cracking," occurs when tree sap freezes and expands. Young trees, thin-barked ...

As we head into the weekend, a major winter storm system is going to slide some of the coldest air we’ve felt in years right over Michigan - and we’re going to be in a deep freeze for a few days. How ...

Scientists have been closely monitoring a map turtle population after 10 percent died in 2022. They found a surprising culprit, and are left concerned for the future. A female northern map turtle ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. I write about biodiversity and the hidden quirks of the natural world. This one-ton turtle once ruled South America’s rivers — ...

When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. The broad-shelled river turtle (Chelodina expansa) falls into a group known as side-neck turtles.