Fossil fishes buried in the desert reveal a missing chapter in marine history

A team of researchers worked grueling, hot hours in the desert to understand the history of life in Earth’s oceans after a major extinction event.

By: Sanaa El-Sayed, University of Michigan, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: June 4, 2026

Words: 1,219

Last Updated: 1 month, 2 weeks ago

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By Sanaa El-Sayed, University of Michigan

When an asteroid struck Earth about 66 million years ago, it ended the age of dinosaurs and transformed life across the planet. The effects of that catastrophe are visible in the fossil record on land, but scientists know far less about what happened to fishes in the seas during the first few million years after the extinction.

Like many people during the pandemic, I suddenly found myself living through …

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