As mere fragments, most fossils reveal only small hints of ancient life forms, like a single segment from a crinoid stem, or a lone hadrosaur tooth. But a fossilized fern's stem recently discovered in Sweden shows its every detail, sending some clear messages about its origin.

News headlines worldwide recently reported Europe's oldest human footprint discovery at Happisburgh on England's east coast. How old are the tracks? It appears the media and research team answer this question by following the same misleading trends.

What do these headlines have in common?

Dark outlines of soft tissue often surround fossilized vertebrates. What chemicals make up this material? Paleontologists recently presented their analysis of original skin leftovers from three marine reptile fossils and inadvertently revealed three clues that darken their evolutionary explanations.