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Mother nature never ceases to amaze us. It’s a source of life for awe-inspiring creatures, from delicate to humongous, and everything in between. However, some of the latter might seem delicate, too, compared to the living things that have gone extinct.

Bugs the size of a human, reptiles of ginormous proportions, and rodents with horns—these are just a few examples proving that “Nature Was Metal” back in the day. That’s why there’s an entire subreddit, under this exact name, dedicated to some of nature’s most extraordinary creations that have vanished from the face of the earth.

Today we’ve listed a bunch of them for you to get acquainted with. Whether you find them atrocious or absolutely fascinating, they show the name of the subreddit is definitely not baseless. Scroll down to marvel at the beauties and the beasts and click here for our previous post about them.

#1

This Is The Best-Preserved Dinosaur Specimen Ever Unearthed. This Mummified Nodosaur’s Bones Remain Covered By Intact Skin And Armor — 110 Million Years After The Creature’s Death

This Is The Best-Preserved Dinosaur Specimen Ever Unearthed. This Mummified Nodosaur’s Bones Remain Covered By Intact Skin And Armor — 110 Million Years After The Creature’s Death

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The earliest forms of life—microbes—date back to roughly 3.7 billion years ago. They slowly transformed, presenting more and more complex organisms that eventually led to formation of the first animal species. You might be surprised to learn that sponges, also known as poriferans, are considered to be some of the first animals there are.

Most of the pictures on this list represent something slightly bigger and more threatening than sponges, though. Take dinosaurs, for instance. Scientists believe they lived roughly 245 to 66 million years ago, during the Mesozoic Era, and could weigh tens of tons each.

#2

Tail Of A 99 Myo Dinosaur, The First One Ever Discovered. Perfectly Preserved, Still Covered In Feathers

Tail Of A 99 Myo Dinosaur, The First One Ever Discovered. Perfectly Preserved, Still Covered In Feathers

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#3

The Only Preserved Head And Skin Of The Extinct Dodo Bird, Kept At The Oxford University Museum Of Natural History

The Only Preserved Head And Skin Of The Extinct Dodo Bird, Kept At The Oxford University Museum Of Natural History

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The American Museum Of Natural History (AMNH) revealed that some dinosaurs weighed up to 80 tons and were roughly 120 feet long. To put things in perspective, try to imagine a dinosaur upright by the Leaning Tower of Pisa, being nearly two-thirds its height

AMNH also pointed out that not all dinosaurs are extinct, though. Birds, also known as avian dinosaurs, actually share an ancestor with the non-avian ones, which makes them the last surviving group of the kind.

When it comes to non-avian dinosaurs, there are roughly 300 genera and 700 species that have been discovered and named. But these numbers are likely to go even higher, as scientists continue to find new fossils.

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#4

Most Animals Used To Be A Lot Bigger

Most Animals Used To Be A Lot Bigger

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#5

A Barbary Lion, An Extinct Race, As Photographed In Algeria

A Barbary Lion, An Extinct Race, As Photographed In Algeria

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Kat Pekin
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11 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Anyone else see Harrison Ford resemblance or do I need to lie down?

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Thanks to paleontologists, we can get a better understanding of what creatures roaming the Earth millions of years ago looked like. They study the history of life based on fossils—rocks that contain remains of plants, animals, or other forms of life. 

It takes 10,000 years for such preserved remains to become fossils. In their hardened layers, they provide scientists with information about the organism’s environment, living conditions, and other details.

#6

This Is Quetzalcoatlus Northropi. It Is The Largest Pterosaur Ever Discovered And Possibly The Largest Flying Animal Ever! It Had A Wingspan Of Around 15.9 Metres (59 Feet)

This Is Quetzalcoatlus Northropi. It Is The Largest Pterosaur Ever Discovered And Possibly The Largest Flying Animal Ever! It Had A Wingspan Of Around 15.9 Metres (59 Feet)

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#7

The Numerous Hand Stencils Of Cueva De Las Manos, Argentina. The Hand Prints Of Many Different People Separated By Hundreds Or Thousands Of Years, Their Stories Lost To Time But Their Art Still Lingers For Us To See

The Numerous Hand Stencils Of Cueva De Las Manos, Argentina. The Hand Prints Of Many Different People Separated By Hundreds Or Thousands Of Years, Their Stories Lost To Time But Their Art Still Lingers For Us To See

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Roger9er
Community Member
11 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Other lives, thousands of years ago, also people who had insecurities, fun, jealousy, infatuation...the same as we do now

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#8

A Man Holding A Nile Crocodile Skull Next To The Skull Of The Fearsome Crocodylus Thorbjarnarsoni. A Giant Crocodile Species From The Early Pleistocene In The Turkana Basin, Kenya

A Man Holding A Nile Crocodile Skull Next To The Skull Of The Fearsome Crocodylus Thorbjarnarsoni. A Giant Crocodile Species From The Early Pleistocene In The Turkana Basin, Kenya

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Some of the first fossils to be recognized as dinosaur remains date back to the 1830s. That’s when, according to the American paleontologist Mark Norell, people in the English countryside found what they believed to be giant extinct reptiles.

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When it comes to the first person to study fossils, Georges Cuvier is often referred to as the founding father of paleontology. Back in the 19th century, he was a member of the faculty at the National Museum of Natural Sciences in Paris, which allowed him to access the most extensive collection of fossils available at the time.

#9

The Natural History Museum In London Outfitted Its Animatronic Tyrannosaurus Rex In A Colorful Christmas Sweater

The Natural History Museum In London Outfitted Its Animatronic Tyrannosaurus Rex In A Colorful Christmas Sweater

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S Schmidt
Community Member
11 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's like his mum knitted that for him with her tiny dinosaur arms. Took her ages, but that's devotion for you.

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#10

The Giant Monster That Was Argentinosaurus

The Giant Monster That Was Argentinosaurus

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martymcmatrix
Community Member
11 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"Don't cry for me, Argentino. The truth is you were a Saurus. A really big one, but you extinct and we digged your bones out!"

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#11

Real Footage Of 4 Extinct Animals: Thylacine, Ivory-Billed Woodpecker, Baiji River Dolphin, And The Heath Hen

Real Footage Of 4 Extinct Animals: Thylacine, Ivory-Billed Woodpecker, Baiji River Dolphin, And The Heath Hen

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Sian Edwards
Community Member
11 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The thylacine footage is digitally colourised if I remember correctly. The footage was taken in 1933.

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The images of remains on this list are just a tiny fraction of what’s been dug out in the past years. However, they show just how exceptional in size and other features the creatures were.

Some more examples of such fascinating excavations were presented in an article by Geology Science. In addition to the well-known T-rex, it also covered types of feathered dinosaurs and extinct fish, as well as human remains from millions of years ago.

#12

This Giant Crinoid Colony Is 195 Million Years Old From The Lower Jurassic Is 4 X 5 Meter And Is Now On Display At A Museum In Houston!

This Giant Crinoid Colony Is 195 Million Years Old From The Lower Jurassic Is 4 X 5 Meter And Is Now On Display At A Museum In Houston!

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#13

10,000 Year Old Skull And Antlers Of An Extinct Elk Found By Fishermen In Ireland

10,000 Year Old Skull And Antlers Of An Extinct Elk Found By Fishermen In Ireland

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Max Fox
Community Member
11 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"Elk" = moose, not the American Wapiti. The species was not actually a moose either, but a different genus entirely. So the "Irish Elk" was neither Irish, nor was it an elk. The antlers are similar to those of a moose, that's it.

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#14

Utahraptor Claws

Utahraptor Claws

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Young Minami Kotaro
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11 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Judging by its name, Utahraptor been found in Utah.. So is there an Ohioraptor??

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The Smithsonian Channel also covered the process of restoring an incredible 110-million-year-old fossil. Found in an oil sand mine, it turned out to be the remains of a 18-foot-long nodosaur—a nearly 3000-pound type of armored animal with spikes on its shoulders and a long tail.

#17

An Incredibly Intact Crinoid Specimen Fossil Dating Back To About 345 Million Years Ago!

An Incredibly Intact Crinoid Specimen Fossil Dating Back To About 345 Million Years Ago!

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Not all animal remains are encapsulated in fossils, though. Some are often found perfectly preserved in other formations, such as amber, for instance. (Earth Archives have covered some pretty impressive examples of that, which you can find here.)

The colorful tree resin traps certain organisms, which become fully enclosed as it solidifies. Despite usually being smaller in size, pieces of amber conserve the remains of different species, in this way saving the information about them as well.

#18

What Being Attacked By A T-Rex Would Look Like

What Being Attacked By A T-Rex Would Look Like

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RamiRudolph
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11 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I know the past was in black and white because colors weren't invented yet, but I didn't think it had such bad graphics.

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#20

The Horned Gopher - The Only Known Rodent To Have Developed Horns

The Horned Gopher - The Only Known Rodent To Have Developed Horns

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Most fossilized remains are of beings that have been long gone for ages, be it dinosaurs or other creatures. However, some species of animals became extinct as recently as just a few years ago. 

Some examples include the Spix’s macaw, also known as the blue macaw, featured in the animated movie ‘Rio’, the smooth handfish that used to roam the coastal waters of Tasmania, and splendid poison frog, a red-colored frog formerly found in Western Panama.

#21

The Massive Size Of A Utahraptor Skull, With A Velociraptor Skull And Human Head For Scale

The Massive Size Of A Utahraptor Skull, With A Velociraptor Skull And Human Head For Scale

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#22

Barosaurus Had Quite A Long Neck. Art By John Conway

Barosaurus Had Quite A Long Neck. Art By John Conway

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#23

22 Million Year Old Enhydro Methane Termite With Its Last Meal Preserved In Amber

22 Million Year Old Enhydro Methane Termite With Its Last Meal Preserved In Amber

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An astonishingly large number of nature’s creations are on the verge of extinction today. According to Animals Around The Globe, nearly 41,500 species are included in the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List, more than 16,000 of which are threatened with extinction.

For example, there are only 67 Javan rhinos in the entire world. The numbers of mountain gorillas and Asian elephants are dropping rapidly, and so are the ones of Atlantic blue tuna.

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#24

Triceratops Femur (Left) vs. Elephant Femur

Triceratops Femur (Left) vs. Elephant Femur

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#25

Parapuzosia Seppenradensis, The Largest Known Ammonite, Photographed In The Late 1800s With The Paleontologist Who Described It

Parapuzosia Seppenradensis, The Largest Known Ammonite, Photographed In The Late 1800s With The Paleontologist Who Described It

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#26

Prehistoric Spider-Like Arachnid Found Preserved In Amber

Prehistoric Spider-Like Arachnid Found Preserved In Amber

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The United States Geological Survey pointed out that some of the reasons for the unfortunate changes in such numbers are habitat loss and over-exploitation of wildlife for commercial purposes. Sadly, human activity has made the process of extinction way more rapid than it would have been naturally. Scientists believe that the 20th-century rate of animal species dying is a hundred times higher than it would have been without people’s interference.

#27

Fossil Of Giant 40+ Million Year Old Fish Found In Argentina

Fossil Of Giant 40+ Million Year Old Fish Found In Argentina

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#28

The Origin Of Teeth And Jaws Has Been Pushed Back To 436 Million Years Ago

The Origin Of Teeth And Jaws Has Been Pushed Back To 436 Million Years Ago

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#29

Nizar Ibrahim Between The Jaws Of Spinosaurus

Nizar Ibrahim Between The Jaws Of Spinosaurus

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EarthGrowl
Community Member
11 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Well now! That shows exactly what would happen if humans had lived along side dinosaurs. The Creation museum should take a look.. humans would be extinct!

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There are, however, ways to help save the animals at risk. The Endangered Species Coalition pointed out some easy steps to do it, such as learning about the endangered species in your area or making your surroundings wildlife-friendly. It also emphasized the importance of recycling, cautious driving, and safe use of chemicals in your environment.

#30

In 1663, The Partial Fossilised Skeleton Of A Woolly Rhinoceros Was Discovered In Germany. This Is The “Magdeburg Unicorn”, One Of The Worst Fossil Reconstructions In Human History

In 1663, The Partial Fossilised Skeleton Of A Woolly Rhinoceros Was Discovered In Germany. This Is The “Magdeburg Unicorn”, One Of The Worst Fossil Reconstructions In Human History

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Note: this post originally had 79 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.