Are dinosaur fossils hogging top journals? Analysis sparks debate over ‘charismatic’ finds

Are dinosaur fossils hogging top journals? Analysis sparks debate over ‘charismatic’ finds

Nature, Published online: 30 October 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-03512-2Fossils of dinosaurs, mammals and other glamorous species are over-represented in high-profile titles, suggests a study of thousands of palaeontology papers.

Do Dinosaur Fossils Dominate Top Scientific Journals? Study Examines Bias Toward Charismatic Discoveries

A preprint by paleontologist Brian Gee finds that dinosaurs and other “charismatic” extinct animals are overrepresented in high-profile scientific journals compared with specialized publications. The analysis of more than 4,200 papers describing 8,331 extinct species suggests that editorial attention is concentrated on fossils likely to attract public interest, while less visually appealing groups such as [...]