A giant eagle holding a Australopithecus baby. AI-generated image
After the dinosaur-killing asteroid hit, giant birds became apex predators for tens of millions of years – and humans were among their prey.
A child of our ancient ancestors, just three years old and still teething, wandered through the swaying grass of the South African savannah 2.8 million years ago. The young Australopithecus africanus was not aware it was being watched from above.
Without warning, an enormous raptor dived. It grabbed the infant and killed it.