Scientists have measured the nerves in crocodilians, which are sensitive to changes in their environment. This new measurement will aid biologists in understanding how ancient animals interacted with their surroundings. The research also aims to trace the evolution of this nerve and its relation to animal ecology.
A massive extinction event occurred 200 million years ago, wiping out 76% of species on Earth. Volcanic eruptions from the Central Atlantic Magmatic Province likely triggered the event through global warming and ocean acidification.
A study in the Coll de Nargó archaeological site in Lleida has documented detailed records of four new dinosaur egg species, expanding our understanding of sauropod nesting habits. The discovery also sheds light on the geological formation of the region and its connection to French dinosaurs.
Researchers found fossil evidence that small crocodiles fed on baby ornithopod dinosaurs, revealing a new dimension to the food chain. The discovery also uncovered a previously unrecognized small ornithopod dinosaur species.
A University of Toronto Scarborough researcher helped create a family tree of placental mammals, placing humans in the tree of life. The study used genetic and physical traits to conclude that placental mammals diversified much later than previously thought, with all major groups alive today originating after the dinosaurs' extinction.
A new study reconstructs the common ancestor of placental mammals using 'phylophenomics,' revealing they did not diversify into present-day lineages until after the K-Pg extinction event. The study combines genomic and phenomic data, visualizing a small, insect-eating animal as their common ancestor.
Scientists have determined the most precise dates yet for the dinosaur extinction and a comet or asteroid impact, which occurred around the same time. The revised dates clear up lingering confusion over whether the impact occurred before or after the extinction.
A team of scientists, led by University of Florida researchers, has generated the most comprehensive tree of life on placental mammals, which includes humans. The study reveals that these mammals diversified after the extinction of dinosaurs 65 million years ago.
A new kind of pterosaur, Eurazhdarcho langendorfensis, has been identified by scientists from the Transylvanian Museum Society, University of Southampton, and Museau Nacional. The fossilized bones are approximately 68 million years old and belong to the azhdarchids group.
A new feathered dinosaur fossil found in China's Jurassic period pushes back the known origins of birds, which were previously thought to have evolved from theropod dinosaurs around 120-130 million years ago. The discovery provides additional evidence for a more complex evolution of flight.
University of Alberta researchers identified 23 species of small meat-eating dinosaurs with fossilized teeth, revealing multiple short-lived species instead of a few long-lived ones. The findings suggest that these tiny predators roamed the region for distinct geographic areas and time periods.
A team of paleontologists has discovered a way to identify the sex of an ancient avian species, revealing that early birds began reproducing before they were fully grown. The study provides evidence for an important difference in when female avian species matured compared to modern birds.
A new fossil discovery reveals a bird with specialized teeth for eating hard prey, greatly expanding the known diversity of tooth shape in early birds. The find suggests that dietary differences may have contributed to the decline of enantiornithine birds during the Cretaceous period.
Researchers found evidence that some feathered dinosaurs, such as oviraptors, used their tail feathers to attract mates and engage in visual exhibitions. The discovery provides insight into the evolution of feathers in dinosaurs and their similarity to modern birds.
Researchers found that therizinosaurs had well-developed sensory abilities, including smell, hearing, and balance, which may have affected their behavior as herbivores. The study used high-resolution CT scanning and 3D computer visualization to analyze the brain and inner ear anatomy of a 90-million-year-old therizinosaur fossil.
A new study published in PLOS ONE found that dinosaurs have a greater number of larger species compared to all other back-boned animals. The researchers analyzed the femur bone length and weight of 329 dinosaur species, suggesting that young dinosaurs occupied a different ecological niche than their parents.
Researchers suggest that the large size of sauropod dinosaurs may be attributed to a high C/N ratio in their plant-based diet. This theory proposes that young sauropods had a metabolism similar to modern mammals, while adults might have relied on humps of fat reserves instead of heat dissipation due to overheating.
A new study found that the asteroid collision that killed the dinosaurs also led to the extinction of a newly identified lizard species, Obamadon gracilis. The impact wiped out nearly 83% of all snake and lizard species, with no species larger than one pound surviving.
Researchers uncover fossils of a previously unknown species, Nyasasaurus parringtoni, that is believed to be the earliest dinosaur or closest relative yet. The discovery pushes back the origins of dinosaur lineage by 10-15 million years and reveals characteristics common to early dinosaurs.
Researchers at CU-Boulder have discovered that the western Grand Canyon was largely carved out of its current depth by about 70 million years ago, during the time of the dinosaurs. This new date challenges the conventional understanding of the canyon's formation and suggests a more complex history of geological events.
A new study on bird-like dinosaurs reveals that feathers were initially developed for insulation before evolving into a more complex wing structure. The research, published in Current Biology, explores the early evolution of bird flight and how it relates to dinosaur forelimbs.
Academics studied earliest theropod dinosaurs and found that feathers initially developed for insulation, evolving into display and camouflage features. This basic wing configuration has remained largely unchanged for 130 million years.
The study reveals that early bird ancestors had more primitive wing designs, with simpler feathers that were different from those of modern birds. The researchers believe that these early wings may have worked effectively for gliding and high-speed flapping flight, but not for low-speed flight or ground takeoff.
After 121 years, researchers have correctly identified the 'grave robber' fossil as a unique branch in the evolutionary tree. The discovery pushes back the endpoint for the fossil's lineage by 45 million years and shows that this family of mammals survived the extinction event that marked the end of the Age of Dinosaurs.
A new study tested Cope's Rule, which suggests that small animals evolve into bigger ones, on non-avian dinosaurs. The research found that some groups of dinosaurs, such as ceratopsids and hadrosaurs, tend to increase in size over time, while others, like four-legged sauropods, show no upper limit to their body size.
Researchers found that pre-Cretaceous ecosystem changes and environmental factors led to more fragile communities in late Cretaceous North America. The study's findings suggest that human-made changes to modern ecosystems could worsen their ability to withstand disturbances, emphasizing the importance of understanding ecological function.
Researchers have discovered fossils of the first feathered dinosaurs from North America, shedding light on their wing use. The discovery provides evidence that these dinosaurs had feathers and wings, challenging previous depictions in popular media.
Researchers predict that global warming will acidify saltwater sufficiently to make low-frequency sound travel twice as far as it currently does. This could lead to a clearer understanding of the sound environment of marine mammals and the effects of human activity on their habitats.
Hadrosaurs, herbivorous dinosaurs from the late Cretaceous period, had a complex tooth structure with six tissues instead of two. The discovery was made possible by collaborations between paleontologists and engineers using advanced testing tools.
A new study reveals that duck-billed dinosaurs had six types of dental tissues, four more than reptiles, allowing for advanced grinding capacity. Their teeth functioned perfectly if put back into a living dinosaur, opening doors for studying fossilized teeth.
Researchers found evidence that a feathered, but flightless dinosaur, Sinocalliopteryx, was able to snag and consume small flying dinosaurs. The fossilized remains of three Confuciusornis were found in the belly of Sinocalliopteryx, revealing its voracious eating habits.
The analysis of Sinocalliopteryx gigas' abdominal contents suggests that these dinosaurs were adept stealth hunters capable of tackling prey over a third their size. The study also found evidence of eating bird-like dinosaurs and primitive birds, providing new insights into their hunting behavior.
A new Ohio University-led study suggests that the rise of the Rocky Mountains and a major seaway in North America triggered the evolution of new dinosaur species. The researchers found that changes in geography led to isolation, facilitating rapid speciation and increased diversity in duck-billed and horned dinosaurs.
A team of international researchers used CT scans and biomechanical modelling to understand how Diplodocus fed on tree branches. They found that combing and raking of leaves was a stress-free feeding behaviour for the skull bones and teeth, contradicting previous hypotheses.
Researchers have discovered a fossil egg in Lleida, Spain, with an oval shape similar to that of chicken eggs. The Sankofa pyrenaica egg belongs to the same species and provides evidence for a connection between dinosaurs and modern birds.
Scientists discovered a 5-foot-long fossil turtle with an extremely circular shell in Colombia. The shell may have discouraged predators and helped the cold-blooded turtle regulate its body temperature. This new species adds to evidence that tropical reptiles were larger than they are now after the dinosaurs' extinction.
Researchers found a young megalosaur with filamentous integument, revealing its body was covered in feathers, which may have been present in all predatory dinosaurs. The discovery also sheds light on the changing diets and lifestyles of juvenile dinosaurs as they grew older.
A newly discovered dinosaur, Sciurumimus albersdoerferi, has provided evidence that all predatory dinosaurs had feathers, challenging the previous assumption that feathered dinosaurs were only related to birds. The fossil, which represents a juvenile specimen, shows a remarkable difference in diet between young and adult megalosaurs.
A new study in Nature finds that the presence of lines of arrested growth (LAG) in dinosaur bones does not indicate ectothermy. Instead, LAGs provide insight into how animals adjust their metabolism in response to seasonal changes.
Researchers at the University of Manchester have developed a new method to accurately measure dinosaur weight, reducing estimates for a Brachiosaur skeleton from 80 tonnes to 23 tonnes. The team's laser scanning technique provides a more accurate estimate of body mass, suggesting dinosaurs were not as massive as previously believed.
Researchers found that modern birds are living dinosaurs with skulls similar to those of their juvenile ancestors. By analyzing fossil evidence and CT scans, they discovered that a change in developmental timing led to the evolution of birds, enabling them to retain physical characteristics of baby dinosaurs into adulthood.
Scientists have found a 60-million-year-old giant turtle with a shell measuring 172 centimeters long, making it one of the largest turtles ever discovered. The turtle's massive size allowed it to thrive in its ecosystem, where other giant reptiles like snakes also existed.
Researchers studied a giant pliosaur specimen from the Upper Jurassic and discovered signs of an arthritis-like disease that eroded its left jaw joint. The animal, believed to be an old female, lived with a crooked jaw for many years, still able to hunt despite its condition.
A mathematical model suggests that sauropods could have produced more methane than all modern sources combined. The study calculates global methane emissions from sauropods to be around 520 million tons per year, comparable to total modern methane emissions.
A study found that large-bodied herbivores declined in biodiversity over the last 12 million years of the Cretaceous period. In contrast, carnivorous dinosaurs and smaller plant-eaters remained relatively stable or increased in diversity. The researchers used morphological disparity to analyze dinosaur groups and found that certain spe...
Fossil discovery reveals ancient flea-like animals that could feed on dinosaur skin, leading to a painful bite experience. The creatures, similar to modern fleas but much larger, had flat bodies and long claws.
A study revealed that ancient viruses, which infected ancestors as far back as the age of dinosaurs, became widespread in mammals' genomes due to a loss of cell infectivity. This led to a dramatic increase in viral genetic material, resembling the spread of 'superspreaders' during epidemic outbreaks.
Dinosaurs laid eggs, which limited their size and competitiveness compared to viviparous mammals. This led to a gap in body sizes, allowing smaller species to occupy niches, ultimately contributing to the dinosaurs' extinction.
Researchers found bands of fast and slow growth in Edmontosaurus fossils, indicating periodic seasonal stresses. The study suggests these dinosaurs adapted to Arctic conditions by living year-round, rather than migrating to warmer regions.
Researchers have discovered that different species of dinosaurs had distinct egg shapes, with some being more elongate and symmetrical than bird eggs. This new research has significant implications for understanding the origins of modern Easter eggs.
Researchers have found that fire was more widespread than previously thought during the Cretaceous period, potentially altering dinosaur communities. Charcoal deposits in fossil records indicate frequent wildfires, which could have exacerbated erosion and flooding.
Multituberculates, rodent-like creatures, developed complex back teeth for crushing plant material, allowing them to thrive after dinosaur extinction, while sharper front teeth became less prominent.
Two new horned dinosaurs, Unescoceratops koppelhusae and Gryphoceratops morrisoni, have been named based on fossils found in Alberta, Canada. The discoveries fill gaps in the evolutionary history of small-bodied horned dinosaurs.
Scientists have discovered that the feathered dinosaur Microraptor had a glossy iridescent sheen, similar to modern birds. The findings suggest that feathers were important for display even relatively early in their evolution.
A University of Alberta paleontologist has discovered that Tyrannosaurus rex had the greatest variation in tooth morphology or structure among all tyrannosaurids. The varying edges enabled strong teeth to cut through flesh and bone, while the placement and angle directed food into its mouth.
Researchers have discovered a new species of turtle, Polysternon isonae, that lived with dinosaurs in Isona, Spain. The fossil remains found are rare and provide valuable information about the morphology and size of the animal.
Research reveals mammals reached maximum size after dinosaurs extinction, with sea mammals doubling time compared to land mammals, while extreme dwarfism occurred in just 100,000 generations.
A team of researchers has discovered a 190-million-year-old dinosaur nesting site in South Africa, revealing the oldest evidence of complex reproductive behavior in early dinosaurs. The site yielded multiple nests with eggs and embryos, as well as tiny footprints, suggesting that hatchlings remained at the site to double in size.
A 190-million-year-old dinosaur nesting site has been found in South Africa, providing significant insights into the evolution of reproductive behavior in early dinosaurs. The discovery includes clutches of eggs, embryos, and tiny footprints, shedding light on the complex behaviors of these ancient creatures.
Scientists found that a lizard's tail is crucial in preventing forward pitch during leaping. By adding a tail to a robotic car called Tailbot, researchers discovered that it can stabilize its body and remain upright even after stumbling.