A second specimen of Ernanodon antelios sheds new light on the mysterious ancient mammal, revealing it was highly specialized for digging. The fossil skeleton provides key information about its habits, lifestyle, and affinities, resolving long-standing controversies in the scientific community.
Researchers studied Dead Sea sediment cores to reconstruct climate conditions over the past 10,000 years, finding rapid changes between moist and dry phases. They linked pollen data to plant species that can tolerate specific temperature and precipitation levels.
Researchers from University of Zurich detect presence of os interparietale in over 300 species using micro-CT imaging, resolving previous assumptions about its existence and evolutionary history. The discovery sheds new light on human anatomy and refutes earlier theories.
A team of researchers has discovered the eating habits of Diplodocus, a giant herbivorous sauropod dinosaur from the Jurassic period, using a three-dimensional model of its skull. The study found that branch stripping was the most stress-free eating behavior for the dinosaur.
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 new fossil discovery solves the mystery of flatfish evolution, revealing a 50-million-year-old fossil fish named Heteronectes that shows an intermediate stage between most fish and specialized flatfish. The study provides evidence for the gradual evolution of flatfish anatomy.
Scientists are using hindcasting to develop more accurate models of ecosystem changes, leveraging UC Berkeley's vast museum collections to study past episodes of global change. This will inform policy-making and forecasting tools for the future.
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.
Researchers describe a new extinct giant turtle species found near the world's largest snake, providing insights into climate change impacts. The study reveals that tropical ecosystems are crucial for understanding regional biodiversity and conservation.
A University of Iowa researcher has discovered a new species of crocodile, the largest known true crocodile, which lived between 2 and 4 million years ago in Kenya. The species, Crocodylus thorbjarnarsoni, is estimated to have measured up to 27 feet in length, making it significantly larger than the present-day Nile crocodile.
Researchers used rare earth element analysis to determine that human remains found at Vero Beach dated back to the late Pleistocene epoch around 13,000 years ago. This discovery sheds light on the lives of early North Americans, who likely co-existed with extinct giant mammals like mammoths and mastodons.
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...
Research found that ammonites made homes in unique environments surrounding methane seeps, forming integral part of interwoven communities. Isotope analysis revealed that these ancient mollusks spent their whole lives in these ecosystems.
Scientists discovered a 3-4 million-year-old toothed whale species, Bohaskaia monodontoides, that lived in warm water regions and shared features with belugas and narwhals. The fossil skull found in Virginia suggests its modern relatives' Arctic adaptations evolved recently.
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.
A team of researchers has discovered the color and detailed feather pattern of Microraptor, a four-winged dinosaur that lived 130 million years ago. The findings suggest that feathers were important for display in the early evolution of feathers.
Researchers have discovered two new extinct camel species in the Panama Canal excavation, extending the distribution of mammals to their southernmost point in Central America. The discovery provides insights into the history of the tropics and the evolution of camels.
Researchers from Binghamton University and Cardiff University have discovered the floor of the world's oldest forest in a cover article in Nature. The ancient site, dating back 385 million years, provides new insights into modern-day forests and their impact on climate change.
Researchers discovered a correlation between temperature and body size in mammals by studying the evolution of early horses. As temperatures increased, their body size decreased, with some species shrinking up to 50% in just 130,000 years.
Scientists have discovered that early horses, such as Sifrhippus, shrunk in size during the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum due to rising temperatures. This study provides evidence of a one-to-one relationship between temperature change and body size evolution.
A Michigan State University professor is exploring the origin of life at its fundamental building blocks, finding connections between bacteria and humans through molecular complementarity. This shared set of modules may hold the key to understanding evolution and explaining diseases like diabetes.
A new study reveals a 47-million-year-old primate, Notharctus tenebrosus, with a toe bone showing features of both nails and a grooming claw. This finding challenges previous classifications of primates and raises questions about the evolution of claws in our ancestors.
A new species of horned dinosaur named Spinops sternbergorum was discovered nearly 100 years after its initial discovery in southern Alberta, Canada. The animal lived approximately 76 million years ago and weighed around two tons, featuring a unique bony neck frill with long spikes.
A 70-million-year-old nest containing 15 juvenile Protoceratops dinosaurs has been discovered in Mongolia, revealing new insights into postnatal development and parental care. The analysis suggests that the young dinosaurs remained in the nest for an extended period and were cared for by their parents.
A study published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B found that land-based vertebrates suffered massive extinctions, with approximately 78% of genera perishing. The survivors formed 'disaster taxa' that dominated their ecological niches, leading to boom-and-bust cycles and instability in ecosystems.
Researchers found that Carnotaurus' unique tail structure supported a massive caudofemoralis muscle, allowing for exceptional straight-ahead speed. The muscle's attachment to the upper leg bones also enabled powerful flexing, giving the dinosaur increased power and speed.
The discovery confirms that early rodents had origins in Africa and pushes back the date of the first South American rodents to at least 41 million years ago. The fossils found include three new species of rodent from the suborder Caviomorpha, which are most closely related to African rodents.
A CU-led study reveals worm burrows less than three inches above the K-T boundary layer, indicating they likely emerged shortly after the asteroid impact. The findings provide direct evidence of animal activity in a peat-producing environment that was buried by sediment.
Researchers have uncovered details on the brain and nasal passages of a 72 million-year-old armoured dinosaur Euoplocephalus. The team found that it had good senses of smell and hearing, and may have generated sound through its looping nasal passages to communicate.
A new study provides clear evidence that many primitive bird species survived right up until the time of the Chicxulub meteorite impact. The team identified and dated a large collection of bird fossils representing various species, showing diversity in size, beak structure, and other features.
A new species of raptor dinosaur, Talos sampsoni, has been discovered in southern Utah, providing insights into the function of its enlarged talon and revealing a previously unknown level of feathered, bird-like characteristics. The study also sheds light on the behavior of theropod dinosaurs during the Late Cretaceous period.
University of Pennsylvania researchers have developed a new technique for analyzing phylogenies, showing that the results stand up against known fossil history of whale species. The method allows for changing rates of speciation and extinction over time and among lineages.
A team from the University of Alberta has discovered 11 feather specimens trapped in amber, preserving details of ancient feathers and their pigment. The find suggests that small theropod dinosaurs were the source of these protofeathers, which shared similarities with modern bird plumage.
Researchers have discovered the fossil of a newborn nodosaur, the youngest known species, in Maryland. The discovery sheds light on the development of limbs and skulls early in a dinosaur's life, as well as dinosaur parenting and reproductive biology.
Researchers describe a new 20-foot extinct species found in the same coal mine as Titanoboa, shedding light on the diversity of animals in the oldest known rainforest ecosystem. The discovery reveals that these ancient crocodile relatives competed with giant snakes for food and habitat.
A new species of ancient predatory fish, Laccognathus embryi, has been discovered in North America during the Devonian Period. The 5-6 foot long fish had a wide head, small eyes, and robust jaws lined with large piercing teeth.
A team of paleontologists has unearthed a 3.6 million-year-old woolly rhino fossil in the Himalayas, revealing key adaptations for surviving in cold environments. The discovery provides crucial insights into the evolution of Ice Age giants and challenges existing theories about their origins.
The project, called VertNet, aims to make online storage of vertebrate collections from around the world more accessible. This will enable academic researchers and citizen scientists to search and explore the vast collections more easily.
A new study found that ancient whale skulls were asymmetric, suggesting they may have used directional hearing to navigate in water before the development of echolocation. This finding contradicts previous theories and sheds light on the evolution of whales.
Researchers found that ancient whale skulls were asymmetrical, suggesting a link to directional hearing in water. This discovery contradicts the idea that asymmetry evolved later as an adaptation for echolocation.
Scientists applied theoretical morphology techniques to study terpenes in plants, discovering a disparity between predicted and actual abundances. They found that nature favors rarer, harder-to-synthesize forms of these chemicals, which could lead to new effective drugs.
A new study has recovered and analyzed the oldest fossil evidence of fingernails in modern primates, confirming that small body size led to nail development. The discovery provides direct evidence for the evolution of nails in primates and sheds light on the origins of human-like characteristics.
Researchers at Montana State University have discovered that dog-sized dinosaurs that lived in the Antarctic Circle had bone tissue very similar to those living elsewhere on the planet. This finding may help explain how dinosaurs were able to dominate the Earth for 160 million years.
The discovery of Acristavus gagslarsoni, a non-crested hadrosaur, reveals that two distinct styles of headgear evolved independently. The fossils found in different locations suggest earlier species roamed over a larger region of North America.
New York Medical College scientist Stuart A. Newman suggests that the loss of a gene critical for heat generation led to the emergence of enlarged skeletal muscles in birds, enabling them to walk on two legs and adapt to flying or swimming. This theory challenges traditional views on bird evolution and extinction
The study suggests that an enhanced sense of smell was a key driver of brain evolution in mammals. Early Jurassic Period fossils reveal three stages of brain development, from improved olfaction to increased tactile sensitivity and neuromuscular coordination. These findings provide new insights into the evolution of mammalian brains.
Researchers discovered that early mammals developed larger-than-expected brains to enhance their sense of smell. The study used CT technology to reconstruct the brains of two ancient species and found that they had more developed olfactory centers than expected.
A new study reveals that young tyrannosaurs, like the 70-million-year-old Tarbosaurus bataar skull, used quickness and agility to catch prey. The juvenile's different lifestyle than adults suggests a change in dietary niches as animals grew older.
Ancient cave systems near Allgäu Mountains preserved oldest radiometrically dated dripstones from European Alps. The study quantifies erosion and uplift rates for northern rim of Alps over 2 million years, with significant altitudinal changes attributed to glacial erosion.
The discovery of Liaoconodon hui, a complete fossil mammal from China, provides clear evidence of the transitional middle ear evolution in mammals. The specimen shows cartilage supporting the detached middle ear bones, shedding light on the evolutionary shift from reptiles to mammals.
Research reveals that birds developed better olfactory capabilities during early evolution, surpassing even those of small meat-eating dinosaurs. This finding contradicts the long-held notion that bird ancestors prioritized vision and balance over smell.
Contrary to long-held assumptions, birds developed a better sense of smell than their dinosaur ancestors, suggesting that scent played a crucial role in early bird evolution. The study reveals that ancient birds, like Archaeopteryx, had a sense of smell similar to modern-day pigeons.
This new book from The Geological Society of America features detailed descriptions of eight geological field trips across eastern Ohio to the Central Appalachian Valley and Ridge. These trips highlight the region's geology, covering topics such as paleontology, history, and industrial development.
The 125 million-year-old fossil find suggests an earlier origin for eudicots and flowering plants. The newly discovered species, Leefructus mirus, exhibits characteristics similar to those of modern buttercups and Ranunculaceae family members.
A new species of gigantic theropod dinosaur, Zhuchengtyrannus magnus, was identified from fossil skull and jaw bones discovered in China. The newly named dinosaur measured about 11 metres long, stood about 4 metres tall, and weighed close to 6 tonnes.
Researchers estimate that if currently threatened species go extinct, the sixth mass extinction could arrive within 3 to 22 centuries. However, they also believe it's not too late to save critically endangered mammals and other species through conservation efforts.
A study published in Nature warns that Earth is on the brink of a mass extinction like those that have occurred five times during the past 540 million years. The study finds cause for hope and alarm, with critically endangered mammals facing an even greater risk of extinction within three generations.
A new census of dinosaur skeletons reveals that Tyrannosaurus rex subsisted on both carrion and fresh-killed prey, exploiting a variety of animals. The discovery challenges the long-held notion of T. rex as an apex predator.
Scientists used synchrotron X-ray imaging to study an ancient fossilized snake, revealing details of its internal architecture. The results suggest that snakes lost their legs due to slower growth rates or a shorter evolutionary period.