Articles tagged with Dinosaurs
Scientists confirm asteroid ended the age of dinosaurs through a review of geological evidence, including the Chicxulub crater. The research group rejects an alternate hypothesis that long-term volcanic activity caused mass extinctions.
Azendohsaurus is redefined as a non-dinosaur, primitive reptile with convergent features to herbivorous dinosaurs. The species lived during the time of dinosaur origin and was an efficient herbivore.
Long-necked dinosaurs were able to grow extremely long necks due to their unique digestive system, which allowed them to chew and digest food more efficiently. This enabled them to browse their surroundings without having to move their large body weight.
A team of researchers from the University of Bonn has confirmed that Magyarosaurus dacus was a dwarf sauropod dinosaur, contrary to earlier theories that it was just a juvenile. The study reveals that dinosaurs on islands underwent the same ecological and evolutionary processes as modern mammals.
Paleontologists have discovered a new bony-skulled dinosaur species, Texacephale langstoni, in Big Bend National Park, Texas. The plant-eating dinosaur lived 70-80 million years ago and had a distinctive solid bone lump on its skull.
Researchers identify 110 million-year-old tyrannosaur hip bone from Australia, challenging the idea that tyrannosaurs only existed in the northern hemisphere. The discovery sheds new light on the group's evolutionary history and raises questions about why they evolved into giant predators like T. rex only in the north.
A new species of plant-eating dinosaur, Seitaad ruessi, has been discovered in the Navajo Sandstone of Utah's red rocks. The dinosaur lived around 185 million years ago during the Early Jurassic Period and was part of a group known as sauropodomorphs, which includes giant sauropods with long necks and tails.
Researchers found a proto-dinosaur called Asilisaurus kongwe, which lived about 243 million years ago and shared characteristics with dinosaurs. The discovery sheds light on the diversification of relatives of crocodilians and dinosaurs, suggesting rapid evolution and greater dietary flexibility.
The discovery of Asilisaurus kongwe, a dinosaur-like animal, pushes back the age of known dinosaurs by 10 million years. Fossil evidence suggests that silesaurs, close relatives of dinosaurs, may have diverged from common ancestors by 240 million years ago.
A team of researchers, including University of Michigan paleontologists, has discovered a new species of herbivorous sauropod dinosaur, Abydosaurus mcintoshi. The fossilized remains, found near the Carnegie Quarry in Dinosaur National Monument, provide valuable insights into the evolution of these massive creatures and their diets.
A newly discovered fossil snake from India, named Sanajeh indicus, was found coiled around a crushed dinosaur egg next to a freshly hatched sauropod. The arrangement of the bones and delicate structures suggests that the snake ingested the half-meter-long hatchling due to its large size.
A nearly complete fossilized skeleton of a primitive snake coiled inside a dinosaur nest was discovered in India, showing that ancient snakes ate dinosaur hatchlings. The study suggests that the ecosystem of predators during the hatching season supported hundreds or thousands of defenseless baby sauropods.
A nearly complete fossilized snake from India, Sanajeh indicus, has been discovered coiled around a sauropod dinosaur egg and a freshly hatched hatchling. The find provides critical information about the early diversification of snakes and how they evolved to eat large prey.
A team of paleontologists has discovered a new dinosaur species, Abydosaurus, with four intact skulls found in eastern Utah. The discovery provides clues about how the largest land animals ate their food and offers insights into the evolution of sauropod teeth.
University of Alberta graduate students re-examined a 76 million-year-old armadillo-like dinosaur and found that the original researcher, William Parks, was correct in his identification. The species was previously misidentified as Euoplocephalus in the 1970s.
A recent study suggests that a protozoan parasite may have contributed to the extinction of dinosaurs. The parasite, which infects birds and eats away at their jawbones, could have been transmitted through head biting among dinosaurs. The similarity between fossilized jawbones and modern-day samples supports this theory.
The reconstructed skeleton of Paluxysaurus jonesi enables Texans to see their state dinosaur in three dimensions for the first time. Scientists discovered that the dinosaur had a long neck like Brachiosaurus, a tail almost as long but not gigantic, and relatively long front arms.
Researchers have discovered a new primitive dinosaur species, Tawa hallae, in northern New Mexico with nearly complete skeletons providing insights into the evolutionary path of dinosaurs towards birds. The species, likely a meat-eater, had air sacs in its braincase and neck areas.
Five ancient crocs, including BoarCroc and DuckCroc, have been discovered in the Sahara with unique features such as armored snouts and broad forebrains. The discovery provides insight into a previously unknown world of crocodilians that inhabited Gondwana 100 million years ago.
A study suggests that many dinosaurs were probably endothermic, athletic animals due to their high energy requirements during walking and running. This trait may have enabled them to thrive in various habitats, including colder regions, allowing them to cover the entire Mesozoic landscape.
Research suggests that many dinosaur species were probably endothermic, with the potential for athletic abilities rivalling those of present-day birds and mammals. This would have allowed them to inhabit colder habitats, but also required a constant supply of fuel due to rapid metabolisms.
Spanish researchers found the last European hadrosaurs in the Iberian Peninsula, coexisting with evolved species and primitive members. The fossils, including a newly discovered lambeosaurine, suggest a connection between Asia and Europe during the Late Cretaceous period.
Researchers discovered that adolescent tyrannosaurs, including the late juvenile T. rex Jane, engaged in intense combat, as evidenced by puncture wounds on her face. The injuries suggest that Jane was attacked by a fellow young dinosaur, possibly over dominance or territorial disputes.
A new species of ankylosaur, Tatankacephalus cooneyorum, has been discovered in central Montana, providing insights into the evolution of armored dinosaurs. The fossil features a protective armor and horn-like plates, showcasing the complexity of these prehistoric creatures.
A new study reveals that two recently named dinosaurs may actually be juvenile or subadults of already known taxa, wiping out a third of named species. The research analyzed three dome-headed dinosaurs and found that their bizarre head ornaments changed dramatically with age and sexual maturity.
A team of researchers is exploring the fossil record of ancient plants in Patagonia, Argentina, which could provide insights into plant evolution, distribution, and ecology. The study aims to determine if a major plant extinction occurred when dinosaurs went extinct and how long it took for recovery.
A massive impact crater off the coast of India is being studied as a potential cause of the mass extinction event that led to the demise of the dinosaurs. The Shiva basin, located in western India, is believed to have been created by an object at least 40 kilometers in diameter.
A new study found that Archaeopteryx, the iconic first bird, actually grew much slower than modern birds and had more reptilian features. This challenges the long-held assumption that rapid bone growth was necessary for flight.
The study finds that Archaeopteryx grew slowly, taking 970 days to mature, similar to dinosaurs, and its bone growth rate was three times slower than living birds. This challenges the common perception of Archaeopteryx as a bird-like creature.
A ten-year study found that up to 70% of female alligators remained loyal to their mates, a similarity with bird mating habits. This discovery sheds light on the ancestral mating systems of birds and dinosaurs.
A University of Alberta researcher has discovered 70 million year old evidence of dinosaur cannibalism in southern Alberta. The jawbone of a Gorgosaurus contained a tooth from another meat-eating dinosaur, suggesting a violent encounter between two dinosaurs.
Researchers suggest a lowly parasite, trichomonosis, caused holes in Sue's jaw and may have led to her demise. The parasite, common in modern birds, was transmitted through salivary contact or cannibalism, making feeding difficult for the dinosaur.
A new species of tyrannosauroid dinosaur, Raptorex kriegsteini, has been discovered in China that predates the Tyrannosaurus rex by tens of millions of years. The fossil, which is only three meters long, exhibits the same physical traits as T. rex, including an oversized skull and powerful jaws.
Raptorex displays all the hallmarks of Tyrannosaurus rex, including a large head and tiny arms, at about 100th the size that would eventually become T. rex. This suggests that tyrannosaur design evolved at a small body size, with larger animals developing later.
Paleontologist Anthony Martin's discovery of dinosaur burrows in Victoria, Australia, suggests that burrowing behaviors were shared by different species across hemispheres and spanned millions of years. The findings indicate that small ornithopod dinosaurs may have dug into river banks to survive extreme environments.
A new study by the University of Leicester has found evidence that duck-billed dinosaurs, such as Hadrosaurs, had a unique way of eating. The researchers used microscopic analysis of scratches on dinosaur teeth to understand their feeding mechanisms and place them in ancient ecosystems.
A new study by George Mason University researchers challenges the long-held notion that dinosaurs were massive creatures. They found that using a flawed statistical model led to overestimations of dinosaur weight, revealing some species may have been smaller than initially thought.
Scientists re-examined data to discover a flawed statistical model used for calculating dinosaur mass, leading to revised estimates of Apatosaurus louisae at 18 tonnes instead of 38 tonnes. This finding has significant implications for various theories about dinosaur biology.
A new species of parrot-beaked dinosaur, Psittacosaurus gobiensis, has been discovered in the Gobi Desert with characteristic skull traits and associated gizzard stones suggesting a diet rich in nuts and seeds. The unique chewing style of the dinosaur provides insight into its feeding habits.
New research by Princeton University geoscientist Gerta Keller suggests that volcanoes, not an asteroid, were the likely culprits in the demise of the Earth's giant reptiles. The study found 'biotic evidence' and 'aftermath' sediments indicating a massive die-off occurred much later than previously thought.
Scientists at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and North Carolina State University have confirmed that collagen protein is preserved in the bone fragments of a 80-million-year-old hadrosaur, supporting earlier results from a Tyrannosaurus rex study. The discovery provides robust evidence for bird-dinosaur evolution.
Researchers found evidence of preserved collagen, fibrous matrix, and microstructures in an 80 million-year-old hadrosaur fossil, similar to previous findings in a Tyrannosaurus Rex sample. The discovery supports the theory that molecules can be preserved over time in fossilized remains.
A team of scientists studied how alligators grow and develop in different oxygen levels, discovering that low oxygen environments result in enlarged bellies and smaller organs, but also larger hearts. The study provides insights into the adaptations of dinosaurs to survive in a world with fluctuating oxygen levels.
A new fossil discovery at the Homer Site in Montana has revealed that Triceratops, a three-horned dinosaur, were likely social animals that congregated in small herds. The find indicates that juvenile Triceratops lived and traveled together, suggesting a unique behavior among ceratopsid relatives.
Researchers have discovered a new species of carnivorous dinosaur, Hesperonychus elizabethae, in North America. The miniature predator, weighing around two kilograms and standing 50 centimeters tall, was likely to hunt insects and small mammals.
A 90-million-year-old dinosaur herd composed entirely of juveniles of the Sinornithomimus species was discovered in the Gobi Desert. The site provides a rare snapshot of social behavior, suggesting that immature individuals were left to fend for themselves when adults were preoccupied with nesting or brooding.
Researchers used laser scanning to reconstruct five dinosaurs' bodies, including T. rex and Acrocanthosaurus. The study found that smaller T. rex specimens weighed between 5.5-7 tonnes, while larger ones could have reached 8 tonnes.
Researchers at Stanford University are using synchrotron X-ray technology to reveal previously unknown details about dinosaur fossils and ancient documents. By analyzing the chemical elements left behind in fossilized bones, scientists hope to gain new insights into the evolution of dinosaurs and their relationships with modern birds.
A recent study by researchers at the University of Bath and London's Natural History Museum found that dinosaur fossils match their evolutionary trees remarkably well. The study used statistical data from fossils of four major dinosaur groups to confirm the accuracy of current views on their evolution.
A new study published in PLOS ONE reveals that Triceratops used their three horns for battle scars, contradicting the notion that they only displayed them. The researchers found that the squamosal bone was injured 10 times more frequently in Triceratops than its closely-related dinosaur Centrosaurus.
A Texas state dinosaur is facing a name change after research revealed it was misidentified as Pleurocoelus. The new species, Paluxysaurus jonesi, was discovered by Southern Methodist University scientist Peter Rose, who studied sauropod bones in central Texas.
A study by Texas A&M University researcher Jason Moore suggests that male dinosaurs may have cared for and watched over eggs, similar to female birds. The findings are based on the examination of six well-preserved dinosaur egg nests, which indicate that males likely played a key role in incubating the eggs.
Dinosaurs had more air cavities in their heads than expected, which may have helped lighten the load of their heads and enabled them to move their heads quickly. These sinus cavities also played a biomechanical role by making bones hollow, similar to hollow beams used in construction.
Scientists have found evidence that turtle shells are bony extensions of their backbones and ribs. The oldest known turtle fossil, Odontochelys semitestacea, has a partial shell extending from its backbone and widening of ribs, suggesting it was a water dweller.
A team of paleontologists from the University of Utah and independent scientists have found no evidence of dinosaur tracks at the 'dinosaur dance floor' site in northern Arizona. Instead, they suggest the features may be unusual potholes eroded in the sandstone.
A team of scientists has discovered a tiny juvenile Heterodontosaurus fossil, shedding new light on the evolution of plant-eating dinosaurs. The fossil's unusual teeth suggest that these early herbivores may have engaged in occasional omnivory, using their canines as defensive weapons or to supplement their diet with small animals.
Researchers identified over 1,000 dinosaur tracks at a site in the Vermilion Cliffs National Monument, providing evidence of wet intervals during the Early Jurassic Period. The site includes rare tail-drag marks, revealing at least four dinosaur species gathered at the watering hole.
Researchers found that lambeosaur crest shapes don't match internal nasal passages in closely related species, suggesting a special function. The crests likely produced low-frequency calls for mating or warning other predators.
Walter Alvarez, a maverick geologist, has won the prestigious Vetlesen Prize for his groundbreaking work on the link between a massive comet impact and the extinction of dinosaurs. His research, conducted over several decades, challenged conventional wisdom and revealed that life on Earth is affected by cosmic interactions.
Dinosaurs survived two mass extinctions before evolving into diverse species, taking up to 50 million years to dominate ecosystems. The research challenges the traditional view of rapid expansion and diversification.