Articles tagged with Dinosaurs
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.
The discovery of Aerosteon riocoloradensis reveals a unique bird-like respiratory system with air sacs. This finding supports the theory that birds evolved from dinosaurs and provides insights into their adaptation for flight.
A new dinosaur discovery from Argentina reveals the presence of air sacs in a 10-meter-long predatory dinosaur, Aerosteon riocoloradensis, which shares characteristics with birds. This finding supports decades of research suggesting that birds evolved from dinosaurs.
The discovery of Albertonykus borealis reveals a new species of tiny dinosaur found in Alberta, Canada. This bird-like creature had long and slender legs, stumpy arms, and powerful forelimbs used to tear into logs for termites.
A new study finds that early dinosaurs were not superior to their competitors, the crurotarsan group, which survived two mass extinctions without special traits. The research reveals that dinosaurs lucked out when the crurotarsans were hit hard during a mass extinction event.
A new study reveals that dinosaurs were not superior to their crocodile cousins during the Triassic period. In fact, crurotarsans - a group closely related to dinosaurs and crocodiles - outcompeted them for resources and explored a larger range of body types and lifestyles.
Scientists discovered a 75-million-year-old pregnant turtle fossil with a nest of 26 eggs in the badlands of Alberta, Canada, shedding light on ancient reptile reproduction. The fossilized eggs are found to have extremely thick and hard shells that may have evolved to protect them from desiccation or predators.
A new study suggests that changes in ocean environments related to sea level exert a driving influence on rates of extinction, leading to the loss of up to 75-95% of species. The research links mass extinctions over time, establishing a common link and providing insight into who survives and who doesn't across these boundaries.
A partial dinosaur skeleton discovered in British Columbia's Skeena mountain range is the first found in Canadian mountains and may represent a new species. The fossils are about 70 million years old and display unique characteristics, including an arm bone never seen before.
Researchers found evidence of a large ornithopod dinosaur and a herd of 11 sauropods walking together at the same speed. The site preserved footprints that provide insights into dinosaur herding behavior, a rare example of social behavior for reptiles.
Researchers found evidence of a large ornithopod dinosaur and a herd of 11 sauropods walking together along a Mesozoic coastal mudflat in Yemen. The discovery provides insight into dinosaur herding behavior, with the trackways preserved in rocks likely dating back to the Late Jurassic period.
A study published in Science confirms that Tyrannosaurus rex shares common ancestry with modern-day birds, including chickens and ostriches, based on molecular analysis of ancient protein sequences. This finding provides the first molecular evidence for the evolutionary relationships of a non-avian dinosaur.
Researchers at New York Medical College discovered a link between bird lack of brown fat and dinosaur extinction. The study found that birds' inability to generate heat may have contributed to the demise of dinosaurs.
A new study by the University of Colorado at Boulder and California Institute of Technology suggests that the Grand Canyon is significantly older than previously thought, potentially dating back to the time of dinosaurs. The research uses radiometric dating to show that the canyon may have formed over 55 million years ago.
Computer simulations revealed that pachycephalosaur domes enabled safe collisions during courtship combat, allowing nearly-adult dinosaurs to handle head-butting contests. The study suggests special sliding joints in the vertebrae and giant domes played key roles in this ability.
A 70-million-year-old giant frog fossil from Madagascar has been identified as a relative of living Horned toads, providing evidence for the link between Madagascar, India, and South America during the Late Cretaceous period. The discovery sheds light on the paleobiogeography of Madagascar's unique fauna.
Two new dinosaurs, Kryptops and Eocarcharia, provide insight into an earlier stage in the evolution of Cretaceous Period's bizarre meat-eaters. They had distinctive adaptations for eating fresh meat, including short snouts and jaws designed for gnawing on carcasses.
Scientists unveil Velafrons coahuilensis, a massive duck-billed dinosaur from Mexico's Cerro del Pueblo Formation. The discovery provides valuable insights into the region's ecosystem and mass death events, challenging previous understanding of West America's Late Cretaceous history.
Researchers found medullary bone in T. rex specimens, indicating dinosaurs reached sexual maturity earlier than thought and had short lifespans of 3-4 years in adulthood. This discovery sheds new light on the evolution of birds and reproductive strategies.
A new study by UC Berkeley scientists reveals that dinosaurs experienced rapid growth spurs and reached sexual maturity near the end of this phase, well before reaching maximum body size. This finding suggests that dinosaurs were born precocious and suffered high adult mortality, making early sexual maturity necessary for survival.
Nigersaurus taqueti is a 110-million-year-old plant-eating dinosaur with a unique skull structure, featuring hundreds of needle-shaped teeth and a broad, straight-edged muzzle. Its distinctive anatomy allowed it to efficiently crop plants near the ground, making it an unusual example among sauropods.
Researchers from the University of Utah and California's Raymond M. Alf Museum have unearthed a new duck-billed dinosaur species, Gryposaurus monumentensis, in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. The creature is estimated to have grown up to 30 feet long as an adult and had over 300 teeth embedded in its thick skull.
A new dinosaur species, Cerasinops hodgskissi, has been identified from a 80-million-year-old fossil found in Montana, sharing characteristics with Neo-ceratopsian dinosaurs in North America and Asia. The specimen, weighing 30-40 pounds and standing 3 feet tall, was discovered by Jack Horner and Brenda Chinnery in 1983.
Fossils discovered in New Mexico reveal that dinosaurs and their predecessors lived side by side for 15-20 million years. The findings provide new insights into the evolution of dinosaur precursors and challenge long-held theories about the pace of changeover.
Fossilized dinosaurs exhibiting wide-open mouth and head-back poses were likely victims of brain damage or asphyxiation due to trauma, according to two paleontologists. This new explanation challenges the long-held notion that the pose resulted from water currents or muscle contractions.
A team of scientists discovered a 15-meter-long trackway with 12 consecutive prints that provide definitive evidence of a non-avian theropod dinosaur's swimming ability. The tracks show an underwater stride of 243-271 cm and suggest the dinosaur swam in approximately 3.2 meters of water.
Fused tyrannosaurid nasals increased skull strength, allowing for deep bone biting and superior bite force. This adaptation made T. rexes nearly unbeatable predators.
A new study suggests that amphibians are losing the battle against environmental change due to their inability to adapt quickly enough. With 43% of species in decline and 168 extinct, the impacts on amphibians are far more pervasive than other vertebrates.
A new study reveals that the mass extinction event that wiped out dinosaurs did not prompt the rapid diversification of modern mammal species. Instead, these early mammals evolved and radiated around 10 million years after the dinosaurs' demise, driven by a sudden increase in global temperature.
A comprehensive tree of mammalian evolution puts major diversifications well after dinosaur die-off, casting doubt on their impact. The team constructed a complete evolutionary tree using molecular data and fossil evidence, finding that diversification didn't take off until the Eocene epoch, about 56 to 34 million years ago.
A new study has found that the ancestors of modern mammals did not quickly evolve and spread to fill empty niches following the mass extinctions of dinosaurs. Instead, diversification rates dropped and stayed low for 40 million years, with modern mammal orders emerging around 50-55 million years ago.
Robert Reisz's lifelong passion for fossils led to groundbreaking discoveries, including the oldest known dinosaur embryos and two-legged reptile. He is being recognized by AAAS for his significant contributions to the field.
A team of paleontologists proposes that the Chicxulub meteor impact was not the sole cause of the dinosaurs' demise. Instead, they suggest that a series of massive meteor impacts, volcanic eruptions, and climate change culminated in the end of the Cretaceous Period.
A team of scientists led by University of Washington paleontologist Peter Ward has found a similar gap during the same period among non-marine arthropods, largely insects and spiders. They believe a precipitous drop in the oxygen content of Earth's atmosphere is responsible for this phenomenon.
A CU-Boulder research team has discovered over 200 suspected parasite burrows in a well-preserved duck-billed dinosaur, indicating the presence of tiny worms similar to annelids and nematodes. The findings provide evidence for interactions between dinosaurs and invertebrates.
A revised dinosaur census by University of Pennsylvania scientist Peter Dodson estimates that 71% of discoverable genera are still awaiting discovery. The researchers predict that new discoveries will decline sharply in the early 22nd century, but a child born today can expect a fruitful career in dinosaur paleontology.
A study published in Science found that Albertosaurus survived for two years with low mortality rates, but death rates increased after reaching teenage years. The research provides insight into the life patterns of tyrannosaurs and challenges previous theories about their behavior.
A new University of Florida study suggests that large dinosaurs, such as Sauroposeidon proteles, had body temperatures close to 48 degrees Celsius, comparable to modern-day birds and mammals. This discovery challenges the long-held assumption that dinosaurs were cold-blooded reptiles.
A new study resolves a long-standing debate on dinosaur metabolism by using mathematical modeling and fossil data to estimate body temperatures. The results suggest that the largest dinosaurs had relatively constant body temperatures maintained through thermal inertia.
A team of scientists has discovered a new species of dwarf sauropod dinosaurs in the Harz Mountains, estimated to weigh only one tonne. The unique microstructure of their bones suggests that these animals were fully grown when they died, reaching lengths of up to 6 metres and 90 centimetre tall.
Researchers discovered that males of the extinct species Thyrohyrax had oversized, swollen lower jaws shaped like a banana, which may have been used to produce sound. The discovery suggests that Thyrohyrax and its fossil relatives were the only mammals to use this skeletal structure for sound production.
Paleontologist Josh Smith rediscovered two photographs of the holotype of Spinosaurus aegyptiacus, providing new insight into the dinosaur's skeleton. The images were found in the Palaontologische archives of the Museum in Germany and allow for direct comparison with Stromer's 1915 illustrations.
The newly discovered Triceratops skull provides valuable insights into the dinosaur's growth patterns, suggesting that its horns and frill had a purpose beyond sexual display. The fossil, estimated to be around three years old, shows significant changes in the development of its frill and horn shape from juvenile to adult stages.
Researchers are using advanced techniques to analyze ancient proteins in fossils, providing insights into prehistoric life, diet, and relationships. By studying these molecular remnants, scientists can reconstruct the history of life on Earth and gain a deeper understanding of dinosaurs.
Researchers identified a new dinosaur species, Guanlong wucaii, as the oldest known cousin of Tyrannosaurus rex, pre-dating its branch by about 100 million years. The discovery sheds light on early evolution and geographical distribution of tyrannosaur ancestors.
A University of Toronto study has ruled out the theory that duck-billed dinosaurs' crests were linked to their sense of smell. The research, led by David Evans, found that the brain changed little from non-crested dinosaur ancestors, suggesting the crests may have been used for visual display or attracting mates.
Dr. David Wake will receive the prestigious Joseph Leidy Award for his groundbreaking work in conservation biology and systematics on worldwide amphibian decline. The award recognizes his contributions to understanding the complex causes of this alarming phenomenon.
Researchers found that plateosaurs adjusted their growth to environmental conditions, growing faster in abundant food and slowing down during scarcity. This discovery challenges the conventional understanding of dinosaur growth, which was previously thought to be similar to modern mammals.