Termites became the backbone of tropical ecosystems after two diversification pulses following global extinctions. The traits that define modern termites, such as soil-eating and fungus agriculture, emerged in distinct pulses about 30 million years apart, according to a new study published in Current Biology.
SourceOkinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) Graduate University·JournalCurrent Biology·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateApr 30, 2026
A recent study found that tropical algae were largely unaffected by periods of global warming up to 1.5 degrees Celsius in the distant past. This resilience provides valuable insights into the potential consequences of climate change and supports the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees.
SourceUtrecht University·JournalGeology·TypeCommentary/editorial·DateFeb 26, 2026
A study has found that high-latitude phytoplankton communities responded to a pre-PETM warming event, highlighting the importance of examining background intervals in determining ecosystem change. The results suggest even small environmental changes can have dramatic impacts on marine ecosystems.
SourceMARUM - Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen·JournalCommunications Earth & Environment·DateOct 1, 2025
Garmin GPSMAP 67i with inReach
Garmin GPSMAP 67i with inReach provides rugged GNSS navigation, satellite messaging, and SOS for backcountry geology and climate field teams.
A new study by Connecticut College reveals that palm trees once thrived in subarctic Canada during the late early Eocene, approximately 48 million years ago. This finding indicates a warmer climate with ice-free winters, unlike previous assumptions.
SourceConnecticut College·JournalAnnals of Botany·TypeImaging analysis·DateFeb 19, 2025
A new Stanford review of hundreds of studies found little to no sediment dating back to the 34 million-year-old Eocene-Oligocene climate transition, contradicting conventional models. The researchers attribute this globally extensive gap in the geologic record to vigorous ocean bottom currents triggered by major climate shifts.
SourceStanford University·JournalEarth-Science Reviews·DateOct 9, 2024
Scientists have discovered three new extinct walnut species on a Canadian island above the Arctic Circle, preserved in a unique form of fossilization known as mummification. The fossils provide valuable information about the Earth's climate and ecosystems during the middle Eocene period, when forests covered the region.
SourceFlorida Museum of Natural History·JournalInternational Journal of Plant Sciences·DateJun 27, 2024
Frogs from the genus Eleutherodactylus are geologically the oldest Caribbean vertebrates to be found in Florida. They arrived in North America much earlier than previously thought, with evidence suggesting they reached the peninsula through overwater dispersal on flotsam or other buoyant debris.
SourceFlorida Museum of Natural History·JournalZoological Journal of the Linnean Society·DateNov 6, 2023
A new species of extinct whale, Tutcetus rayanensis, has been discovered in Egypt's ancient sea, providing unprecedented insights into the life history and phylogeny of early whales. The discovery sheds light on the transition from land to sea and the evolution of whales.
SourceMansoura University Vertebrate Paleontology Center (MUVP)·JournalCommunications Biology·TypeObservational study·DateAug 10, 2023
Rigol DP832 Triple-Output Bench Power Supply
Rigol DP832 Triple-Output Bench Power Supply powers sensors, microcontrollers, and test circuits with programmable rails and stable outputs.
Researchers from University of Colorado Boulder identified a fossil chili pepper that may rewrite the geography and evolutionary timeline of the tomato plant family. The team's findings suggest that chili peppers were present in North America at least 50 million years ago.
SourceUniversity of Colorado at Boulder·JournalNew Phytologist·DateApr 21, 2023
Fossilized mammals reveal that early primates adapted to life in the high Arctic during a time of intense global warming, with limited biodiversity. Two new species, Ignacius dawsonae and Ignacius mckennai, were identified as close relatives of early primates, exhibiting distinct adaptations for their unusual environment.
SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS ONE·TypeObservational study·DateJan 25, 2023
Research by University of Texas Institute for Geophysics reveals how ancient global warming affected the Gulf of Mexico's marine life and chemistry. The study found that radiolarians thrived in the Gulf due to nutrient-rich river sediments, providing valuable lessons about current climate change.
SourceUniversity of Texas at Austin·JournalMarine and Petroleum Geology·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateJun 1, 2022
Sky & Telescope Pocket Sky Atlas, 2nd Edition
Sky & Telescope Pocket Sky Atlas, 2nd Edition is a durable star atlas for planning sessions, identifying targets, and teaching celestial navigation.
Researchers have identified two new palaeotheriidae mammals, 'Leptolophus cuestai' and 'Leptolophus franzeni', from the Eocene epoch in Spain. These ancient animals had atypical dental features and were smaller than modern horses.
SourceUniversity of the Basque Country·JournalJournal of Vertebrate Paleontology·DateJul 6, 2021
Researchers discovered that volcanic eruptions in Greenland and Iceland could have caused cooling episodes during the Eocene Epoch, solving a long-standing mystery about glendonites. This finding suggests that abrupt climate change is possible even in otherwise warmer climates.
SourceUniversity of Copenhagen·JournalNature Communications·DateOct 14, 2020
Researchers have discovered a new species of microorganism that thrived 55 million years ago during a period of abrupt global warming. The 'giant' magnetofossils, which are up to eight times larger than previously known ones, provide valuable insights into the potential effects of significant climate changes on life.
SourceMcGill University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateOct 22, 2008