Articles tagged with Paleosols
A new study in PLOS ONE reports on the contents of 25 coastal and underwater cave sites in southern Sicily, uncovering three new sites with potentially important archaeological sediments. The findings provide key data for understanding the early expansion of Homo sapiens into the Mediterranean.
A new study has discovered hundreds of mummified bees from the time of Pharaoh Siamun, which have provided valuable insights into the decline of bee populations. The bees were found in a fossilized state on the southwest coast of Portugal and preserved the smallest anatomical details, including sex and pollen supply.
New estimates suggest that Western Europe experienced unmatched dust storms during the coldest periods of the latest ice age. The research, published in Quaternary Science Reviews, challenges the long-held assumption that China was the dustiest region on Earth during this time period.
New research challenges previous understanding, finding Third Pole grew at a much slower pace than thought. The findings shed light on regional and global climate processes.
Researchers found layers of ancient African dust in volcanic rocks and dune sands on Canary Islands, dating back to 4.8-2.8 million years ago. The findings agree with deep-sea sediments and suggest the Sahara Desert has taken breaks, with wetter periods interspersed with arid times.
A new study has found that the climate of a large swath of the western United States during the Jurassic period was more complex than previously thought. Geochemical analysis of ancient soils revealed an abrupt change from dry to wet environments, contradicting the long-held assumption of a gradual transition.
Researchers found evidence of chemical weathering and soil formation at least 60 million years earlier than previously thought. This discovery suggests that oxygen-producing species existed on Earth 3 billion years ago, paving the way for complex life to evolve.
Researchers found zircon crystals with ages matching those from western source sites, indicating a dramatic shift in atmospheric winds. The study improves climate modeling by suggesting alternating northwesterly and westerly sources for loess during glacial periods.
This issue of GSA Bulletin explores river geomorphology, submarine landslides, and paleoclimatic analysis. Researchers examine the impact of a dome-building eruption on downstream channel aggradation in Oregon, as well as the age and genesis of the Sangamon/Loveland complex in the Lower Mississippi Valley.
Researchers found African mineral dust from the Sahara and Sahel regions was the main contributor to forming reddish soils in Mediterranean regions such as Mallorca and Sardinia. The study also revealed that underlying rock contributed to soil formation.
The GSA Bulletin highlights studies on the Lesser Himalaya, southern Chinese Altai Range, and San Ysidro fault in New Mexico. Researchers unravel tectonic processes responsible for building the Himalayan foothills and provide new insights into faulting mechanisms and magmatic evolution of Western Amazonia.
Researchers found ancient soil in South Africa with organic carbon dating back 2.6-2.7 billion years, indicating microbial mats developed on land during rainy seasons. The findings suggest the development of terrestrial biomass more than 1.4 billion years earlier than previously reported.