Articles tagged with Plant Fossils
Lichens are now known to have evolved millions of years after complex plants, contradicting the long-held theory that they were among the first organisms to colonize land. This new understanding sheds light on the early evolution of ecosystems and the role of lichens in shaping the environment.
A newly discovered fossilized beetle with pollen on its legs has pushed back the earliest known physical evidence of insect flower pollination to 99 million years ago. The discovery provides insight into the evolution of plants and animals during this time period.
A new study in Science documents life's rebound after the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event through a collection of fossils found in central Colorado. The findings provide a detailed snapshot of the first million years of taxonomic and ecological recovery, revealing a dynamic interplay between plants, animals, and climate.
Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology have developed a process to break down plastic waste into molecular-level gases, which can be transformed back into new plastics. This method could enable the creation of circular use of plastic and reduce reliance on oil and fossil gas.
Researchers have uncovered the oldest fossil forest in Asia, spanning 250,000 square meters and featuring lycopsid trees with branchless trunks. The discovery provides insights into the early evolution of plants and their adaptability to coastal environments.
A new study found that fungi have a harder time growing in cattail roots underwater, suggesting that plants may not have relied on fungal helpers to get onto land. The research provides a new tool for understanding prehistoric ecosystems and challenges previous narratives about plant-fungal interactions.
The oldest completely preserved lily, Cratolirion bognerianum, was found in Brazil with a 40cm length and well-preserved roots, flower, and individual cells. The discovery provides new insights into the diversity of tropical flowering plants 115 million years ago.
The study finds that existing power plants and energy infrastructure will release significant amounts of carbon into the atmosphere if not retired early, posing a threat to the 1.5-degree Celsius climate goal. However, the world can still meet the 2-degree goal without early retirement if new fossil fuel sources are not built.
Researchers have discovered ancient Fagaceae fruit and leaf fossils in Patagonia, Argentina, pushing the family's history south of the Malay Archipelago. The findings suggest a Gondwanan supercontinent legacy in Asian rainforests, expanding our understanding of plant evolution and biogeography.
A 330-million-year-old fossil discovered in Scotland reveals a unique dental pattern and deep lower jaw, allowing it to pierce and grind crustaceans. The discovery challenges the understanding of early tetrapods' dental evolution, showing an unprecedented level of adaptation.
A 20-million-year-old tusked sea cow, Culebratherium alemani, has been discovered in Central America, shedding light on the region's ancient marine ecosystem. The fossilized skeleton, found near the Panama Canal, provides evidence of seagrass presence in the area during that time period.
The discovery of exceptionally preserved late-Permian plant fossils in Jordan pushes back the ages of important seed plant lineages and suggests that drought-prone tropical habitats served as evolutionary cradles for early plant diversification. The findings indicate that these plant lineages survived the mass extinction event at the e...
A new study in eLife describes a 50-million-year-old fossil flower species that defies widely accepted theories of plant evolution. The discovery of Nanjinganthus dendrostyla sheds light on the origins of angiosperms, potentially indicating an earlier emergence than previously thought.
Researchers discovered two early hominin species coexisted in southern East African Rift system, displaying dietary generalism and adaptability to paleoenvironmental conditions. The results suggest a high degree of versatility in their ability to thrive in various environments.
Researchers discovered a new fossil that shows large angiosperm trees grew in North America by the Turonian age, dating back nearly 15 million years earlier than previously thought. This find provides more detail to our understanding of the landscape during this period and sheds light on the evolution of flowering plants.
Researchers analyzed gomphotheres' tooth fossils for dietary patterns, finding evidence of tree browsing and herb grazing. The study suggests that the mammals' diets were flexible according to resource availability and latitudinal climate gradients.
Scientists discovered transitional root fossils from the earliest land ecosystem, shedding light on plant root evolution. The findings suggest that modern-day plant roots have evolved multiple times, with each characteristic emerging separately.
A team of researchers discovered well-dated plant fossils in the Lawula Formation, which provided a unique perspective on the uplift history of southeastern Tibet. The findings indicate that the region was around 3 km high and rising at an early stage of the Eocene-Oligocene transition, contradicting previous theories.
A new study reveals that the asteroid impact that wiped out dinosaurs also caused a mass extinction of forests, leading to the demise of tree-dwelling birds. The research team analyzed fossil records and pollen evidence to conclude that the temporary loss of forests after the impact made it impossible for arboreal birds to survive.
New research by Indiana University paleobotanist David Dilcher reveals that sweet potatoes originated in Asia, contradicting previous North American assumptions. The discovery sheds light on the evolutionary history of flowering plants and highlights the divergence of morning glory and nightshade families.
Fossil leaves from a sweet potato ancestor and the morning glory family, Convulvaceae, were discovered in northeastern India and dated to 58.7-55.8 million years ago. This finding suggests that the plant family originated in East Gondwana and diverged from its sister Solanaceae by the late Paleocene.
A new insect fossil discovery highlights a striking resemblance between Canadian and Russian fossils from the same age period, further solidifying an ancient connection between the two regions. The similarity is remarkable, with only the wing color distinguishing the two species, Eomerope eonearctica and Eomerope asiatica.
Researchers have developed a new method to estimate ancient atmospheric water content based on fossil plant leaf waxes, which can help predict future climate changes. By studying the chemistry of these compounds in soils and sediments, scientists can reconstruct past climates and test their understanding of global warming.
Scientists have found fossilized starch granules on ancient plant megaspores, suggesting they were used as a spore-dispersal device. This discovery provides early evidence for mutualism between plants and animals in the Permian period.
Researchers propose two distinct floras, Rhododendron Flora and Metasequoia Flora, to represent core regions of the Sino-Japanese and Sino-Himalayan flora. The study suggests East Asian flora is relatively young, with most clades originating since the Miocene, and may be a refugial area for ancient relict plants.
New research reveals that plants originated 100 million years earlier than previously believed, with ancient plant fossils now estimated to be around 320 million years old. This discovery challenges existing models of atmospheric change and highlights the critical role of early plant life in shaping Earth's climate.
Scientists have discovered that the basis for photosynthesis in today's plants was set in place 1.25 billion years ago, according to a new study published in Geology. The research pinpoints the age of ancient algae fossils, which had previously been estimated between 720 million and 1.2 billion years.
A team of researchers from the University of Kansas is collecting fossilized plant remains in Antarctica to understand how plants will respond to contemporary climate change. By studying ancient plants, they aim to reconstruct the history of flora and ecosystems on a warming Earth.
A new study resolves a prehistoric climate puzzle by confirming the link between high carbon dioxide levels and global warming for a time interval about 22 million years ago. The research, led by Southern Methodist University, analyzed fossil leaves from Africa and found that carbon dioxide behaved in the same manner millions of years ...
The Norian Chinle Formation provides a snapshot of an ancient terrestrial ecosystem with plant and vertebrate remains. A new extinction event occurred between 213-217 million years ago, leading to a shift towards drier conditions.
Researchers have designed a solar peaker plant that can store energy thermally to deliver power after dark, making it a viable alternative to fossil fuels for peaking. The plants, which use molten salt tower technology, can operate for up to 6 hours and have a capacity factor of 15-25%.
A nearly complete skeleton of a 76-million-year-old tyrannosaur was discovered in the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. The fossil is believed to be an individual of the species Teratophoneus curriei, with a relatively short head and estimated length of 17-20 feet.
A modeling study reveals a shift in plant leaf traits, leading to more efficient water use by plants. The carbon isotopic ratio of atmospheric CO2 decreases slower than predicted, indicating this adaptation.
Using infrared spectroscopy and statistical analysis of organic molecules in fossil leaves, researchers have solved long-standing questions about extinct plant relationships. The study reveals that ancient plant species grouped according to well-established botanical relationships, shedding light on their evolution.
The discovery of ancient buckthorn fossils in Argentina sheds light on plant recovery after the asteroid extinction event. The fossils date back to the early Paleocene epoch and provide evidence for a Gondwanan origin of the Rhamnaceae family.
Scientists analyzed plant species in China's Hengduan Mountains and found that new species evolved at a faster rate than in nearby regions. This study provides the strongest evidence yet for the uplift-driven diversification hypothesis, supporting the idea that mountains create micro-habitats allowing species to adapt and diversify.
Scientists have identified a distant relative of the living Ginkgo biloba plant through the discovery of well-preserved fossil plants in Mongolia. The fossils, dating back to the early Cretaceous Period, reveal unique seed-bearing structures that are unlike any other known plant, living or extinct.
A new study confirms the existence of 'living fossils' by measuring evolutionary rates in the tuatara, a reptile that has remained relatively unchanged for millions of years. The research found that the tuatara's anatomy is remarkably conservative and shows slow evolution compared to its fossil relatives.
Delicate fossil remains of tomatillos found in Patagonia, Argentina, show that the nightshade family existed 52 million years ago, far earlier than previously thought. The discovery provides a rare link between ancient and modern plants, challenging traditional views on plant evolution.
A new study reveals that certain beetles, such as hidden-snout and toe-winged beetles, were pollinating orchids 20 million years ago. This discovery suggests that these beetles may have played a more significant role in orchid reproduction than previously thought.
Researchers at Oxford University have identified the oldest known population of plant root stem cells, preserved in a 320 million-year-old fossil. These ancient stem cells provide unique insights into the evolution of roots and their role in shaping the Earth's climate.
The UMass Amherst entomologist is documenting the spread of the insect in Mexico to assess its impact on native plant diversity. The cycad aulacaspis scale threatens Mexico's 55 species of cycads, which are culturally important and vulnerable to extinction.
A computer program developed by researchers can categorize leaves into large evolutionary categories, leading to improved fossil identification and a better understanding of flowering plant evolution. The method achieves a 72% accuracy rate over 19 leaf families compared to random chance.
Researchers uncover fossil flowers from the genus Strychnos, a family of plants that produced poisonous strychnine and curare. These ancient plants are found to have evolved toxic alkaloids for defense against herbivores.
Lena Struwe, a Rutgers University botanist, has identified two flowers encased in ancient amber as belonging to a newly discovered species within the Strychnos genus. The discovery highlights the existence of many undiscovered plant species hidden away in natural history collections worldwide.
Scientists have discovered a butterfly-like fossil insect, Kalligrammatid lacewings, in the deep Mesozoic with striking similarities to modern butterflies. These ancient insects likely served as important pollinators during mid-Mesozoic times.
A study published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society: B identifies a Jurassic-age insect whose behavior and appearance closely mimic those of butterflies. The discovery was made possible by the examination of well-preserved fossils from ancient lake deposits in China and Kazakhstan. Researchers found that these 'Jurassic butterfli...
Researchers found small, well-preserved seed embryos in fossil seeds dating back to the Early Cretaceous, supporting the idea that early angiosperms were small opportunistic colonizers. The tiny embryo size suggests that seed dormancy allowed these early plants to survive harsh conditions.
Scientists have found fossilized peach pits over 2.5 million years old in southwest China, providing new insights into the fruit's evolutionary history. The discovery suggests that peaches evolved through natural selection before humans domesticated them.
Researchers used fossil galls caused by tiny wasps to reconstruct the local habitats of Southern California at the end of the last Ice Age. The study indicates that many habitats, including coniferous forests and chaparral, were present in the region between 33,000 and 44,000 years ago.
Researchers have identified a 125 million- to 130 million-year-old freshwater plant, Montsechia vidalii, as one of the earliest known flowering plants on Earth. The finding represents a major change in the presumed form of one of the planet's earliest flowers and raises significant questions about its early evolutionary history.
A new bat species, Mystacina miocenalis, lived 16 million years ago and walked on four limbs, weighing 40 grams, three times heavier than its living cousin. The discovery helps understand the capacity of bats to establish populations on islands.
A new open-source resource, Fossil Calibration Database, provides carefully vetted fossil data to calibrate molecular clocks and reveal the ages of plant and animal groups. The database addresses the issue of improper use of fossil record data in 'divergence dating,' a field crucial for understanding biodiversity origins.
Researchers discovered a way to determine tree density, vegetation structure, and leaf arrangement in ancient plant fossils, providing insight into how ecosystems have changed over millions of years. This new method allows for quantification of vegetation openness and sheds light on the impact of climate change on Earth's ecosystems.
Researchers develop method to analyze cell patterns in fossilized plants, revealing changes in tree cover and density over time. This discovery sheds light on how the Earth's ecosystems changed and can help forecast future climate scenarios.
A team of researchers found that most fossil plant lineages from Patagonia are older than the dates predicted by molecular clocks. This study refutes a widely-held idea about how plants and animals arrived at their current distributions, suggesting that molecular clocks may be biased.
Scientists have found that the Arctic Ocean's sea ice cover began to form around 2.6 million years ago, with significant expansion occurring around this time. This new knowledge can be used to improve future climate models and predict potential ice-free periods, which could have major implications for the planet's climate system.
Fossils of a shark egg case, horseshoe crabs and seed pods have been discovered in Doncaster, providing a window into a tropical water-logged forest teeming with life. The finds are believed to be rare and significant, offering insights into the geological history of Yorkshire.
Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania have made a groundbreaking discovery in northeastern China, uncovering a possible dinosaur nest with 24 young Psittacosaurus lujiatunensis and one older individual. The fossilized group suggests post-hatchling cooperation among dinosaurs, where a 'babysitter' cared for its younger siblings.
A CU-Boulder-led team has discovered fossils of a tiny, unknown hedgehog species, Silvacola acares, approximately 2 inches long. The ancient creature was found in north-central British Columbia and provides insights into the evolution of North American mammal communities during the Early Eocene Epoch.