Paleo in the News

Magnificent yellow-crested bird photographed for the first time

New Scientist - Wed, 02/21/2024 - 08:21
The yellow-crested helmetshrike was considered lost after going unseen for nearly 20 years – now an expedition has rediscovered what appears to be a healthy population in central Africa
Categories: Fossils

Panama Canal expansion rewrites history of world's most ecologically diverse bats

Science Daily - Paleontology - Tue, 02/20/2024 - 13:44
In a new study, paleontologists describe the oldest-known leaf-nosed bat fossils, which were found along the banks of the Panama Canal. They're also the oldest bat fossils from Central America, preserved 20-million years ago when Panama and the rest of North America were separated from southern landmass by a seaway at least 120 miles wide.
Categories: Fossils

Panama Canal expansion rewrites history of world's most ecologically diverse bats

Science Daily - Fossils - Tue, 02/20/2024 - 13:44
In a new study, paleontologists describe the oldest-known leaf-nosed bat fossils, which were found along the banks of the Panama Canal. They're also the oldest bat fossils from Central America, preserved 20-million years ago when Panama and the rest of North America were separated from southern landmass by a seaway at least 120 miles wide.
Categories: Fossils

Ancient DNA reveals Down syndrome in past human societies

Science Daily - Fossils - Tue, 02/20/2024 - 13:43
By analysing ancient DNA, an international team of researchers have uncovered cases of chromosomal disorders, including what could be the first case of Edwards syndrome ever identified from prehistoric remains.
Categories: Fossils

Deadly plant kills its pollinators but nurses their young

New Scientist - Tue, 02/20/2024 - 09:00
A deadly flower kills the gnats that pollinate it but may help the insects’ offspring in return, which indicates that plant-pollinator relationships may be more complex than previously thought
Categories: Fossils

Why two prehistoric sharks found in Ohio got new names

Science Daily - Paleontology - Mon, 02/19/2024 - 12:07
Until recently, Orthacanthus gracilis could have been considered the 'John Smith' of prehistoric shark names, given how common it was. Three different species of sharks from the late Paleozoic Era -- about 310 million years ago -- were mistakenly given that same name, causing lots of grief to paleontologists who studied and wrote about the sharks through the years and had trouble keeping them apart. But now a professor has finished the arduous task of renaming two of the three sharks -- and in the process rediscovered a wealth of fossil fishes that had been stored at a museum for years but had been largely forgotten.
Categories: Fossils

Why two prehistoric sharks found in Ohio got new names

Science Daily - Fossils - Mon, 02/19/2024 - 12:07
Until recently, Orthacanthus gracilis could have been considered the 'John Smith' of prehistoric shark names, given how common it was. Three different species of sharks from the late Paleozoic Era -- about 310 million years ago -- were mistakenly given that same name, causing lots of grief to paleontologists who studied and wrote about the sharks through the years and had trouble keeping them apart. But now a professor has finished the arduous task of renaming two of the three sharks -- and in the process rediscovered a wealth of fossil fishes that had been stored at a museum for years but had been largely forgotten.
Categories: Fossils

Underwater photo competition showcases stunning images of marine life

New Scientist - Mon, 02/19/2024 - 09:41
Diving seabirds, a tiny octopus and a close encounter with a grey whale feature in breathtaking entries for the 2024 Underwater Photographer of the Year competition
Categories: Fossils

Mystery solved: The oldest fossil reptile from the alps is an historical forgery

Science Daily - Paleontology - Fri, 02/16/2024 - 12:58
Palaeontological analysis shows that a renowned fossil thought to show soft tissue preservation is in fact just paint. The fossil discovered in 1931 was thought to be an important specimen for understanding early reptile evolution. While not all of the celebrated fossil is a forgery, scientists urge caution in how the fossil is utilized in future.
Categories: Fossils

Mystery solved: The oldest fossil reptile from the alps is an historical forgery

Science Daily - Fossils - Fri, 02/16/2024 - 12:58
Palaeontological analysis shows that a renowned fossil thought to show soft tissue preservation is in fact just paint. The fossil discovered in 1931 was thought to be an important specimen for understanding early reptile evolution. While not all of the celebrated fossil is a forgery, scientists urge caution in how the fossil is utilized in future.
Categories: Fossils

Polar bears appear to be ageing faster as the Arctic gets warmer

New Scientist - Fri, 02/16/2024 - 06:00
Markers of biological ageing in polar bear tissue samples reveal that stress associated with climate change appears to be taking a toll
Categories: Fossils

Searching for clues in the history book of the ocean

Science Daily - Paleontology - Thu, 02/15/2024 - 15:06
New research has shown that the tropical subsurface ocean gained oxygen during the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (commonly referred to as PETM). During this short-lived interval of time in Earth s history that occurred 56 million years ago the average temperatures rose by up to six degrees within a few thousand years.
Categories: Fossils

Searching for clues in the history book of the ocean

Science Daily - Fossils - Thu, 02/15/2024 - 15:06
New research has shown that the tropical subsurface ocean gained oxygen during the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (commonly referred to as PETM). During this short-lived interval of time in Earth s history that occurred 56 million years ago the average temperatures rose by up to six degrees within a few thousand years.
Categories: Fossils

The right microbes on plant roots can make your tea taste better

New Scientist - Thu, 02/15/2024 - 10:00
Changing the microbial community on the roots of tea plants can improve the flavour and nutritional content of the leaves, leading to a better-tasting cuppa
Categories: Fossils

Poison frogs tap-dance to rouse prey and make them easier to catch

New Scientist - Thu, 02/15/2024 - 00:00
Different species of poison frogs tap their toes when feeding to create vibrations that cause flies to move closer to them
Categories: Fossils

A lighthouse in the Gobi desert

Science Daily - Paleontology - Wed, 02/14/2024 - 19:33
A new study explores the weight great fossil sites have on our understanding of evolutionary relationships between fossil groups and quantified the power these sites have on our understanding of evolutionary history. Surprisingly, the authors discovered that the wind-swept sand deposits of the Late Cretaceous Gobi Desert's extraordinarily diverse and well-preserved fossil lizard record shapes our understanding of their evolutionary history more than any other site on the planet.
Categories: Fossils

A lighthouse in the Gobi desert

Science Daily - Dinosaurs - Wed, 02/14/2024 - 19:33
A new study explores the weight great fossil sites have on our understanding of evolutionary relationships between fossil groups and quantified the power these sites have on our understanding of evolutionary history. Surprisingly, the authors discovered that the wind-swept sand deposits of the Late Cretaceous Gobi Desert's extraordinarily diverse and well-preserved fossil lizard record shapes our understanding of their evolutionary history more than any other site on the planet.
Categories: Fossils

A lighthouse in the Gobi desert

Science Daily - Fossils - Wed, 02/14/2024 - 19:33
A new study explores the weight great fossil sites have on our understanding of evolutionary relationships between fossil groups and quantified the power these sites have on our understanding of evolutionary history. Surprisingly, the authors discovered that the wind-swept sand deposits of the Late Cretaceous Gobi Desert's extraordinarily diverse and well-preserved fossil lizard record shapes our understanding of their evolutionary history more than any other site on the planet.
Categories: Fossils

Incredible picture of polar bear snoozing atop an iceberg is a winner

New Scientist - Wed, 02/14/2024 - 12:00
Taken in the Svalbard archipelago, Nima Sarikhani's image has scooped the Wildlife Photographer of the Year People’s Choice Award
Categories: Fossils

Rice containing beef cells could make a sustainable meal

New Scientist - Wed, 02/14/2024 - 10:00
Scientists have grown cow muscle cells inside grains of rice to create a new food product that could supply protein with a lower carbon footprint than beef
Categories: Fossils

Pages

S M T W T F S
1
 
2
 
3
 
4
 
5
 
6
 
7
 
8
 
9
 
10
 
11
 
12
 
13
 
14
 
15
 
16
 
17
 
18
 
19
 
20
 
21
 
22
 
23
 
24
 
25
 
26
 
27
 
28
 
29
 
30
 
31