Paleo in the News

Researchers uncover 92 fossil nests belonging to some of India's largest dinosaurs

Science Daily - Dinosaurs - Wed, 01/18/2023 - 18:58
The discovery of more than 250 fossilized eggs reveals intimate details about the lives of titanosaurs in the Indian subcontinent, according to a new study.
Categories: Fossils

Fossils reveal dinosaurs of prehistoric Patagonia

Science Daily - Dinosaurs - Thu, 01/12/2023 - 14:58
A study is providing a glimpse into dinosaur and bird diversity in Patagonia during the Late Cretaceous, just before the non-avian dinosaurs went extinct. The fossils represent the first record of theropods -- a dinosaur group that includes both modern birds and their closest non-avian dinosaur relatives -- from the Chilean portion of Patagonia. The researchers' finds include giant megaraptors with large sickle-like claws and birds similar to todays ducks and geese.
Categories: Fossils

Largest ever animal may have been Triassic ichthyosaur super-predator

New Scientist - Thu, 12/29/2022 - 03:00
New fossil discoveries show predatory marine reptiles from 200 million years ago may have been bigger than today’s blue whales – and that they evolved astonishingly rapidly
Categories: Fossils

The other paleo diet: Rare discovery of dinosaur remains preserved with its last meal

Science Daily - Dinosaurs - Wed, 12/21/2022 - 11:13
Microraptor was an opportunistic predator, feeding on fish, birds, lizards -- and now small mammals. The discovery of a rare fossil reveals the creature was a generalist carnivore in the ancient ecosystem of dinosaurs.
Categories: Fossils

What the inner ear of Europasaurus reveals about its life

Science Daily - Dinosaurs - Tue, 12/20/2022 - 10:24
Europasaurus is a long-necked, herbivorous dinosaur that lived in the Late Jurassic, about 154 million years ago, on a small island in modern-day Germany. Recently, scientists examined fossil braincase material of Europasaurus with the aid of micro-computed tomography (micro-CT). The digital reconstruction of the inner ear of Europasaurus gave the researchers new insights not only into its hearing ability, but also into its reproductive and social behavior.
Categories: Fossils

Scientists discover what was on the menu of the first dinosaurs

Science Daily - Dinosaurs - Fri, 12/16/2022 - 13:26
The earliest dinosaurs included carnivorous, omnivorous and herbivorous species, according to a team of palaeobiologists.
Categories: Fossils

Climate change played key role in dinosaur success story

Science Daily - Dinosaurs - Fri, 12/16/2022 - 10:29
Climate change, rather than competition, played a key role in the ascendancy of dinosaurs through the Late Triassic and Early Jurassic periods.
Categories: Fossils

Dinosaur teeth reveal what they didn't eat

Science Daily - Dinosaurs - Fri, 12/09/2022 - 08:47
Scratches on dinosaur teeth could reveal what they really ate. Dental microwear texture analysis (DMTA) has now been used to infer the feeding habits of large theropods, including Allosaurus and T. rex. By taking 3D images of individual teeth and analyzing the pattern of marks scratched into them, researchers could reason which dinosaurs may have frequently crunched on hard bone and which may have regularly eaten softer foods and prey. This technique opens up a new avenue of research for paleontology, helping us to better understand not only dinosaurs themselves but also the environment and communities in which they lived.
Categories: Fossils

Dinosaurs were on the up before asteroid downfall

Science Daily - Dinosaurs - Wed, 12/07/2022 - 13:22
Dinosaurs dominated the world right up until a deadly asteroid hit the earth, leading to their mass extinction, some 66 million years ago, a landmark study reveals. Fresh insights into dinosaurs' ecosystems -- the habitats and food types that supported their lives -- suggests that their environments were robust and thriving, right up until that fateful day, at the end of the Cretaceous period.
Categories: Fossils

Ankylosaurs battled each other as much as they fought off T. rex

Science Daily - Dinosaurs - Tue, 12/06/2022 - 19:49
Scientists have found new evidence for how armored dinosaurs used their iconic tail clubs. The exceptional fossil of the ankylosaur Zuul crurivastator has spikes along its flanks that were broken and re-healed while the dinosaur was alive -- injuries that the scientists think were caused from a strike by another Zuul's massive tail club. This suggests ankylosaurs had complex behavior, possibly battling for social and territorial dominance or even engaging in a 'rutting' season for mates.
Categories: Fossils

Fossil overturns more than a century of knowledge about the origin of modern birds

Science Daily - Dinosaurs - Wed, 11/30/2022 - 10:45
Fossilized fragments of a skeleton, hidden within a rock the size of a grapefruit, have helped upend one of the longest-standing assumptions about the origins of modern birds.
Categories: Fossils

Oldest Pterodactylus fossil found in Germany

Science Daily - Dinosaurs - Tue, 11/29/2022 - 10:27
The oldest Pterodactylus specimen was found near Painten, Germany. The fossil is about one million years older than other Pterodactylus specimens. The specimen is a complete, well-preserved skeleton of a small-sized individual. With a 5-cm-long skull, it represents a rare 'sub-adult' individual.
Categories: Fossils

ALF MUSEUM’S DIRECTOR OF VISITOR ENGAGEMENT AND EDUCATION RECEIVES NATIONAL HONOR

R. M. Alf Museum of Paleontology - Fri, 11/18/2022 - 08:38

Gabriel-Philip Santos, the Alf Museum’s director of visitor engagement and education, has been honored for his exceptional service to the field of paleontology with the 2022 John and Mary Lou Pojeta Award.

Santos accepted the award, conferred by The Paleontological Society, at the Geological Society of America Connects 2022 gathering held October 9-12 in Denver.

This national-level award was created in 2014 to recognize “exceptional professional or public service, by individuals or groups … above and beyond that of existing formal roles or responsibilities.”

Santos, along with frequent collaborator Brittney Stoneburg, collections manager of the Western Science Center, was recognized for bringing paleontology into new venues through efforts such as Fossil Friday Chats and Cosplay for Science.

“These innovative programs have reached thousands throughout Southern California, nationally and globally and continue to put the Alf Museum on the map,” Alf Museum Director Dr. Andy Farke said. “The recognition from The Paleontological Society, one of the major organizations for our profession, shows the respect that Gabe has earned within our scientific and educational communities.”

Santos, who has been with the Alf Museum since 2015, was promoted to his current post earlier this year. He previously served as both outreach coordinator and collections manager. Santos holds a Master of Science in geological sciences from Cal State Fullerton.

“This was an incredible honor,” Santos said. “When I first started in paleontology I didn’t know if I belonged in this field because I couldn’t see anyone like me in it. It was hard work forging my path, but now to be recognized by the community, I know that I made my place here and I hope I can show others like me they belong here, too.”

In 2021, Santos was named a 2021 Grosvenor Teacher Fellow by National Geographic and Lindblad Expeditions for his work as an informal science educator, including using cosplay and pop-up museums to engage diverse communities.

Categories: Fossils

Prehistoric predator? Artificial intelligence says no

Science Daily - Dinosaurs - Tue, 11/15/2022 - 10:37
Artificial intelligence has revealed that prehistoric footprints thought to be made by a vicious dinosaur predator were in fact from a timid herbivore.
Categories: Fossils

New Scottish fossil sheds light on the origins of lizards

Science Daily - Dinosaurs - Wed, 10/26/2022 - 10:43
A fossil discovery from Scotland has provided new information on the early evolution of lizards, during the time of the dinosaurs.
Categories: Fossils

Fossil bird's skull reconstruction reveals a brain made for smelling and eyes made for daylight

Science Daily - Dinosaurs - Mon, 10/24/2022 - 14:36
Piecing together the crushed skull of a fossil bird that lived alongside the dinosaurs helped researchers extrapolate what its brain would have looked like: big olfactory bulbs would have meant that this bird, the earliest known animal to eat fruit, had a better sense of smell than most modern birds. And the bones around its eye sockets revealed that it would have been better at seeing by day than at night.
Categories: Fossils

Ostrich-like dinosaurs from Mississippi are among the world's largest at over 800 kilograms

Science Daily - Dinosaurs - Wed, 10/19/2022 - 16:22
Ostrich-like dinosaurs called ornithomimosaurs grew to enormous sizes in ancient eastern North America, according to a new study.
Categories: Fossils

Dinosaur 'mummies' might not be as unusual as we think

Science Daily - Dinosaurs - Wed, 10/12/2022 - 15:34
A process of desiccation and deflation explains why dinosaur 'mummies' aren't as exceptional as we might expect, according to a study.
Categories: Fossils

Shaking the dinosaur family tree: How did 'bird-hipped' dinosaurs evolve?

Science Daily - Dinosaurs - Thu, 09/22/2022 - 09:31
Researchers have conducted a new analysis of the origins of 'bird-hipped' dinosaurs -- the group which includes iconic species such as Triceratops -- and found that they likely evolved from a group of animals known as silesaurs, which were first identified two decades ago.
Categories: Fossils

THE ALF MUSEUM JOINS THE MUSEUMS FOR ALL INITIATIVE

R. M. Alf Museum of Paleontology - Tue, 08/23/2022 - 13:13

Natural history museums are places for everyone to discover more about this amazing world we all share, but cost of admission can be a barrier for many in our community. That’s why the Alf Museum is proud to announce our participation in the Museums for All initiative!

The Museums for All initiative is available to all receiving SNAP EBT benefits. Simply present your SNAP EBT at the museum to receive free admission for up to four family members per card. Museums for All admission is available during all normal museum hours.

Museums for All helps expand access to museums and also raise public awareness about how museums in the U.S. are reaching their entire communities. More than 850 institutions participate in the initiative, including art museums, children’s museums, science centers, botanical gardens, zoos, history museums, and more. Participating museums are located nationwide, representing all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. Virgin Islands. It was created by

“A key part of our mission at the Alf Museum is to bring the wonders of paleontology – which is really the story of life on Earth – to as many members of our community as possible,” said Dr. Andy Farke, director of the Alf Museum. “Museums for All is the perfect companion program to our school and community science outreach programs.”

With the Museums for All initiative, we want to welcome everyone to enjoy a trip through time and share in discovering the amazing story of life on Earth.

For more information, please visit museums4all.org.

Categories: Fossils

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