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Paleontology & Fossils news
Scorching climate drove lampreys apart during Cretaceous period, DNA and fossil record reveal
A new study finds that one of the hottest periods in Earth's history may have driven lampreys apart—genetically speaking. The work could have implications for how aquatic species respond to our current changing climate. ...
Evolution
10 hours ago
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Herbivore or carnivore? A new toolbox for the study of extinct reptiles
Evolution has resulted in the development of both herbivores and carnivores—but how? What type of food did extinct vertebrates eat? And how can we gain insight into the diets of these creatures? In living animals, we can ...
Plants & Animals
11 hours ago
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Discovery of 'Punk' and 'Emo' fossils challenges our understanding of ancient mollusks
Researchers have unearthed two fossils, named Punk and Emo, revealing that ancient mollusks were more complex and adaptable than previously known.
Evolution
12 hours ago
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Dinosaurs may have roamed the northern hemisphere millions of years earlier than previously thought
How and when did dinosaurs first emerge and spread across the planet more than 200 million years ago? That question has for decades been a source of debate among paleontologists faced with fragmented fossil records.
Paleontology & Fossils
14 hours ago
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Fossil study reveals oldest-known evolutionary 'arms race'
A study led by researchers at the American Museum of Natural History presents the oldest known example in the fossil record of an evolutionary arms race. These 517-million-year-old predator-prey interactions occurred in the ...
Evolution
Jan 3, 2025
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Discovery of rare new fossil sheds light on New Zealand's extinct dolphin-like reptiles
Ichthyosaurs were reptiles that swam in the seas during the time of the dinosaurs. They evolved separately around 250 million years ago, possibly from a crocodile-like ancestor, to resemble fish and modern dolphins.
Paleontology & Fossils
Jan 2, 2025
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Major new footprint discoveries on Britain's 'dinosaur highway'
In a stunning find, researchers from the Universities of Oxford and Birmingham have uncovered a huge expanse of quarry floor filled with hundreds of different dinosaur footprints, creating multiple enormous trackways.
Paleontology & Fossils
Jan 2, 2025
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New dinosaur, Archaeocursor asiaticus, hints at early Gondwana to Laurasia migration
A newly identified dinosaur from southwestern China is revealing what appears to be the earliest-diverging ornithischian dinosaur in Asia. A multi-institution investigation in China has introduced the world to Archaeocursor ...
New study reconstructs the skull of ancient Cretan hippo
A study by researchers Nikolaos Gerakakis and Prof. Dimitrios Makris has successfully reconstructed the skull of an extinct dwarf hippopotamus that once roamed the island of Crete, using innovative 3D digital imaging techniques.
Fossil treasure chest: How to preserve the geoheritage of South Africa's Cape coast
I am standing on a dune looking out to sea. It's 2024, but I'm thinking about a very different time. Hundreds of thousands of years ago, this 350 km stretch of southern African coast looked very different. It was home to ...
Paleontology & Fossils
Dec 26, 2024
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Rare fossil embryos show early Ecdysozoa development in Cambrian era
An international research team has made a notable discovery of fossil embryos belonging to Ecdysozoa, a diverse group of animals including roundworms, velvet worms, insects, and crabs. These fossils, dated to approximately ...
Evolution
Dec 24, 2024
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Extremely rare baby mammoth found in Siberia
Russian scientists on Monday showed off the remarkably well preserved remains of a baby mammoth found in the permafrost-covered region of Yakutia.
Paleontology & Fossils
Dec 23, 2024
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Ferns' ancient resilience aids modern ecosystem recovery after disasters
Scientists have suggested an updated framework for the role of ferns in environmental recovery from disaster. Instead of competing with other organisms, ferns may act as facilitators that ease the way for other plants and ...
Ecology
Dec 20, 2024
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Simulations of hominin Lucy help show how long distance running evolved in modern humans
A team of natural scientists, musculoskeletal specialists, and evolutionary biologists affiliated with several institutions in the U.K., working with a colleague from the Netherlands, has found via simulations, that the famous ...
Giant sloths and mastodons lived with humans for millennia in the Americas, new discoveries suggest
Sloths weren't always slow-moving, furry tree-dwellers. Their prehistoric ancestors were huge—up to 4 tons (3.6 metric tons)—and when startled, they brandished immense claws.
Paleontology & Fossils
Dec 20, 2024
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Extended chart of life shows ancient species may have evolved slower and lasted longer
If all the world's a stage and all the species merely players, then their exits and entrances can be found in the rock record. Fossilized skeletons and shells clearly show how evolution and extinction unfolded over the past ...
Evolution
Dec 19, 2024
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A family reunion 150 million years in making: Paleontologists identify nearly 50 hidden relatives of Pterodactylus
Christmas is the time for families to come together, and in the midst of the festive season, University of Leicester paleontologists have announced that they have reunited a family that has been separated for 150 million ...
Paleontology & Fossils
Dec 19, 2024
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138
New York man finds mastodon jaw while gardening in his backyard
Scholars are hailing the discovery of a fossilized mastodon jaw discovered by a man who spotted two giant teeth while gardening at his upstate New York home this year.
Paleontology & Fossils
Dec 18, 2024
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How a giant prehistoric elephant skull helped untangle an evolutionary mystery
About 400,000 years ago, early humans in Europe, Asia and Africa lived alongside giant straight-tusked elephants, far bigger than their modern-day cousins. Their evolution has long been a mystery to paleontologists, but an ...
Evolution
Dec 18, 2024
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Mysterious plant fossil belongs to a family that no longer exists
In 1969, fossilized leaves of the species Othniophyton elongatum—which translates to "alien plant"—were identified in eastern Utah. Initially, scientists theorized the extinct species may have belonged to the ginseng ...
Plants & Animals
Dec 17, 2024
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More news
World's oldest mammalian ancestor discovered in Mallorca
What bone scans reveal about a tiny crocodilian from the Jurassic era
Thylacoleo the fossil lion makes a roaring comeback
New species of ancient fish may be smallest known vertebrate fossil in Queensland's history
Triassic reptile with unusual jaws named as a new species
Tyrannosaur teeth discovered in Bexhill-on-Sea with help of retired quarryman
Rare whitefly fossils found in New Zealand shed light on ancient forest life
Fishy fossil find points to possible polar bear ancestry for Scottish bears
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Toxin-antitoxin systems could target invasive and resistant bacteria
Blueberry industry at risk as powdery mildew spreads worldwide
Dormancy: Life's first survival strategy?
Scientists create scalable solution for analyzing single-cell data
Peru scientists unveil crocodile fossil up to 12 million years old
Fossil discovery reveals giant worm lizard with snail-cracking jaws
Parasaurolophus pipes: Modeling the dinosaur's crest to study its sound
Human ancestor Lucy still has secrets 50 years after discovery
Debris falling from the sky: More often, more risk
Engineered bacteria break down microplastics in wastewater
