Fossils News - SciTechDaily

Unlocking the Deep Past: New Study Maps the Dawn of Animal Life

University of Edinburgh — Fri, 16 Aug 2024 02:46:07 +0000

Researchers have linked changes in sea levels and marine oxygen to the evolution of early animals in a study that combines fossil analysis with geological data from 580–510 million years ago, enhancing our understanding of early biodiversity. A newly developed timeline of early animal fossils shows a connection between sea levels, marine oxygen changes, and [...]

Greenland’s Ice Sheet Isn’t As Solid as We Thought – and That’s Terrifying

University of Vermont — Wed, 14 Aug 2024 19:24:48 +0000

New evidence shows Greenland’s ice sheet once melted completely, revealing a tundra below. This suggests increased vulnerability to climate change and significant potential sea level rises. New research provides the first direct evidence that the center, not just the edges, of Greenland’s ice sheet melted in the recent geological past and the now-ice-covered island was [...]

Giant Fossil Discovery in Namibia Challenges Long-Held Evolutionary Theories

University of the Witwatersrand — Wed, 14 Aug 2024 08:23:37 +0000

Researchers have unearthed a giant basal tetrapod fossil in Namibia, revealing new aspects of early land animal evolution and highlighting the importance of southern continents in the study of these ancient species. An international team of paleontologists has discovered a fossilized giant basal tetrapod in Namibia. Basal tetrapods, early four-legged vertebrates with fingers and toes, [...]

“Completely Different” – Discovery of Strange 514-Million-Year-Old Slug Rewrites Our Understanding of Sea Creatures

University of Oxford — Mon, 12 Aug 2024 20:07:17 +0000

The newly discovered fossil of Shishania aculeata, an early mollusk without a shell but covered in protective spines, offers new insights into molluscan evolution, indicating a primitive, slug-like form during the Cambrian period. Researchers have discovered a new species of mollusk that lived 500 million years ago. The new fossil, called Shishania aculeata, reveals that [...]

Paleontologists Discover Unique Dolphin-Like Marine Crocodile From the Age of the Dinosaurs

University of Edinburgh — Sun, 11 Aug 2024 17:51:11 +0000

A newly discovered species of marine crocodile from 135 million years ago has been described from Germany. A new species of ancient marine crocodile, Enalioetes schroederi, has been described by an international team of scientists, including researchers from Germany and the UK. This species lived about 135 million years ago in the shallow seas that [...]

The Oldest Grapes in the Americas: Discovery of 60-Million-Year-Old Seeds Unveils Ancient Plant Secrets

Field Museum — Sun, 11 Aug 2024 00:25:05 +0000

Grape fossils in South America show evolution and resilience post-dinosaurs, aiding understanding of current biodiversity shifts. Researchers have discovered fossil grape seeds that range from 60 to 19 million years old in Colombia, Panama, and Peru. One of these species represents the earliest known example of plants from the grape family in the Western Hemisphere. [...]

The Real-Life “Hobbits” of Flores: Smallest Arm Bone in Human History Sheds Light on Mysterious Hominin Species

Griffith University — Tue, 06 Aug 2024 15:00:37 +0000

Researchers have uncovered early human fossils on Flores Island, Indonesia, revealing insights into the mysterious ‘Hobbits’ of Flores, Homo floresiensis. Dated 700,000 years ago, the new findings from the Mata Menge site include the smallest humerus ever found, supporting theories of significant body size reduction in early hominins isolated on the island. Discovery of Early [...]

Harvard Researchers Discover Rare Soft-Bodied Vertebrate Fossil in American Great Basin

Harvard University — Sun, 04 Aug 2024 19:44:42 +0000

The recent uncovering of a new soft-bodied vertebrate fossil in the American Great Basin region enhances our knowledge of vertebrate evolution. Harvard scientists discovered a new chordate species, Nuucichthys rhynchocephalus, in the American Great Basin, offering rare insights into the early evolution of vertebrates and their morphological transitions from invertebrates. The Cambrian fossil record shows [...]

Incredibly Rare 520-Million-Year-Old Worm Fossil Solves Ancient Evolutionary Mystery

Durham University — Fri, 02 Aug 2024 20:45:51 +0000

Durham University researchers discovered an extraordinarily detailed 520-million-year-old fossil, Youti yuanshi, revealing significant evolutionary insights into early arthropods’ complex anatomy and development. A recent study conducted by researchers at Durham University has unveiled an exceptionally rare and detailed fossil named Youti yuanshi, providing a glimpse into one of the earliest ancestors of modern insects, spiders, [...]

What a Bizarre Taco-Shaped Sea Creature Can Teach Us About Evolution

Royal Ontario Museum — Tue, 23 Jul 2024 23:01:38 +0000

Exceptional fossils show how mandibulates were trapping prey in marine ecosystems 500 million years ago. Researchers have classified the Cambrian marine animal, Odaraia, as a mandibulate based on new fossil evidence. This discovery aids in understanding the evolutionary paths and ecological adaptations during the Cambrian period, emphasizing the importance of the Burgess Shale for paleontological [...]

Ancient Fossil Discovery in South Africa’s Cradle of Humankind Offers New Insights Into Human Origins

University of the Witwatersrand — Tue, 23 Jul 2024 16:09:02 +0000

New fossil discoveries at South Africa’s Kromdraai site offer groundbreaking insights into the ancient ecosystems and their role in shaping human evolution, highlighting the interplay between hominins and various bovid species. In the sprawling savannas of South Africa’s Cradle of Humankind, the Kromdraai archaeological site has unveiled a new discovery that significantly enhances our understanding [...]

34-Million-Year-Old Snake Discovered in Wyoming Changes Our Understanding of Evolution

University of Alberta — Sun, 21 Jul 2024 21:34:14 +0000

Ancient snakes have been unearthed, shedding light on the continent’s slithering past. A newly discovered fossil snake species in Wyoming is transforming our understanding of snake evolution. Unearthed from a burrow where four well-preserved specimens were found intertwined, this species, named Hibernophis breithaupti, lived in North America 34 million years ago. This discovery provides valuable [...]

Challenging Current Timelines: New Fossil Finds Suggest Early Humans in South America Over 20,000 Years Ago

PLOS — Sat, 20 Jul 2024 02:53:37 +0000

Tool marks might represent some of the earliest known signs of human presence in southern South America. Recent findings from Argentina indicate human presence and exploitation of large mammals over 20,000 years ago, challenging previous beliefs about when humans first settled in the Americas. According to a study recently published in the open-access journal PLOS [...]

Biologists Have Tracked 66 Million Years of Mammalian Diversity

University of Nebraska-Lincoln — Fri, 19 Jul 2024 13:50:14 +0000

Researchers at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln studied North America’s fossil record over 66 million years, revealing insights into mammalian diversity and ecological shifts that could inform current conservation strategies. To comprehend the present, looking to history can be enlightening. Recent research from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln delved into the fossil record spanning 66 million years, [...]

Scientists Discover Extraordinary Ancient Chromosome Fossils in 52,000-Year-Old Mammoth

Baylor College of Medicine — Wed, 17 Jul 2024 11:13:19 +0000

A breakthrough now makes it possible to assemble the genomes of extinct species. A team of scientists from Baylor College of Medicine, the University of Copenhagen, and the Centre Nacional d’Anàlisi Genòmica and Centre for Genomic Regulation have discovered fossils of ancient chromosomes in the remains of a woolly mammoth that died 52,000 years ago. [...]

Scientists Discover Unusual New Dinosaur Species That Lived Underground

North Carolina State University — Tue, 16 Jul 2024 08:16:06 +0000

The discovery of the burrowing dinosaur, Fona herzogae, from the mid-Cretaceous period reveals a complex ecosystem with dinosaurs occupying subterranean niches. This underscores the diversity and ecological adaptability of dinosaurs, broadening our understanding of their roles in ancient environments. The age of dinosaurs wasn’t conducted solely above ground. A newly discovered ancestor of Thescelosaurus reveals [...]

Ancient Predator Unearthed in Nevada Rewrites Triassic Coastal Life Story

Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County — Mon, 15 Jul 2024 20:51:23 +0000

A newly discovered Triassic crocodile relative demonstrates that pseudosuchian archosaurs inhabited global coastal areas, significantly enriching our understanding of Mesozoic marine ecosystems. Researchers have discovered a new species of extinct crocodile relative from the Triassic Favret Formation of Nevada, USA. The species, named Benggwigwishingasuchus eremicarminis, reveals that the ancient crocodile kin known as pseudosuchian archosaurs [...]

Ancient Myth Debunked: Ammonites Were Not Doomed Before Extinction Event

University of Bristol — Sat, 13 Jul 2024 12:36:13 +0000

Recent findings from the University of Bristol reveal that ammonites, ancient marine mollusks, were not necessarily declining before their extinction 66 million years ago. The research, utilizing a new fossil database, shows regional variations in ammonite diversity, indicating that their demise was due to a chance event rather than a gradual decline. Scientists have discovered [...]

Amazing Discovery: Fossil Collector Unearths the Most Complete Dinosaur in the UK Since 1923

University of Portsmouth — Fri, 12 Jul 2024 08:19:21 +0000

A new dinosaur species, Comptonatus chasei, discovered on the Isle of Wight, represents a major advancement in understanding Cretaceous-era dinosaur diversity in England, with ongoing research suggesting more significant findings are likely. A new paper describes the most complete dinosaur discovered in this country in the past century. The specimen, approximately 125 million years old [...]

Unprecedented Fossil Find: Pompeii-Like Burial Preserves Trilobites in Stunning 3D Detail

American Association for the Advancement of Science — Thu, 11 Jul 2024 05:25:42 +0000

Recent findings from Cambrian-age trilobite fossils in Morocco, preserved in volcanic ash, have unveiled new anatomical details using advanced imaging, highlighting the potential for discovering soft-bodied anatomical structures in similar geological settings. Thanks to being rapidly entombed in volcanic ash – in a “Pompeii-like” process – Cambrian-age trilobites’ anatomy is more discernable than ever, via [...]

Paleontological Mystery: New Study Reveals That Ammonoids Thrived Until Their Sudden Extinction

Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County — Sun, 07 Jul 2024 21:14:34 +0000

A recent study utilized museum collections to chart global ammonite diversity prior to their complete extinction. The findings reveal that ammonites were not declining before they perished alongside non-avian dinosaurs 66 million years ago. A new study published in the journal Nature Communications, led by paleontologists at the University of Bristol in collaboration with international [...]

“Truly Astonishing” – Discovery of 500-Million-Year-Old “Pompeii” Trilobite Fossils Shake Up Scientific Understanding of the Long-Extinct Group

University of Bristol — Sat, 06 Jul 2024 08:27:03 +0000

Researchers have discovered exceptionally preserved “Pompeii” trilobite fossils in Morocco, providing new insights into the anatomy and preservation of these ancient creatures through advanced imaging techniques. Researchers have described some of the best-preserved three-dimensional trilobite fossils ever discovered. These over 500-million-year-old fossils were collected in the High Atlas of Morocco and are being referred to [...]

Meet Lokiceratops: New Dinosaur Wields Spectacular Blade-Like Horns

Colorado State University — Sun, 30 Jun 2024 23:26:50 +0000

The newly discovered Lokiceratops rangiformis features distinctive horns and a caribou-like frill, representing a significant addition to the diversity of North American centrosaurine dinosaurs. Unearthed in Montana and now housed in Denmark, this species offers a glimpse into the rich ecological dynamics of Cretaceous North America. What do you get when you cross Norse mythology [...]

Popular Myth Debunked: New Study Challenges 30-Year-Old Theory Linking Griffins to Dinosaurs

University of Portsmouth — Fri, 28 Jun 2024 19:18:16 +0000

A new study refutes the theory that griffin myths were inspired by Protoceratops dinosaur fossils, revealing inconsistencies in the geographical and historical evidence and advocating for a return to traditional interpretations of these mythological creatures. A new study challenges the popular and widely-promoted claim that dinosaur fossils inspired the legend of the griffin, the mythological [...]