Paleontology 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 [...]

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 [...]

“Really Shocking” – Researchers Discover Unusual Giant Swamp Creature From Before the Dinosaurs

Field Museum — Tue, 06 Aug 2024 10:09:27 +0000

The fossil of Gaiasia jennyae, a large prehistoric predator with a unique skull shape, was discovered in Namibia. It reveals significant details about the ecosystems near the poles 300 million years ago, showing how this species thrived in a cold swamp environment. Researchers have discovered the fossil of a giant, swamp-dwelling predator that existed forty [...]

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, [...]

Decoding Earth’s Ancient Atmosphere: Life’s Role in Shaping Our World

Syracuse University — Thu, 01 Aug 2024 23:41:38 +0000

A recent scientific study traces the co-evolution of Earth’s atmosphere, oceans, and life over 500 million years, revealing how organisms like algae have modified and adapted to changing environmental conditions, ultimately enhancing Earth’s habitability. Over the past 500 million years, interactions between the atmosphere, the ocean, and life on Earth have created conditions that allowed [...]

New Research Unravels the Evolutionary Secrets of Ancient Seas’ Forgotten Rulers

University of Bristol — Thu, 01 Aug 2024 19:18:27 +0000

A new study indicates that despite significant evolutionary innovations post-extinction, brachiopods failed to match the species diversity of molluscs, challenging assumptions about their adaptive success and shedding light on the complexities of biodiversity evolution. Researchers from the University of Bristol, the Open University, and the China University of Geosciences have discovered that while brachiopods were [...]

Unparalleled Insight – Ancient Fossil Discovery Shows How South America and Africa Drifted Apart

Southern Methodist University — Tue, 30 Jul 2024 04:24:24 +0000

Rocks and fossils found in Angola by an SMU-led research team offer an unparalleled view of the formation of the South Atlantic Ocean, illustrating the split of South America and Africa that began about 140 million years ago. A research team led by Southern Methodist University (SMU) has discovered that ancient rocks and fossils of [...]

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 [...]

Man vs. Nature: New Research Uncovers Real Story Behind the Disappearance of Earth’s Largest Animals

Aarhus University — Tue, 23 Jul 2024 20:17:44 +0000

Researchers at Aarhus University have concluded that human hunting, rather than climate change, was the primary factor in the extinction of large mammals over the past 50,000 years. This finding is based on a review of over 300 scientific articles. Over the last 50,000 years, many large species, or megafauna, weighing at least 45 kilograms [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

1.4 Million-Year-Old Human Activity Unearthed at Orce’s Quicksand Trap

University of Malaga — Sun, 14 Jul 2024 15:16:49 +0000

Located at Fuente Nueva-3, this Early Pleistocene archaeological site hosts some of the oldest traces of human habitation in Western Europe. Researchers at the University of Malaga have revealed, in an unprecedented manner, that the Early Pleistocene archaeological site of Orce, often referred to as the ‘elephant graveyard’ due to the abundance of remains from [...]

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 [...]