Paleontology
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Scientists Discover Three-Eyed Sea Moth From Half a Billion Years Ago
Paleontologists have discovered Mosura fentoni, a three-eyed, finger-sized marine predator from half a billion years ago, in museum fossil collections in Canada. Named after the Japanese monster Mothra, this ancient radiodont had a highly segmented body and unusually long gills on its rear, possibly adapted for breathing in low-oxygen environments....
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New Study Traces T-Rex’s Origins to Asia and Links Gigantic Size to Climate Shift
A new study led by UCL researchers reveals that Tyrannosaurus rex, one of the most iconic dinosaurs, evolved in North America but descended from ancestors that migrated from Asia over 70 million years ago. The study also connects T. rex's enormous size to global cooling after a major climatic peak 92 million years ago. As other predators died out, ...
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Researchers Challenge Claims of 'Leather-Like' T. rex Skin
VML, The Organoid Company, and Lab-Grown Leather Ltd claim to be producing luxury fashion accessories using lab-grown "T. rex leather" made from fossilized collagen. The product is marketed as a sustainable, cruelty-free alternative to traditional leather. However, palaeontologists strongly dispute the claim, citing the lack of dinosaur DNA and pre...
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Dinosaurs Weren’t Doomed Before the Asteroid Hit, New Research Suggests
A new study reveals dinosaurs were thriving before the asteroid impact, not declining as once believed.
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30,000-Year-Old Vulture Feathers Discovered, Uniquely Preserved in Volcanic Ash
Fossilized feathers of a 30,000-year-old vulture, found in volcanic ash near Rome, have been analyzed, revealing a unique preservation process. Unlike typical fossilized feathers, these retained three-dimensional structures, likely due to zeolite minerals formed in the ash. Scientists believe the vulture was buried in a low-temperature pyroclastic ...
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Fossil Evidence Shows Plants Survived the End-Permian Mass Extinction in China
Fossils discovered in China indicate that the End-Permian mass extinction, which wiped out 80% of life on Earth, may not have been as devastating for plants as previously thought. Researchers found evidence of gymnosperm forests and ferns in rock layers from this period, suggesting that some ecosystems remained intact. This discovery challenges ass...
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Giant Horned Dinosaur Fossils Rediscovered in Egypt, WWII Lost Treasures
Researchers have uncovered long-lost photographs of giant horned dinosaur fossils from Egypt, which were destroyed during a WWII bombing. The fossils, originally discovered in 1914 in the Bahariya Oasis, have now been identified as belonging to a new species, Tameryraptor markgrafi. The newly discovered images revealed key differences from previous...
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Researchers Question Authenticity of Mosasaur Fossil in Morocco Mine
The discovery of a mosasaur fossil in a phosphate mine in Morocco has raised concerns over its authenticity. Initially described in 2021 as a new species, Xenodens calminechari, the fossil included a jawbone and sharp teeth, leading researchers to claim its uniqueness. However, new findings have prompted skepticism, particularly regarding the struc...
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Human Hunting More Responsible for Kangaroo Extinction than Climate Change
A recent study of ancient kangaroo teeth contradicts previous beliefs that climate change caused their extinction. By examining the wear on teeth, researchers found that kangaroos had flexible diets, which made them resilient to climate shifts. This evidence suggests that human hunting activities, rather than dietary limitations, played a more sign...
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Scientists Uncover Remains of Larger Mesosaurs in Uruguay’s Ancient Seas
Paleontologists in Uruguay have uncovered fossils of mesosaurs that exceed previous size records, revealing that these ancient reptiles may have grown to lengths of up to 2.5 metres. The specimens, found in the Mangrullo Formation, include fragmentary skulls and other bones, offering a glimpse into the gigantism that occurred in mature mesosaurs. R...
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Biggest Dinosaur Trackway in the UK With More Than 200 Footprints Reportedly Discovered
Over 200 dinosaur footprints, dating back 166 million years, have been discovered at Dewars Farm Quarry in Oxfordshire. The site, considered the largest of its kind in the UK, includes tracks from species such as the long-necked Cetiosaurus and the carnivorous Megalosaurus. Experts believe the tracks were preserved by a natural event, offering new ...
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New Haplocanthosaurus Specimen Uncovered in Colorado’s Dry Mesa Dinosaur Quarry
A new Haplocanthosaurus specimen has been discovered at the Dry Mesa Dinosaur Quarry in Colorado, contributing valuable insights into this rare sauropod from the Late Jurassic period. The find includes vertebrae and a tibia, helping to extend the genus’s range within the Morrison Formation. This discovery sheds light on the anatomy and evolutiona...
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Digital Reconstruction of Dwarf Hippopotamus Skull from Crete Sheds Light on Evolution
A digital reconstruction of the fragmented dwarf hippopotamus skull, Hippopotamus creutzburgi, has been completed for the first time. Using 3D imaging, experts restored the skull’s structure, offering new insights into the species' evolution and survival strategies on the isolated island of Crete during the Pleistocene epoch. This breakthrough re...
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Amber Discovered For the First Time in Antarctica: What You Need to Know
Scientists have uncovered the first-ever amber from Antarctica, dating back to the mid-Cretaceous period. Found in the Pine Island trough, this amber is between 92 and 83 million years old. The discovery offers insights into the ancient conifer-rich, swampy rainforest ecosystem near the South Pole. It also shows that all continents once supported r...
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Ancient Fossil Bird Skull Reveals Roots of Avian Intelligence, Finds New Study
Researchers have uncovered a well-preserved skull of Navaornis hestiae, an ancient bird from 80 million years ago, marking a crucial discovery for understanding the evolution of avian intelligence. Found in Brazil, this fossil bridges a 70-million-year gap in bird evolution between Archaeopteryx and today's birds, showcasing intermediate brain deve...
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Scientists Discover Three-Eyed Sea Moth From Half a Billion Years Ago
Paleontologists have discovered Mosura fentoni, a three-eyed, finger-sized marine predator from half a billion years ago, in museum fossil collections in Canada. Named after the Japanese monster Mothra, this ancient radiodont had a highly segmented body and unusually long gills on its rear, possibly adapted for breathing in low-oxygen environments....
-
New Study Traces T-Rex’s Origins to Asia and Links Gigantic Size to Climate Shift
A new study led by UCL researchers reveals that Tyrannosaurus rex, one of the most iconic dinosaurs, evolved in North America but descended from ancestors that migrated from Asia over 70 million years ago. The study also connects T. rex's enormous size to global cooling after a major climatic peak 92 million years ago. As other predators died out, ...
-
Researchers Challenge Claims of 'Leather-Like' T. rex Skin
VML, The Organoid Company, and Lab-Grown Leather Ltd claim to be producing luxury fashion accessories using lab-grown "T. rex leather" made from fossilized collagen. The product is marketed as a sustainable, cruelty-free alternative to traditional leather. However, palaeontologists strongly dispute the claim, citing the lack of dinosaur DNA and pre...
-
Dinosaurs Weren’t Doomed Before the Asteroid Hit, New Research Suggests
A new study reveals dinosaurs were thriving before the asteroid impact, not declining as once believed.
-
30,000-Year-Old Vulture Feathers Discovered, Uniquely Preserved in Volcanic Ash
Fossilized feathers of a 30,000-year-old vulture, found in volcanic ash near Rome, have been analyzed, revealing a unique preservation process. Unlike typical fossilized feathers, these retained three-dimensional structures, likely due to zeolite minerals formed in the ash. Scientists believe the vulture was buried in a low-temperature pyroclastic ...
-
Fossil Evidence Shows Plants Survived the End-Permian Mass Extinction in China
Fossils discovered in China indicate that the End-Permian mass extinction, which wiped out 80% of life on Earth, may not have been as devastating for plants as previously thought. Researchers found evidence of gymnosperm forests and ferns in rock layers from this period, suggesting that some ecosystems remained intact. This discovery challenges ass...
-
Giant Horned Dinosaur Fossils Rediscovered in Egypt, WWII Lost Treasures
Researchers have uncovered long-lost photographs of giant horned dinosaur fossils from Egypt, which were destroyed during a WWII bombing. The fossils, originally discovered in 1914 in the Bahariya Oasis, have now been identified as belonging to a new species, Tameryraptor markgrafi. The newly discovered images revealed key differences from previous...
-
Researchers Question Authenticity of Mosasaur Fossil in Morocco Mine
The discovery of a mosasaur fossil in a phosphate mine in Morocco has raised concerns over its authenticity. Initially described in 2021 as a new species, Xenodens calminechari, the fossil included a jawbone and sharp teeth, leading researchers to claim its uniqueness. However, new findings have prompted skepticism, particularly regarding the struc...
-
Human Hunting More Responsible for Kangaroo Extinction than Climate Change
A recent study of ancient kangaroo teeth contradicts previous beliefs that climate change caused their extinction. By examining the wear on teeth, researchers found that kangaroos had flexible diets, which made them resilient to climate shifts. This evidence suggests that human hunting activities, rather than dietary limitations, played a more sign...
-
Scientists Uncover Remains of Larger Mesosaurs in Uruguay’s Ancient Seas
Paleontologists in Uruguay have uncovered fossils of mesosaurs that exceed previous size records, revealing that these ancient reptiles may have grown to lengths of up to 2.5 metres. The specimens, found in the Mangrullo Formation, include fragmentary skulls and other bones, offering a glimpse into the gigantism that occurred in mature mesosaurs. R...
-
Biggest Dinosaur Trackway in the UK With More Than 200 Footprints Reportedly Discovered
Over 200 dinosaur footprints, dating back 166 million years, have been discovered at Dewars Farm Quarry in Oxfordshire. The site, considered the largest of its kind in the UK, includes tracks from species such as the long-necked Cetiosaurus and the carnivorous Megalosaurus. Experts believe the tracks were preserved by a natural event, offering new ...
-
New Haplocanthosaurus Specimen Uncovered in Colorado’s Dry Mesa Dinosaur Quarry
A new Haplocanthosaurus specimen has been discovered at the Dry Mesa Dinosaur Quarry in Colorado, contributing valuable insights into this rare sauropod from the Late Jurassic period. The find includes vertebrae and a tibia, helping to extend the genus’s range within the Morrison Formation. This discovery sheds light on the anatomy and evolutiona...
-
Digital Reconstruction of Dwarf Hippopotamus Skull from Crete Sheds Light on Evolution
A digital reconstruction of the fragmented dwarf hippopotamus skull, Hippopotamus creutzburgi, has been completed for the first time. Using 3D imaging, experts restored the skull’s structure, offering new insights into the species' evolution and survival strategies on the isolated island of Crete during the Pleistocene epoch. This breakthrough re...
-
Amber Discovered For the First Time in Antarctica: What You Need to Know
Scientists have uncovered the first-ever amber from Antarctica, dating back to the mid-Cretaceous period. Found in the Pine Island trough, this amber is between 92 and 83 million years old. The discovery offers insights into the ancient conifer-rich, swampy rainforest ecosystem near the South Pole. It also shows that all continents once supported r...
-
Ancient Fossil Bird Skull Reveals Roots of Avian Intelligence, Finds New Study
Researchers have uncovered a well-preserved skull of Navaornis hestiae, an ancient bird from 80 million years ago, marking a crucial discovery for understanding the evolution of avian intelligence. Found in Brazil, this fossil bridges a 70-million-year gap in bird evolution between Archaeopteryx and today's birds, showcasing intermediate brain deve...
