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1. The Fossil Record: What Is It, and How Is It Used? (https://www.livescience.com/37193-fossil-record.html) 2. Unprecedented Discovery: Scientists Find New Dinosaur Fossil Encased in Amber (https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/unprecedented-discovery-scientists-find-new-dinosaur-fossil-encased-amber-180972058/) 3. Ancient Fossils Reveal How New Species Emerge (https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/07/180724142646.htm) 4. Fossil Finds Reveal How Ancient Monkeys Adapted to Life in the Trees (https://www.newscientist.com/article/2207986-fossil-finds-reveal-how-ancient-monkeys-adapted-to-life-in-the-trees/) 5. Fossils Reveal How Ancient Marine Reptiles Evolved Over Time (https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/11/181114
Coelacanths are strange fish that are currently only known from two species found along the East African coast and in Indonesia. A team from the Natural History Museum (MHNG) and the University of Geneva (UNIGE) has succeeded in identifying an additional species, with a level of detail never before achieved. This discovery was made possible by the use of the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) in Grenoble, a particle accelerator for analyzing matter.
Compared to the great apes, humans have an exceptionally long childhood, during which parents, grandparents and other adults contribute to their physical and cognitive development. This is a key developmental period for acquiring all the cognitive skills needed in the complex social environment of a human group. The current consensus is that the very long growth of modern humans has evolved as a consequence of the increase in brain volume, since such an organ requires significant energy resources to grow.
Could social bonds be the key to human big brains? A study of the fossil teeth of early Homo from Georgia dating back 1.77 million years reveals a prolonged childhood despite a small brain and an adulthood comparable to that of the great apes. This discovery suggests that an extended childhood, combined with cultural transmission in three-generation social groups, may have triggered the evolution of a large brain like that of modern humans, rather than the reverse.
The history of a major animal group, composed of millions of species of insects, arachnids, and nemotodes, has been elusive -- until now. A team has now identified the oldest known ecdysozoan in the fossil record and the only one from the Precambrian period.
The pterosaurs are extinct flying reptiles that lived alongside their close relatives, the dinosaurs. The largest of these reached 10 m in wingspan, but early forms were generally limited to around 2 m. In a paper, a team led by paleontologist Dr. David Hone of Queen Mary University of London and published in the journal Current Biology describes a new species of pterosaur that helps to explain this important transition.
A newly discovered pterosaur fossil is shedding light on the evolutionary journey of these ancient flying reptiles. This complete specimen, named Skiphosoura bavarica, provides crucial insights into how pterosaurs transitioned from early, smaller forms to the later, gigantic species. By analysing the unique features of Skiphosoura, paleontologists can now trace the step-by-step evolution of pterosaurs, including changes in head size, neck length, wing structure, and tail length. This groundbreaking discovery offers a clearer understanding of how these magnificent creatures soared through the prehistoric skies.
Research published in Nature Ecology & Evolution introduces a novel method for inferring DNA methylation patterns in non-skeletal tissues from ancient specimens, providing new insights into human evolution. As DNA methylation is a key marker of gene expression, this work allows scientists to explore changes in gene activity in the brain and other tissues that are typically absent from the fossil record.