Category: Palaeontology
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Early mammal survived dinosaur-killing asteroid
While humans and dinosaurs only co-existed in cartoons like The Flintstones, some of our very early ancestors potentially shared a brief moment with the likes of the Titanosaurs and the iconic Triceratops. These distant relatives also survived the catastrophic extinction event that was triggered by the asteroid that hit the Earth and wiped out non-avian…
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Humans’ ancestors survived the asteroid impact that killed the dinosaurs
BYLINE: Laura Thomas Newswise — A Cretaceous origin for placental mammals, the group that includes humans, dogs and bats, has been revealed by in-depth analysis of the fossil record, showing they co-existed with dinosaurs for a short time before the dinosaurs went extinct. The catastrophic destruction triggered by the asteroid hitting the Earth resulted in…
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Megalodon Was No Cold-Blooded Killer – And That Spelled Its Doom
Scientists have discovered that the extinct megalodon shark was warm-blooded, as indicated by the isotopes in its tooth enamel. Their research suggests that the megalodon could maintain a body temperature about 13 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than the surrounding water, a significant difference compared to other contemporary sharks. A killer, yes. But analysis of tooth minerals…
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Stone head found in Lake Nemi may be from Caligula’s Nemi ships | HeritageDaily
A stone head found at the bottom of Lake Nemi in Italy’s Lazio region may be from Caligula’s Nemi ships. The discovery was made by the Municipal Civil Protection of Nemi during reclamation works to clean the lakebed. The Nemi ships were two gigantic vessels built in the 1st century AD during the reign of…
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Megalodon shark was warm-blooded, confirm researchers using geochemical technique
Newswise — CHICAGO — A new study finds that the gigantic Megalodon or megatooth shark, which lived nearly worldwide roughly 15-3.6 million years ago and reached at least 50 feet (15 meters) in length, was warm-blooded. This latest research from DePaul University paleobiologist Kenshu Shimada sheds light on the physiology of Megalodon, formally called Otodus…
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50-million-year-old katydid fossil reveals muscles, digestive tract, glands and a testicle — ScienceDaily
50 million years ago in what is now northwestern Colorado, a katydid died, sank to the bottom of a lake and was quickly buried in fine sediments, where it remained until its compressed fossil was recovered in recent years. When researchers examined the fossil under a microscope, they saw that not only had many of…
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A killer, yes, but analysis of tooth minerals reveals how the warm-blooded predator maintained its body temperature — ScienceDaily
The largest marine predator that ever lived was no cold-blooded killer. Well, a killer, yes. But a new analysis by environmental scientists from UCLA, UC Merced and William Paterson University sheds light on the warm-blooded animal’s ability to regulate its body temperature — and might help explain why it went extinct. After analyzing isotopes in…
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INAH Archaeologists explore catacombs of Hueypoxtla ancestors | HeritageDaily
Archaeologists from the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) are conducting a study of the catacombs beneath the church of Saint Bartholomew Parish in Hueypoxtla, Mexico. Saint Bartholomew Parish is a Catholic church in the Diocese of Cuautitlán which is dedicated to Saint Bartholomew the Apostle. In 1934, a large catacomb complex was discovered…
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Headlines involving the fascinating (and perilous) world of oceanography and marine biology can be viewed on the Marine Science channel
The recent tragic loss of the Titan submersible in the depths of the North Atlantic has brought the fascinating (and very dangerous) world of Oceanography and Marine Science to the forefront. Below are some recent stories that have been added to the Marine Science channel on Newswise, including expert commentary on the Titan submersible. Expert…
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Diverse Spinosaur Species Roamed Cretaceous Britain
Illustration of White Rock spinosaurid by Anthony Hutchings. A new study by paleontologists at the University of Southampton’s EvoPalaeoLab shows that several distinct groups of spinosaurs inhabited Cretaceous Britain. Credit: UoS/A Hutchings A recent study by the University of Southampton indicates that distinct spinosaur groups lived in Cretaceous Britain, challenging previous beliefs. Using a spinosaur…