Category Archives: Paleontology
When ancient fossil DNA isn’t available, ancient glycans may help trace human evolution
Researchers have discovered a new kind of glycan (sugar chain) that survives even in a 4-million-year-old animal fossil from Kenya, under conditions where ancient DNA does not. While ancient hominin fossils are not yet available for glycan analysis, this proof-of-concept … Continue reading
Ancient amphibian had mouthful of teeth ready to grab you
The idea of being bitten by a nearly toothless modern frog or salamander sounds laughable, but their ancient ancestors had a full array of teeth, large fangs and thousands of tiny hook-like structures called denticles on the roofs of their … Continue reading
Celebrity fossil reveals all for science
With the help of an artist, a geology professor has figuratively speaking breathed life into one of science’s most well-known fossil species; Agnostus pisiformis. The trilobite-like arthropod lived in huge numbers in Scandinavia a half-billion years ago. Today, this extinct … Continue reading
Evolution of ‘true frogs’ defies long-held expectations of science
New research shows, in contrast to expectations, ‘the rapid global range expansion of true frogs was not associated with increased net-diversification.’ Paleontology News — ScienceDaily
‘Mysterious’ ancient creature was definitely an animal, research confirms
It lived well over 550 million years ago, is known only through fossils and has variously been described as looking a bit like a jellyfish, a worm, a fungus and lichen. But was the ‘mysterious’ Dickinsonia an animal, or was … Continue reading
Massive Antarctic volcanic eruptions linked to abrupt Southern hemisphere climate changes
New findings document a 192-year series of volcanic eruptions in Antarctica that coincided with accelerated deglaciation about 17,700 years ago. Paleontology News — ScienceDaily
Paleontologist aids in new discovery 33 years after finding fossil
The fossilized plesiosaur Sankar Chatterjee found in 1984 is giving scientists a new understanding of convergent evolution between reptiles and mammals. Paleontology News — ScienceDaily
Shaking up the fish family tree: ‘Living fossil’ not as old as we thought
Polypterids are weird and puzzling African fish that have perplexed biologists since they were discovered during Napoleon’s expedition to Egypt in the late 1700s. Paleontology News — ScienceDaily
Ice age era bones recovered from underwater caves in Mexico
When the Panamanian land bridge formed around 3 million years ago, Southern Mexico was in the middle of a great biotic interchange of large animals from North and South America that crossed the continents in both directions. Ice age era … Continue reading
Fossil whales’ teeth shows what ferocious predators they were
The feeding habits of the whale — the world’s biggest animal — have evolved to filter feeding, shows new international research. Ancient whales appear to have been ferocious predators, investigators explain. Paleontology News — ScienceDaily