Paleontology News - SciTechDaily

“Unlike Any Other Arachnid Known” – Scientists Discover Bizarre 308-Million-Year-Old Creature With Spiny Legs

University of Kansas — Wed, 22 May 2024 21:14:14 +0000

Douglassarachne acanthopoda, a 308-million-year-old arachnid with spiny legs, was discovered in Illinois’ Mazon Creek locality. This unique species underscores the diversity of ancient arachnids in...

Evolution’s 180-Million-Year-Old Secret: Scientists Discover Potential Origin of the First “Warm-Blooded” Dinosaurs

University College London — Mon, 20 May 2024 21:21:17 +0000

A new study led by researchers from UCL and the University of Vigo suggests that the ability to regulate body temperature, a characteristic shared by...

Longstanding Paleontology Mystery Solved – Revolutionary Fossil Find in Morocco Unveils Origins of Spiders and Scorpions

University of Lausanne — Wed, 15 May 2024 19:13:14 +0000

A PhD student at the University of Lausanne in Switzerland, with the support of a CNRS researcher, has discovered a fossil that bridges the evolutionary...

Popular Myth Debunked: New Research Reveals That Dinosaurs Were Not As Smart as We Thought

University of Bristol — Wed, 01 May 2024 20:26:15 +0000

Dinosaurs were as smart as reptiles but not as intelligent as monkeys, as former research suggests. An international team of paleontologists, behavioral scientists, and neurologists...

Evolutionary Puzzle Solved? New Species Challenge Mammal Ancestry Theories

Chinese Academy of Sciences — Tue, 30 Apr 2024 22:07:48 +0000

Mammaliaforms encompass both living and extinct species that share a close relationship with mammals. Research on mammaliaforms aids scientists in deciphering the evolutionary developments responsible...

Unusual New Species of Giant Kangaroo Discovered in Australia and New Guinea

Flinders University — Sun, 28 Apr 2024 04:14:37 +0000

Researchers at Flinders University have identified three unusual new species of giant fossil kangaroo from Australia and New Guinea, revealing greater diversity in their form,...

Scientists Discover Giant, Prehistoric Salmon With Tusk-Like Teeth

PLOS — Fri, 26 Apr 2024 04:01:38 +0000

Paleontologists suggest that the teeth could have served purposes such as defense, competitive combat, or as tools for digging. Oncorhynchus rastrosus, a giant species of...

More Than 80 Feet Long – Newly Discovered Ichthyosaur May Be the Largest Marine Reptile Ever

PLOS — Wed, 24 Apr 2024 22:35:41 +0000

The enormous ichthyosaur could have reached lengths exceeding 80 feet (25 meters) and existed during the Late Triassic period. A recently identified ichthyosaur species may...

Old Science, New Twists: Ancient Frog Fossils Disrupt 100-Year-Old Beliefs

University College Cork — Tue, 23 Apr 2024 09:00:23 +0000

Paleontologists discovered that the exceptional preservation of 45-million-year-old frog fossils can be attributed to the mineralization of their skin, offering new insights into their adaptation...

“Bizarre” Patterns Unearthed – Cambridge Study Challenges Traditional Views on Human Origins

University of Cambridge — Sun, 21 Apr 2024 21:14:04 +0000

A new study from the University of Cambridge suggests that interspecies competition significantly influenced the evolutionary trajectory of hominins, resulting in a “bizarre” evolutionary pattern...

Scientists Discover 82-Feet-Long Ancient “Giant Fish Lizard” in the UK

University of Manchester — Sun, 21 Apr 2024 10:32:11 +0000

The fossilised remains of a second gigantic jawbone measuring more than two metres long has been found on a beach in Somerset, UK. Experts have...

49 Feet Long – Ancient Giant Snake Discovered in India

Scientific Reports — Sat, 20 Apr 2024 13:20:41 +0000

New research published in Scientific Reports suggests that a recently identified ancient snake species, named Vasuki Indicus, may have been among the largest snakes ever....

A Fish With Legs? 375-Million-Year-Old Fossil Fish Unveils Evolutionary Secrets

Penn State — Mon, 15 Apr 2024 16:18:32 +0000

New findings from a fossil fish dating back 375 million years provide insights into the evolution of the axial skeleton, potentially shedding light on how...

When Dinosaurs Defy Science: A New Study Shakes Up Ecological Theories

University of Alaska Fairbanks — Sun, 14 Apr 2024 15:45:21 +0000

When you throw dinosaurs into the mix, sometimes you find that a rule simply isn’t. A new study led by scientists at the University of...

Mystery Solved? Scientists Shed New Light on Mysterious Giant Bones That Have Puzzled Paleontologists for 150 Years

University of Bonn — Fri, 12 Apr 2024 17:48:11 +0000

Several similar large, fossilized bone fragments have been discovered in various regions across Western and Central Europe since the 19th century. The animal group to...

Scientists Have Discovered the World’s First Polyene Pigments in Fossils

University of Göttingen — Tue, 09 Apr 2024 05:24:11 +0000

Scientists present the world’s first evidence of intact polyene pigments in fossils. Snail shells are often colorful and strikingly patterned. This is due to pigments...

New Jurassic Fossils Reveal That Our Hearing Evolved From Reptilian Jawbones

Museum Victoria — Mon, 08 Apr 2024 21:25:19 +0000

An international team of paleontologists has uncovered important fossils that provide crucial insights into how early mammals transitioned from having jaw joint bones to middle...

Jurassic Revolution: New Fossils Redefine Mammalian Ancestry

American Museum of Natural History — Sun, 07 Apr 2024 19:11:04 +0000

Specimens from the Jurassic period found in China illuminate the evolution of teeth, jaws, and ears in mammals. An international team of paleontologists led by...

Named After Kermit the Frog – Paleontologists Discover 270-Million-Year-Old Ancient Amphibian Ancestor

Smithsonian — Sat, 30 Mar 2024 20:42:35 +0000

The discovery illuminates the origins of living frogs and other amphibians, while also paying tribute to the iconic Muppet. Scientists have uncovered the fossilized skull...

Spielberg Was Right: New Research Reveals That Real Triceratops Herds Echo Jurassic Park

Naturalis Biodiversity Center — Thu, 28 Mar 2024 10:52:49 +0000

Research indicates that a group of five three-horned dinosaurs lived and died together. From The Land Before Time to Jurassic Park, the famous horned dinosaur...

Aellopobatis bavarica: Scientists Discover New 150 Million-Year-Old Species of Rays

University of Vienna — Mon, 25 Mar 2024 22:18:44 +0000

A new species of fossil ray, Aellopobatis bavarica, has been discovered in Bavarica, Germany, dating back to the Late Jurassic period. In a new study...

Becoming Human: What Ancient DNA Tells Us About Who We Are

Chinese Academy of Sciences — Mon, 25 Mar 2024 06:23:00 +0000

Writing a commentary in the 50th-anniversary issue of Cell, Fu Qiaomei and E. Andrew Bennett, both of the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology (IVPP)...

16 Million Years Old: Giant Dolphin Discovered in the Amazon Rainforest

University of Zurich — Sun, 24 Mar 2024 16:21:37 +0000

Measuring between 3 to 3.5 meters, 16 million years old: Paleontologists from the University of Zurich have announced the discovery of a new species of...

Debunking the Myth: Was Spinosaurus Really a “7-Ton Heron From Hell?”

PLOS — Sat, 23 Mar 2024 18:22:36 +0000

Researchers think they have discovered critical flaws in the studies advocating for aquatic hunting behavior in Spinosaurus. Nathan Myhrvold of Intellectual Ventures, US, and his...