Oldest bat skeletons ever found described from Wyoming fossils
Scientists have described a new species of bat based on the oldest bat skeletons ever recovered. The study on the extinct bat, which lived in Wyoming about 52 million years ago, supports the idea that bats diversified rapidly on multiple continents d.....»»
Yeast study offers possible answer to why some species are generalists and others specialists
In a landmark study based on one of the most comprehensive genomic datasets ever assembled, a team led by scientists at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and Vanderbilt University offer a possible answer to one of the oldest questions about evolu.....»»
Ancient giant tortoise fossils found in Colombian Andes
Paleontologists have discovered giant tortoise fossils in Colombia dating back some 57 million years, the university leading the excavation said, with the findings key to understanding South America's prehistoric eras......»»
A NASA rover has reached a promising place to search for fossilized life on Mars
While we go about our daily lives on Earth, a nuclear-powered robot the size of a small car is trundling around Mars looking for fossils. Unlike its predecessor Curiosity, NASA's Perseverance rover is explicitly intended to "search for potential evid.....»»
Bioluminescence first evolved in animals at least 540 million years ago, pushing back previous oldest dated example
Bioluminescence first evolved in animals at least 540 million years ago in a group of marine invertebrates called octocorals, according to the results of a new study from scientists with the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History......»»
Renovation relic: Man finds hominin jawbone in parents’ travertine kitchen tile
Yes, travertine often has embedded fossils. But not usually hominin ones. Enlarge / Reddit user Kidipadeli75 spotted a fossilized hominin jawbone in his parents' new travertine kitchen tile. (credit: Reddit user Kidipadeli75).....»»
Africa is full of bats, but their fossils are scarce—why these rare records matter
Africa is home to more than 20% of the world's bat population. There are more than 200 species to be found on the continent. South Africa is particularly diverse, with 72 bat species......»»
Bodies found in Neolithic pit were likely victims of ritualistic murder
One victim may have been hogtied alive in pit, à la Mafia-style ligature strangulation. Enlarge / Three female skeletons found in a Neolithic storage pit in France show signs of ritualistic human sacrifice. (credit: . Beeching/L.....»»
Yellowstone Lake ice cover unchanged despite warming climate
The length of time that Yellowstone Lake is covered by ice each year has not changed in the past century, despite warming temperatures in the region, according to new research led by University of Wyoming scientists......»»
Research revives 1800s photos
Researchers from Western University developed techniques for creating images from old, badly tarnished photographs. These techniques could also be used to study other historic artifacts and fossils and prevent corrosion in modern materials......»»
Microplastic "hotspots" identified in Long Island Sound
Forensic and environmental experts have teamed up to develop a new scientific method to pinpoint microplastic pollution 'hotspots' in open waters. A study by Staffordshire University, The Rozalia Project for a Clean Ocean, and Central Wyoming College.....»»
Discovery of pottery rewrites Aboriginal history
The discovery of the oldest pottery ever found in Australia on Jiigurru/Lizard Island off the Queensland coast is challenging the idea that Aboriginal Australian communities were unaware of pottery manufacture before European settlement......»»
The science of static shock jolted into the 21st century
Shuffling across the carpet to zap a friend may be the oldest trick in the book, but on a deep level that prank still mystifies scientists, even after thousands of years of study......»»
Ancient trees help to protect an endangered species
The oldest trees in the forest help to prevent the disappearance of endangered species in the natural environment, according to a study led by the University of Barcelona. This is the case of the wolf lichen—threatened throughout Europe—which now.....»»
Stingray sand "sculpture" in South Africa may be oldest example of humans creating an image of another creature
South Africa's Cape south coast offers many hints about how our human ancestors lived some 35,000 to 400,000 years ago during the Pleistocene epoch. These clues are captured in the dunes they once traversed, today cemented and preserved in a rock typ.....»»
As climate change and pollution imperil coral reefs, scientists are deep-freezing corals to repopulate future oceans
Coral reefs are some of the oldest, most diverse ecosystems on Earth, and among the most valuable. They nurture 25% of all ocean life, protect coasts from storms and add billions of dollars yearly to the global economy through their influences on fis.....»»
Research shows that five three-horned dinosaurs lived, and died, together
A team from Naturalis Biodiversity Center in the Netherlands was looking for a Tyrannosaurus in the summer of 2013 in Wyoming. Instead, they found a Triceratops: the famous dinosaur with the three horns and the large neck frill. And then they found a.....»»
Duckbill dinosaur discovery in Morocco: Expert unpacks the mystery of how they got there
Why are fossils of duckbill dinosaurs, a North American family, found in North Africa?.....»»
An account of Australia"s oldest, boldest trees
Every state and territory in Australia has got big things. Consider the big Merino ram, big chooks, big Ned Kelly, or even the big golden guitar......»»
Across oceans and millennia: Decoding the origin and history of the bottle gourd
In a fascinating dive into the past, a team of researchers from the Boyce Thompson Institute (BTI) and USDA has uncovered intriguing details about the origins and spread of the bottle gourd, one of the oldest domesticated crops......»»
Biologists use machine learning to classify fossils of extinct pollen
In the quest to decipher the evolutionary relationships of extinct organisms from fossils, researchers often face challenges in discerning key features from weathered fossils, or with prioritizing characteristics of organisms for the most accurate pl.....»»