Is This a Fossilized Lair of the Dreaded Bobbit Worm?
Scientists say they've got 20-million-year-old evidence of giant worms that hunted in pretty much the most nightmarish way possible......»»
Deadly spiders in Europe: How worried should we actually be?
If someone asked you to name a place with poisonous fauna, what would spring to mind? Perhaps Australia, with infamous snakes like the inland taipan (Oxyuranus microlepidotus), or maybe Brazil, home to dreaded creatures like the yellow scorpion (Tity.....»»
Tracking vampire worms with machine learning
Blood samples of patients infected with a parasitic worm that causes schistosomiasis contain hidden information that marks different stages of the disease. In our recently published research, our team used machine learning to uncover that hidden info.....»»
Smallest dinosaur egg ever found confirmed in China
A team of paleontologists, geoscientists and evolutionary specialists affiliated with multiple institutions in China has found that a fossilized egg unearthed in 2021 is the smallest dinosaur egg ever found. In their paper published in the journal Hi.....»»
Archaeologists discover an ancient Neanderthal lineage that remained isolated for over 50,000 years
A fossilized Neanderthal discovered in a cave system in the Rhône Valley, France, represents an ancient and previously undescribed lineage that diverged from other currently known Neanderthals around 100,000 years ago and remained genetically isolat.....»»
New research sinks old theory for the doldrums, a low-wind equatorial region that stranded sailors for centuries
During the Age of Sail, sailors riding the trade winds past the equator dreaded becoming stranded in the doldrums, a meteorologically distinct region in the deep tropics. For at least a century, scientists have thought that the doldrums' lack of wind.....»»
Worm study shows risks posed by antidepressants in water
Common drugs such as antidepressants enter the environment via sewage. In her PhD research, Toxicologist Merel van der Most has shown that this affects the behavior of nematodes. These drugs may also be harmful to many other aquatic creatures. Van de.....»»
Microscopic fossilized shells reveal ancient climate change patterns
At the end of the Paleocene and beginning of the Eocene epochs, between 59 to 51 million years ago, Earth experienced dramatic warming periods, both gradual periods stretching millions of years and sudden warming events known as hyperthermals......»»
Learning a language? Four ways to smash through the dreaded "intermediate plateau"
How can I improve my English? This was a question frequently posed by my students in South Korea. My initial advice was straightforward—dedicate time and effort......»»
Exotic eye worm rapidly invades US by spreading from testes of fruit flies
The spread to bears shows the worm is gaining ground and new hosts in the US. Enlarge / An adult Thelazia callipaeda in the eye of a cat. In a battle of bear versus exotic eye worm, the eye worm wins—and that's bad ne.....»»
Using dental growth rings scientists reveal differences in growth patterns between ancient and modern mammals
A study published in Science Advances reveals how early mammals grew and developed during their pivotal Jurassic radiation. Using a technique called synchrotron X-ray tomography to image growth rings in fossilized tooth roots, the researchers were ab.....»»
NASA Mars rover captures rock that could hold fossilized microbes
NASA's Perseverance Mars rover has made what could be its most astonishing discovery to date: possible signs of ancient life on the Red Planet......»»
New fossil snake species provides insight into reptile social behavior and development
A newly discovered snake species, Hibernophis breithaupti, provides rare insight into the social behavior of snakes and fills some gaps in our knowledge of the evolution of boas, or boidae. The quartet of fossilized snakes discovered in western Wyomi.....»»
Stegosaurus fossil fetches nearly $45M, setting record for dinosaur auctions
The nearly complete fossilized remains of a stegosaurus fetched $44.6 million at auction Wednesday, Sotheby's said. The buyer's name was not disclosed......»»
Brazilian researchers discover dinosaur fossil after heavy rains in Rio Grande do Sul
A team of Brazilian scientists has discovered a fossilized skeleton of what they believe is one of the world's oldest dinosaurs after heavy rains in the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul accelerated the natural process of erosion......»»
Saturday Citations: The first Goldilocks black hole; Toxoplasma gondii metabolism; pumping at the speed of muscle
This week: Physicists conducted a biological study, engineers built a waste-recycling suit for astronauts (and worm riders), and astronomers identified the first known intermediate-mass black hole, and it's right here in our own galactic back yard......»»
Scientists create comprehensive map of sea worm neural circuits
Researchers have created a detailed map of the circuits and more than 9,000 cells that make up the entire body and nervous system of a three-day-old larva of the sea worm Platynereis dumerilii......»»
Australian amber has revealed "living fossils" traced back to Gondwana 42 million years ago
Amber is fossilized tree resin. Unlike traditional fossils found on land or in the sea, amber can preserve ancient life forms in incredible detail. It's often considered the "holy grail" of paleontology worldwide......»»
Why 1994’s Lair of Squid was the weirdest pack-in game of all time
The HP 200LX included a mysterious maze game called Lair of Squid. We tracked down the author. Enlarge / Artist's impression of a squid jumping forth from an HP 200LX. (credit: Aurich Lawson / HP) In 1994, Hewlett-Packar.....»»
It"s hard to find fossil skin, but a rare discovery reveals clues about the evolution from water to land
Fossilized skin and other soft tissues are exceedingly rare, and it is only under special conditions that these rarest of fossils are preserved......»»
Nature"s 3D printer: Bristle worms form bristles piece by piece
A new interdisciplinary study led by molecular biologist Florian Raible from the Max Perutz Labs at the University of Vienna provides exciting insights into the bristles of the marine annelid worm Platynereis dumerilii. Specialized cells, called chae.....»»