Paleontologists uncovered a macabre snapshot from the Early Cretaceous when a sparrow-sized bird met its end with over 800 tiny stones lodged in its throat. The fossil, housed at China’s Shandong Tianyu Museum of Nature, captured the moment this ancient creature likely choked during an attempt to regurgitate the mass. Researchers led by Jingmai O’Connor ...
Shanxi Province, China – Paleontologists uncovered a partial skeleton in 2011 that revealed one of the youngest known stegosaurs, challenging long-held views on the group’s timeline. Named Yanbeilong ultimus, this dinosaur roamed Early Cretaceous landscapes around 113 to 100 million years ago, long after most of its plated relatives vanished. The find from the Zuoyun ...
Global agriculture has reshaped vast landscapes over the past 15 years, targeting ecosystems long overlooked in conservation efforts. Researchers revealed that non-forest habitats such as grasslands, savannas, and open wetlands faced conversion to cropland and pasture at nearly four times the rate of forests between 2005 and 2020. This shift underscores a critical gap in ...
Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil – Scientists here confront a stark reality for the jaguar, Brazil’s apex predator facing isolation in shrinking habitats. Researchers with the Reprocon group at the Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul collect vital genetic samples from wild jaguars to pioneer cloning techniques. Their efforts target inbreeding and population decline ...
Pontal do Paranapanema, Brazil – Vast expanses of sugarcane dominate the horizon along the Paraná River, marking the border between São Paulo and Mato Grosso do Sul states. This region, once blanketed in semideciduous seasonal forest of Brazil’s Inland Atlantic Forest, now supports expansive monocultures that have displaced much of the original ecosystem. Land reform ...
U.S. West – A brutal March heat wave scorched the American West with unprecedented temperatures this month, serving as a stark reminder of climate change’s reach into everyday existence. Researchers unveiled a comprehensive analysis drawing on over seven decades of climate data, demonstrating how rising global temperatures now severely limit safe physical activity for about ...
Alberta, Canada – A nearly complete skull unearthed in 1936 from the upper Dinosaur Park Formation has prompted scientists to establish a new genus for the ceratopsian dinosaur once known as Chasmosaurus russelli. Researchers recently re-examined the holotype specimen, CMNFV 8800, revealing unique anatomical traits that set it apart from its former genus mates. This ...
Researchers have confirmed the presence of ceratopsian dinosaurs in Late Cretaceous Europe through meticulous analysis of new fossils from Hungary. These horned herbivores, long absent from the European fossil record, now emerge as key players in ancient island ecosystems. The findings challenge over a century of assumptions and reveal a more diverse prehistoric continent than ...
Mallorca – Researchers uncovered a set of fossil footprints along the island’s Serra de Tramuntana coastline, preserving traces from 270 to 280 million years ago. These ichnites, etched into Permian sediments, belonged to a gorgonopsian, a saber-toothed therapsid often called an early mammal precursor. The tracks coincide with skeletal remains from the same rock layers, ...
Researchers recently delved into the oversized skull of Triceratops, the iconic horned dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous. Advanced CT scans revealed a nasal cavity far more intricate than earlier models suggested. This complex internal architecture likely supported enhanced sensory capabilities and critical physiological functions for these massive herbivores. A Startling Internal Labyrinth A Startling Internal ...
