Ancient teeth reveal the variety of theropod dinosaurs in East Sussex during prehistoric times

Posted on December 6, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Several groups of carnivorous dinosaurs – Tyrannosaurus, Spinosaurus, and their members Velociraptor The family crept into the Bexhill-on-Sea region of present-day East Sussex, England, about 135 million years ago (early Cretaceous period), according to new research.

Early Cretaceous floodplain in southeastern England, 135 million years ago. A spinosaur (center) takes over the carcass of an ornithopod, tormenting smaller tyrannosaurs (left) and dromaeosaurs (bottom right). Image credit: Anthony Hutchings.

Dr Chris Barker, a palaeontologist at the University of Southampton, said: “Carnivorous dinosaurs are rare in the Cretaceous deposits of southern England.”

“Normally it is the Isle of Wight dinosaurs that attract our attention. Little is known about the older Cretaceous specimens recovered from mainland sites.”

In this study, Barker and his colleagues examined assemblages of theropod teeth taken from animals. Wadhurst Clay Formationmainly collected from the Ashdown Brickworks area near Bexhill, East Sussex.

Theropod teeth are complex and vary in size, shape, and serrated edge anatomy.

The authors used several techniques to analyze the fossils, including phylogenetic methods, discriminant methods, and machine learning methods.

“Dinosaur teeth are durable fossils and are typically preserved more frequently than bones, so they are often important when you want to rebuild ecosystem diversity,” Dr. Barker said. .

“There are rigorous methods that help identify teeth with high accuracy.”

“Our findings suggest the presence of spinosaurs, medium-sized tyrannosaurs, and small dromaeosaurs. Velociraptor-There are some theropods in these deposits. ”

A theropod tooth excavated from the Wadhurst Clay Formation. Scale bar – 10 mm. Image credit: Barker others., doi: 10.1002/spp2.1604.

The discovery of Tyrannosaurus is particularly noteworthy. This is because this group has not been previously identified in sediments of this age and region.

These tyrannosaurs would have been about one-third the size of their more famous cousins. tyrannosaurus rexand likely hunted small dinosaurs and other reptiles in floodplain habitats.

“Assigning isolated teeth to a group of theropods can be difficult, especially since many traits evolve independently between different lineages,” says Dr. Lucy Handford. Student at York University.

“Therefore, we employed a variety of methods to refine our findings, leading to a more reliable classification.”

“It is very likely that further discoveries will be made by re-evaluating the theropod teeth elsewhere in the museum.”

Dr Darren Naish, a palaeontologist at the University of Southampton, said: 'Southern England has an extremely good record of Cretaceous dinosaurs, and the various sedimentary layers here are among the world's best in terms of geological age and the fossil content they contain. It's also unique.”

“These East Sussex dinosaurs are older, more mysterious, and less well known than the better-known Cretaceous deposits of the Isle of Wight.”

“We've been hoping to find out for decades which groups of theropods lived here, so the new study's conclusions are really interesting.”

of findings appear in the diary paleontology papers.

_____

Chris T. Barker others. 2024. Theropod dinosaur diversity of Lower Wealden, England: analysis of the tooth-based fauna of the Wadhurst Clay Formation (Lower Cretaceous: Valanginian) through phylogenetic, discriminant, and machine learning methods. paleontology papers 10 (6): e1604;doi: 10.1002/spp2.1604

Source: www.sci.news

Study: Ancient Central European Peasants Lived Equally 8,000 Years Ago

Posted on November 29, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

There are no signs of population stratification in the Linear Pottery Culture (LBK) communities that first spread agriculture across much of Europe, according to a new study led by scientists at the University of Vienna and Harvard University. He said he couldn’t see it.

The manual labor of prehistoric central European women was more demanding than the rowing of today’s boat crews.

“The expansion of agriculture in Central Europe occurred in the 6th millennium BC,” said Dr. Pere Gelabert of the University of Vienna and colleagues.

“Within a few generations, Balkan farmers expanded down the Danube Valley into what is now France and eastward into what is now Hungary and Ukraine.”

“The cultural footprint of peasants is homogeneous across this region, which spans thousands of kilometers, but the lack of genetic data from multiple families makes it difficult to understand whether these communities lived on social equality. It has become difficult to assess which individuals have migrated and migrated across continents. “

In the study, Dr. Gelabert and co-authors sequenced and analyzed the genomes of 250 LBK individuals and other extensive datasets.

“The LBK people expanded over hundreds of kilometers in just a few generations,” Dr. Gelabert said.

“We found distant relatives in Slovakia and others in western Germany, more than 500 miles away.”

“In this study, we report for the first time that families in the study sites of Nitra in Slovakia and Polgar Ferencí Hat in Hungary do not differ in terms of the food they consume,” said Dr. Ron Pignasi, a researcher at the institute. said. University of Vienna.

“This suggests that the people living at these Neolithic sites were not stratified based on family or biological sex, understood as differences in access to resources and space. No signs of inequality are detected.”

The LBK culture came to an end around 5000 BC, and various theories have been proposed for its demise.

Some say this period was a period of social and economic crisis, often associated with widespread incidents of violence.

“One of the most famous incidents was the Asparn Schretz massacre in Lower Austria, where more than 100 people were recovered from a ditch,” the researchers said.

“This site, along with Herxheim in Germany, is one of the largest known assemblages of people who were violently murdered during the early Neolithic period, and the skeletons show signs of violence and multiple fractures.”

“Our in-depth genetic studies of the Asparn Schretz people show that fewer than 10 people are genetically related, making it unlikely that this genocide represents a single population. This casts doubt on the hypothesis that there is a

“Previous anthropological studies have noted an underrepresentation of young women, but the new data further support the complete absence of relatives.”

“The large number of children among the victims opens the door to different interpretations of this remarkable event of Neolithic violence.”

of findings Published in a magazine nature human behavior.

_____

P. Gelabert others. Social and genetic diversity among the first farmers of central Europe. Nat Hum Behavepublished online on November 29, 2024. doi: 10.1038/s41562-024-02034-z

Source: www.sci.news

Ancient Footprints Reveal Two Human Relative Species Coexisted Together

Posted on November 29, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

overview

Ancient footprints discovered in Kenya belong to two different species of human relatives who walked on the same ground at the same time, a study has found.
This coat of arms is thought to belong to the species Homo erectus and Paranthropus boisei.
This discovery raised questions about what kind of relationship and interaction the two species had.

A newly discovered set of footprints in Kenya provides the first evidence that two different species of ancient human relatives walked on the same ground at the same time 1.5 million years ago.

Researchers involved in the discovery say the footprints belong to the species Homo erectus and Paranthropus boisei, and were left within hours to days of each other, meaning that when the two crossed paths, reveals new mysteries about what happened.

According to research on this discovery, Published in Science on Thursdaythe footprints were buried in dry mud near a lake in northern Kenya, and were buried in deposits of prominent fossil sites. By analyzing the print shapes and strike patterns, the researchers found that the two sets were different. They concluded that the best explanation was that two different species left the footprints.

This research advances anthropologists and paleontologists’ understanding that ancient human relatives likely interacted and coexisted. This also raises the question of what kind of relationship these species had.

“We think these individuals, the two species that were there, were probably aware that there were members of another species nearby. They saw each other and thought each other was a member of another species. “This raises the question of what that interaction was,” said Kevin Hatala, an associate professor of biology at Chatham University and lead author of the study. “Were they competitors? Were they totally okay with each other there?”

Previously discovered fossil skeletons of Homo erectus and Paranthropus boisei indicated that both species lived in the area at some point, but the new discovery provides evidence of a direct duplication.

Research team members excavate to reveal footprints.
Neil T. Roach / Harvard University

It also shows that the two species walked on two legs in very different ways.

Although both Homo erectus and Paranthropus boisei are related to humans, they have very different characteristics and their fates in the human evolutionary tree took very different paths.

Homo erectus had an anatomy similar to humans from the neck down. This species may have used stone tools and cooked over fire. Its members probably had a varied diet that included meat.
The species eventually spread to Asia, Indonesia, and other regions, and survived for more than a million years after the newly discovered footprints were made.It last appeared in the fossil record just over 100,000 years ago..

“Many have considered themselves to be as good candidates as our direct ancestors,” Hatala said. “They seem to be a very successful species.”

Paranthropus boisei, on the other hand, featured a smaller brain, huge masticatory muscles, and large molar teeth. William Harcourt Smith, an associate professor of anthropology at Lehman College who was not involved in the study, said the species eats difficult-to-eat foods like hard nuts or grinds hard, poor-quality foods like shrubs. It is highly likely that they evolved in this way.

This species did not persist on Earth as long as Homo erectus.

“They probably went extinct not very long after that, within the next few hundred thousand years,” Hatala said, referring to the time of the footprints. He added that no one knows exactly what happened, but it’s possible that environmental changes may have restricted the animal’s specialized diet.

The footprints were first discovered in 2021 at a site called Koobi Fora while researchers were excavating other fossils. This location has become a fossil hotspot. The uplifted rocks expose older sedimentary layers on the surface, giving researchers access to the bones of ancient humans and other animals.

The following year, researchers unearthed about a dozen footprints that appeared to be walking in a line, and later discovered other footprints running at right angles.

“We think these footprints were created in the mud of this lakeshore environment. Something happened that brought sediment on top of it. It could have been deposited by a small flood or by rising water levels. “It’s possible that something was brought in and the footprints were formed and quickly buried,” Hatala said.

The muddy footprints were not trampled by other animals and showed no signs of cracking before being buried in the sand. Researchers said that means they were separated from each other within hours or days.

“The sediment protected them, prevented them from cracking, and allowed them to remain in the geological record,” Hatala said.

He and his co-authors believe that the two species may have been able to coexist in this region because their diets were very different. It is possible that they competed for resources and were in a hostile relationship. This species appears to have lived in the same area for hundreds of thousands of years.

Harcourt Smith, a research paleontologist at the American Museum of Natural History, said the researchers’ analysis was sound and the site was unique.

“I want to emphasize how unusual it is that a site like this exists, how special it is, and the great opportunity we have to find out more,” he said.

Broadly speaking, over the past seven million years of evolution, it has become increasingly clear that different ancient human species interacted in different habitats, Harcourt-Smith added. The evolutionary path to modern humans is full of side branches and species, such as Paranthropus boisei, which represent evolutionary dead ends.

“Human evolution is complex and messy, and there are many experiments being done. It’s not a straight line,” he said.

Over the past few decades, scientists have developed genetic and archaeological evidence showing that: Humans, Denisovans, and Neanderthals overlapped and sometimes interbred. Although the new study does not mention interbreeding, it does provide a clearer picture that even older species overlapped and had more interactions than previously understood.

The researchers completed their work at the Koobi Fora site, photographing and recording the footprints in a variety of ways before concealing them for future generations, said Craig, another author of the research paper.・Mr. Feibel said.

“The footprints need to be carefully refilled with non-damaging sediment to prevent erosion,” he says.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Ancient footprints reveal how early human species lived together

Posted on November 28, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Footprints thought to have been left by an individual of Paranthropus boisei

Neil T. Roach

Preserved footprints in Kenya appear to record two different species of ancient humans walking along the same muddy lake shore, perhaps within days of each other. This is one of the most dramatic pieces of evidence ever discovered that multiple human species once coexisted in the world.

“It's really unusual to find evidence of two different species walking on that surface,” he says. Kevin Hatala at Chatham University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

footprints Discovered in 2021 Kobi Fora, Kenya, near the eastern shore of Lake Turkana. They were first discovered by team member Richard Loki. Turkana Basin Research Institute“Originally, there was a team of Kenyans working there,” Hatala says.

The researchers discovered a track consisting of 12 footprints preserved in a layer of dry sand and silt (see image above). This was apparently left behind by one person walking in a straight line. Near the main group were also three isolated prints that appeared to have been made by three different individuals. The lack of mud cracks or signs of overprinting with other tracks indicates that these prints were all made at about the same time. “These sites are probably capturing times ranging from minutes to days,” Hatala says.

This deposit was determined to be approximately 1.52 million years old. Isolated footprints are similar to footprints left by modern humans. Your heel touches the ground first, then your foot rolls forward and you push off with the sole of your foot. Hatala and his colleagues suggest that these may have been fabricated. homo erectusis known to have lived in this area.

In contrast, continuous trajectories were created by flatter-footed hominins. Hatala and his colleagues suggest that this could be Paranthropus boiseianother type of hominin that lived in this area.

The footprint fossil on the left, with its deeper heel marks, is thought to have been made by Homo erectus, and the more flat-footed fossil on the right is thought to have been made by Paranthropus boisei.

Kevin Hatala/Chatham

“With footprints, you can never be 100% sure who made them,” he says. Ashley Wiseman from University College London was not involved in the study but, H. erectus and P.Boisei. They are the only humans whose remains have been found preserved in this area, “so we can make an informed guess that it is these two individuals.”

If the track was really made by humans, P.Boisei Wiseman said the specimen appears to have been walking on two legs. The bones of the skull, arms, and legs are paranthropus“We've never found a skull associated with the rest of the skeleton,” she says, meaning little is known about their bodies beyond their heads, and the way they walk remains a mystery. The trajectory will be changed, saying, “This is clear evidence that it was walking on two legs.''

These two species were very different. H. erectus It was one of the earliest members of our genus, homo. They had larger brains than early humans and were the first clade to travel outside of Africa. in contrast, P.Boisey They had large teeth and jaws, small brains, and were apparently adapted to eating chewy foods like grasses and sedges.

Hatala and his team then looked at other known footprints found in the same area and at the same time and found that they appeared to match either species. “Similar patterns have been seen at other sites, which may span more than 100,000 years,” he says. “These two species appear to have coexisted with each other in this same familiar landscape for a very long time.”

“If they were able to coexist for more than 100,000 years, we speculate that there was probably a low to neutral level of competition,” Hatala says. Previous research suggests that the two people were eating different foods. Unlike P.Boisei, H. erectus It is thought that they had a varied diet, including hunting large animals.

“Both could carve out their own existence within this shared landscape,” Hatala says. Subsequent changes in the environment may have had an effect. P.Boisei Potentially extinct, yet more adaptable H. erectus Survived.

topic:

evolution/
evolution of humanity

Source: www.newscientist.com

Ancient Mars: Evidence of Hydrothermal Activity Uncovered by Meteorite

Posted on November 27, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Scientists from Curtin University and the University of Adelaide analyzed 4.45 billion-year-old zircon particles from a famous Martian meteorite called North West Africa 7034 (NWA 7034) to determine the geochemistry of the water-rich fluid. They found a “fingerprint.”

Northwest Africa 7034. Image credit: NASA.

NWA 7034 weighs approximately 320 grams and is a regolith breccia from Mars.

This meteorite, better known as Black Beauty, was discovered in Morocco's Sahara desert in 2011.

NWA 7034 contains the oldest Martian igneous material ever discovered (approximately 4.45 billion years old).

Dr Aaron Cavosy from Curtin University said: “This discovery opens new avenues for understanding not only the past habitability of Mars, but also the ancient Martian hydrothermal systems associated with magmatic activity.” Ta.

“We used nanoscale geochemistry to detect elemental evidence of Martian hydrothermal waters 4.45 billion years ago.”

“Hydrothermal systems are essential for the development of life on Earth, and our findings show that Mars also had water, a key component of a habitable environment, during its early history of crustal formation.” It suggests that.

“Through nanoscale imaging and spectroscopy, the research team identified the elemental pattern of this unique zircon, including iron, aluminum, yttrium, and sodium.”

“These elements were added when zircon formed 4.45 billion years ago, suggesting that water was present during early magmatic activity on Mars.”

The authors show that water was present in the early pre-Noachian period before about 4.1 billion years ago, even though the Martian crust withstood massive meteorite impacts that caused large-scale surface deformation. showed.

“A 2022 Curtin study on the same zircon particle found that it had been 'shocked' by a meteorite impact, making it the first and only known shocked zircon from Mars. “It turns out,” Dr. Kavosie said.

“This new study identifies telltale signatures of water-rich fluids when the particles formed and provides geochemical markers of water in the oldest known Martian crust. This brings us one step closer to understanding early Mars.”

of findings appear in the diary scientific progress.

_____

Jack Gillespie others. 2024. Zircon trace element evidence of early hydrothermal activity on Mars. scientific progress 10(47);doi: 10.1126/sciadv.adq3694

Source: www.sci.news

Ancient Martian hydrothermal fluids leave a mark on meteorite crystals

Posted on November 22, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Mars meteorite called Black Beauty

Carl B. Agee (University of New Mexico)

Crystals within a Martian meteorite suggest Mars may have had abundant hydrothermal water when the rock formed 4.45 billion years ago.

The rock, called Black Beauty, was blown into space by an impact on Mars' surface and eventually crashed into the Sahara desert.

We already know a lot about Mars from the study of a meteorite discovered in Morocco in 2011, officially known as Northwest Africa 7034.

aaron cabosy Researchers at Curtin University in Perth, Australia, have been studying the tiny fragments, which contain zircon crystals 50 micrometers in diameter, for years.

Kavosie describes Black Beauty as “a rock that looks like a trash can.” Because it was formed by hundreds of pieces smashed together. “This is a great buffet of Martian history, with a mix of very old and very young rocks,” he says. “But much of the debris it contains belongs to some of the oldest rocks on Mars.”

The fragments studied by Kavosy and his team had crystallized in magma beneath Mars' surface. When they tested the zircons, they also found, unusually, that the elements iron, aluminum, and sodium were arranged in thin, onion-like layers.

“We wondered where else could we find elements like this in zircon crystals,” Kabosie says. The answer, he says, lies in South Australia's gold ore deposits. The zircon crystals there were nearly identical to those from Mars, including the same unusual combination of additional elements.

“This type of zircon is known to form only in places where hydrothermal processes or hydrothermal systems are active during igneous activity,” Kabosie says. “The hot water facilitates the transport of iron, aluminum, and sodium into the crystals as they grow layer by layer.”

Zircon has been exposed to multiple large-scale traumas, including the impact of an ancient collision and then another meteorite that hit the surface of Mars 5 to 10 million years ago and blasted Black Beauty into space have experienced. Despite these violent events, the rock's crystal structure is still intact at the atomic scale.

The lack of radiation damage means the extra elements were part of the crystal from the beginning, rather than being contaminated later, Kavosy said.

Eva Scherer Researchers at Stanford University in California believe that if this rock really formed in the presence of hydrothermal fluid and magma beneath the surface of Mars, water vapor entered the Martian atmosphere before rivers and lakes formed. This suggests that it may have been released.

“We're at a very old time, 4.5 billion years, when Mars was formed,” Scherrer said. “So this would be the earliest evidence of water behavior on Mars.”

topic:

Source: www.newscientist.com

Archaeologists uncover ancient alphabet, the oldest ever found

Posted on November 21, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

According to Professor Glenn Schwartz of Johns Hopkins University, the script dates from around 2400 B.C., making it roughly 500 years older than any other known alphabet.

A 4,400-year-old clay object discovered in the ancient city of Umm El Mara in Syria. The carved symbols may be part of the oldest known alphabet. Image credit: Glenn Schwartz, Johns Hopkins University.

“The alphabet revolutionized writing by making it accessible to people beyond royalty and social elites. Alphabet writing changed the way people lived, thought, and communicated.” said Professor Schwartz.

“And this new discovery shows that people were experimenting with new communication technologies in different places much earlier than previously imagined.”

The letters of this alphabet are carved into finger-long clay cylinders excavated at Tell Um-el-Mara, one of the first medium-sized cities to emerge in western Syria.

In Umm El Mara, archaeologists have discovered tombs dating back to the early Bronze Age.

One of the best-preserved tombs contained six skeletons, gold and silver jewelry, cooking utensils, spear points, and intact ceramic vessels.

Next to the pottery, researchers found four lightly fired clay cylinders with letters that appeared to be an alphabet written on them.

A 4,400-year-old clay object discovered in the ancient city of Umm El Mara in Syria. Image credit: Glenn Schwartz, Johns Hopkins University.

“The cylinder had a hole in it, so we think it may have a string attached to another object that acts as a label,” Schwartz said.

“Perhaps there are details about what's inside the ship, or where it came from or who it belongs to.”

“We have no way to translate the text, so we can only guess.”

Scientists used carbon-14 dating techniques to confirm the age of the graves, artifacts and writings.

“Until now, scholars thought the alphabet was invented in or around Egypt sometime after 1900 BC,” Professor Schwartz said.

“But our artifacts are older and come from a different region on the map, suggesting the alphabet may have an entirely different origin story than we thought.” I am.”

Professor Schwartz presented the results of this research at a lecture today. 2024 American Society for Overseas Research (ASOR 2024) annual general meeting.

_____

Glenn M. Schwartz. An example of early alphabetic writing from Umm el-Mara, Syria, 24th century BC. ASOR 2024

Source: www.sci.news

Ancient nematode fossils resembling Ediacaran species discovered in Australia

Posted on November 21, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

For decades, paleontologists have hypothesized that a major group of animals called ecdysizoans must be older than the Cambrian, but until now their origins have remained a mystery. discovery of Unkus Zaugishi A research team led by Professor Mary Droser at the University of California, Riverside says that the large gap between predictions based on molecular data and the lack of description of ecdysizoans prior to the rich Cambrian fossil record has been reconciled and animal life This will deepen our understanding of the evolution of .

Digital photography and 3D laser scanning Unkus Zaugishi body fossils. Scale bar – 10 mm. Image credit: Hughes others., doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.10.030.

Ecdysids are the largest and most species-rich group of animals on Earth, containing more than half of all animals.

Characterized by a cuticle (a tough external skeleton that is periodically shed), this group consists of three subgroups. Arthropods, including insects, spiders, and crustaceans. and Scaridophora, an eclectic group of small scaly marine creatures.

“Like many modern animal groups, ecdymozoans are prevalent in the Cambrian fossil record, and at the beginning of this era, about 540 million years ago, we see evidence of all three subgroups. We can,” said Ian Hughes, a graduate student in oceanography. Studied biology at Harvard University.

“We know that they didn’t suddenly appear out of nowhere, so the ancestors of all ecdysizoans originated in the preceding Ediacaran period (635 to 539 million years ago). It must have existed.”

“DNA-based analyzes used to predict the age of fauna by comparing it to its closest living relatives supported this hypothesis.”

“However, ecdysozoan fossil animals remain hidden among the large number of animal remains that paleontologists have discovered during the Ediacaran period.”

Newly described Ediacaran ecdysizoan, Unkus Zaugishi was only a few centimeters long.

Gathering of 82 people Unkus Zaugishi The specimen was discovered in Nilpena-Ediakara National Park in South Australia.

Dr. Scott Evans of Florida State University said, “Nilpena is perhaps the best fossil site in the world for understanding the evolution of early animals, because fossils occur during periods of increased diversity, and these “This is because we can excavate extensive rock formations that preserve snapshots of the world.” .

“The layer we found was Unkus Zaugishi It's especially interesting because the grains in the sediment are so small that you can actually see every detail of the fossils preserved there. ”

“We were excited to find evidence for what scientists have long predicted: the presence of ecdymozoans during Ediacaran times,” Hughes said.

“It’s also very important for understanding what these early animal groups looked like and their lifestyles, especially since ecdysizoans really came to dominate the Cambrian marine ecosystem.”

This finding is reported in the following article: paper in a diary current biology.

_____

Ian V. Hughes others. An Ediacaran bilaterian from South Australia with an affinity for molting animals. current biology published online on November 18, 2024. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.10.030

Source: www.sci.news

Hikers and melting snow reveal ancient ecosystem in the Alps before dinosaurs

Posted on November 15, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Deep beneath the snow-covered slopes lie prehistoric wonders waiting to be discovered. Recently, hikers in the Italian Alps stumbled upon an ancient ecosystem that predates even the dinosaurs, thanks to melting snow.

The groundbreaking discovery was announced on Wednesday, revealing well-preserved reptile and amphibian footprints dating back 280 million years to the Permian period, according to scientists.

Cristiano Dal Sasso, a paleontologist at the Natural History Museum of Milan, described the impressive footprints left by animals at that time, with some measuring 2 to 3 inches long. These fascinating finds are now on display at the museum.

The fossil was unearthed in the mountains of Lombardy, Italy, where the melting snow and ice exposed these ancient treasures due to the ongoing climate crisis.

Researchers move rocks containing fossil footprints in the Italian Alps.
Elio della Ferrera / Milan Museum of Natural History

In the summer of 2023, Claudia Steffensen stumbled upon one of these fossils while hiking in the Valtellina Orobie mountains. This discovery led to a series of investigations by experts like Orsonio Ronchi and Lorenzo Marchetti, unraveling the mysteries of this ancient ecosystem.

Researchers were amazed by the abundance and preservation of the fossils, which provide valuable insights into the Permian period just before the dinosaurs roamed the Earth.

Computer-generated images show what prehistoric reptiles looked like.
Fabio Manucci / Milan Natural History Museum

The rapidly changing climate has played a significant role in revealing these fossils, as rising temperatures have caused snow and ice to melt, exposing the long-hidden remains.

As more footprints and fossils emerge from the mountains in the coming years, researchers warn that studying the past can shed light on the environmental challenges we face today. It serves as a stark reminder of the impact our actions can have on the world.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Archeologists uncover ancient Mayan saltworks in Belize

Posted on November 13, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Jayi Na is an underwater archaeological site dating back to the early Classic Maya period (250-600 AD) that focused on the production of salt for local use, or perhaps local production for downstream trade. I was there.

A curved-walled bowl from an underwater survey at J-E-Na, Belize. Image credit: H. MacKillop.

The Mayan diet focused primarily on corn, beans, squash, and other plant foods lacking in salt, and individual meals were supplemented with manufactured salt.

Field research at Payne’s Creek Salt Works in southern Belize shows that coastal Maya households produced surplus salt during the Classic period (250-900 CE) and built dedicated salt kitchens and separate dwellings. It turned out that it was under construction.

Professor Heather McKillop and Dr. Elizabeth Sills from Louisiana State University said: “Most of the salt works along the coast of Belize date back to the Late Classic period (AD 650-800), which corresponds to the period of population growth in the southern Maya lowlands.” said. Graduated from the University of Texas.

“These include the Northern River Lagoon, Wits Ca Aquar, Marco Gonzalez Salt Works, and others at Ambergris Cay, Moho Cay, Corson Point, Placencia Lagoon, and Paynes Creek Salt Works. Includes location.

“Large-scale salt production appears to have ended by the late Classic period (800-900 CE), and perhaps even earlier at Marco Gonzalez, when much of the southern Maya lowland abandoned, and there was a marked increase in trade around the peninsula, including exotic pottery such as fine orange, plumbate, Yucatan slate, and other pottery, particularly evident from Marco Gonzalez and Wild Cane Cay.

In 2023, archaeologists discovered the ruins of a new saltworks called J.E.N., but strangely, while it lacked the broken pots commonly found in other saltworks, it did contain some pottery. fragments were found.

“These were similar to fragments from an island site near Wild Cane Cay that I had previously excavated,” Professor McKillop said.

“So I suggested to Dr. Sills that he re-examine the remains of the J.E.N. pillars and underwater artifacts.”

The artifacts the researchers found contrasted with those from other nearby underwater sites, which included imported pottery, obsidian, and high-quality chert or flint.

“At first, I was confused by this. However, radiocarbon dating of the post discovered at J.I.N. revealed an early classical date of 250 to 600 A.D., and the mystery was solved.” Professor MacKillop said.

It turns out that J-E-Na is much older than other underwater ruins.

Through the findings, the scientists learned that J.E.N. developed as a local enterprise, without the connections to external trade that developed in the Late Classic period. At the time, the inland Maya population was at its peak in demand for salt, a basic biological element. Inland cities are running out of essential goods.

J.E.N.A. began as a small salt works through connections with the nearby community of Wild Cane Cay, which also produced salt in the early Classic period.

The abundance of fish bones preserved in the anaerobic deposits of Wild Cane Cay suggests that salt was made there to salt fish for later consumption or trade.

“Characteristic large bowls with curved walls and necked urns with fluted spouts were associated with early classical pole-and-thatched salt cookhouses, while later “Vessel supports and trade goods characteristic of salt-making sites were absent,” the authors write.

“These anthropogenic differences allow us to account for technological changes in coastal salt production and expansion of trade networks due to increased demand for inland salt during the Late Classic.”

“Despite the challenges of archeology at shallow underwater sites, research at J.E.N.A. shows that preserved wooden structures can be accurately dated and traced back to ancient commodity production (in this case salt) practices. This highlights the value of excavations in sub-seafloor mangrove peat providing context.”

of findings appear in the diary ancient.

_____

Heather McKillop and E. Corey Sills. The earliest ancient Mayan salt production in southern Belize: excavations at J.E.N. ancientpublished on November 6, 2024. doi: 10.15184/aqy.2024.186

Source: www.sci.news

New Insights into Paleolithic Fishing Techniques Revealed by Ancient Carved Shield from 15,800 Years Ago

Posted on November 11, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Scientists from the Leibniz Center for Archaeology and Durham University conducted a study on a collection of 406 carved schist tablets discovered at the Magdalenian site in Gennersdorf, Germany. These ancient carvings depict fishing techniques and tools used by Paleolithic people, showcasing nets with interlaced diamond and square mesh. This provides valuable insight into the transformation of their culture.

Placket 341 from the Magdalenian ruins of Gennersdorf, Germany. Image credit: Robitaille others., doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0311302.

“Prehistoric fisheries introduced a variety of techniques and strategies for capturing fish. It can be summarized as active fishing, which requires active fishing, passive fishing with trapping methods, or a combination of both,” said Dr. Jérôme Robitaille of the Leibniz Center for Archaeology and colleagues.

“Some methods have been developed for individual fishing, such as fishing, while others have been improved to maximize yields using collective nets and traps.”

“The choice of a particular method was influenced not only by the fish species targeted, but also by the distinct habitats and topography in which particular aquatic resources thrive.”

“Evidence for fishing in the Upper Paleolithic (20,000 to 14,500 years ago) is not abundant, but there is direct and indirect evidence of several fishing methods, including barbed tips and harpoons, bows and arrows, traps, and fishing nets. exists sporadically.”

In their study, the authors analyzed carvings carved into 406 schist plaquettes from the Magdalena site in Gennersdorf, on the north bank of the Rhine River in central-western Germany.

These plaquettes feature a unique artistic style and iconographic theme depicting both terrestrial and aquatic animals and humans.

The new imaging technique allowed researchers to see intricate carvings on the fish, with grid patterns interpreted as depictions of fishing nets or traps.

This discovery suggests that fishing may have had symbolic meaning in the Upper Paleolithic.

These expand the known repertoire of Ice Age art and provide surprising insights into the symbolic and social practices of early hunter-gatherer societies.

“A comparative analysis including other sites from the same period, such as Altamira and Lascaux, highlights Gennersdorf’s contribution to the understanding of Paleolithic art and survival strategies,” the scientists concluded.

“Unlike famous locations known for their vivid depictions of fish, Gennersdorf’s abstract, minimalist style offers a fresh perspective on the sociocultural dynamics of the Magdalene community.”

“Net fishing, which originates from a wide range of economies, reveals the diversity, adaptability, and creativity of prehistoric communities, and their proficiency in utilizing a variety of fishing methods to sustainably exploit aquatic resources.”

“This research not only increases our understanding of the diverse survival strategies of Paleolithic societies, but also contributes to a broader discussion about the complexity and richness of their cultural practices.”

“By highlighting often overlooked aspects of fishing practices and the representation of those practices in art, our research adds to a more comprehensive and dynamic picture of Upper Paleolithic subsistence and contributes to the field. opens new avenues for future research in the field. “

“Clearly fishing plays a more important role in shaping social and cultural practices than hitherto recognized, as evidenced by population patterns around rich fishing grounds, and is therefore a subject worthy of further investigation.” It is.”

of study Published in an online journal PLoS ONE.

J. Robitaille others. 2024. Upper Paleolithic fishing techniques: Insights from carved plates from the Magdalenian site of Gennersdorf, Germany. PLoS ONE 19 (11): e0311302;doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0311302

Source: www.sci.news

Ancient Shoreline Uncovered in Utopia Region of Mars

Posted on November 8, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Sedimentary mineral deposits discovered on the surface of Mars may be the remains of ancient oceans from 3.5 billion years ago. New results from China's Tianwen-1/Zhulong mission suggest the existence of landforms consistent with the coastline of the southern Utopian Plains, providing further evidence for the existence of a short-lived ocean early in the planet's history.

Shoryu landing site. Image credit: Wu others., doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-75507-w.

“The hypothesis of a Martian ocean in the northern lowlands remains an interesting unanswered question about the early stages of Mars' evolution,” said Bo Wu of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University and colleagues.

“The presence of an ocean had a major impact on early Mars' climate and atmosphere and may have left a geological record of its existence.”

“China's Mars probe Zhulong, aboard Tianwen-1, successfully landed in the southern part of Mars' Utopia Plain in May 2021.”

“This area has long been hypothesized to be part of an ancient ocean that once covered the northern lowlands.”

In this study, Dr. Wu and his co-authors analyzed data from the Tianwen 1 orbiter and the Zhoulong rover to provide estimates of the surface age and mineral composition of materials found in the southern Utopia Plains. .

They identified distinct geomorphological features, such as valleys and sedimentary channels, consistent with near-shore zones, suggesting a possible formation event involving a flood about 3.68 billion years ago.

In this scenario, a short period of frozen ocean formed the coastline, and the sea surface may have froze and disappeared about 3.42 billion years ago.

“Different types of water-related geomorphological features were separated by specific topographic contours, suggesting different types of marine environments,” the researchers said.

“The area was subdivided into a foreshore highland-to-lowland transition unit, a shallow marine unit, and a deepwater unit.”

“In situ observations of sedimentary rocks, water-related lamination features, and subsurface sedimentary layers also indicate past water activity.”

“The results suggested an evolutionary scenario for the southern Utopian coastal zone: (i) the Late Noachian Utopian Plains flood reached the foreshore approximately 3.65 to 3.68 billion years ago; (ii) The formation of post-Flood shallow and deep marine units occurred during the early Hesperian, approximately 3.5 and 3.4 billion years ago, respectively. completed by 10 million years ago. (iii) Subsurface volatiles gradually disappeared during the Amazonian period.

of study appear in the diary scientific report.

_____

B. Wu others. 2024. Observations at the Turon landing site reveal an ancient coastal zone believed to be located in the southern part of Mars' utopia. science officer 14, 24389;doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-75507-w

Source: www.sci.news

Chinese spacecraft discovers more evidence of ancient ocean on Mars

Posted on November 8, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Topographic map of Mars showing Utopian plains that may have once been an ocean

United States Geological Survey

Possible ancient coastlines have been discovered in a region of Mars explored by China’s Zhurong rover, adding further evidence that vast lowlands in Mars’ northern hemisphere may once have been covered by ocean. The evidence has been obtained.

The rover landed in the southern part of Utopia Plain in May 2021 and remained active for almost a year. Researchers studying data from the rover have found hints that there was an ancient ocean or liquid water 400,000 years ago.

now, Bo Woo Researchers from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University and their colleagues conducted a comprehensive analysis of the topographical features of the landing area by combining remote sensing data from satellites and observations from the spacecraft.

They say they found features consistent with the presence of a southern Utopian coastline, including valleys and sediment channels. They also determined the dating and composition of surface sediments in the area. Based on this, the research team believes that the ocean existed 3.68 billion years ago, but froze and disappeared about 260 million years later.

“This discovery not only provides further evidence in support of the Martian ocean theory, but also perhaps presents for the first time a discussion of its evolutionary scenario,” Wu said.

This area can be divided into a shallow area to the south and a deep area to the north. Wu said shallower parts of the ocean may have been up to 600 meters deep, but there isn’t enough data to estimate the ocean’s maximum depth.

“Water is an important element for life, and the presence of oceans on Mars in the past raises the possibility that Mars may once have harbored early microbial life,” he says.

Mathieu Rapport Researchers at Stanford University in California say whether early Mars had an ocean is a highly debated question with significant implications for the planet’s past habitability. He said future missions will need to test the new findings.

“Utopia Plains may constitute a valuable record of early Martian near-shore and coastal environments,” Rapport says.

topic:

Source: www.newscientist.com

Exploration of Cylinder Sealing and its Influence on the Development of Writing in Ancient Southwest Asia

Posted on November 5, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Administrative innovations in Southwest Asia in the fourth millennium BC, such as cylindrical seals wrapped around the earliest clay tablets, laid the foundation for one of the first writing systems, Protocuneiform. Although seals were rich in iconography, few studies have focused on the potential influence of specific motifs on the development of sign-based proto-cuneiform. in new researchpublished today in the journal ancient, scholars identified a basic proto-cuneiform symbolic precursor in seal motifs that described ships and textile transport, highlighting the synergy of an early system of clay-based communication.

Cylinder seal and seal impression: royal priest and his acolytes feeding the sacred flock. Uruk period, approximately 3200 BC. Image credit: Marie-Lan Nguyen.

The origins of writing in Southwest Asia are often traced to accounting systems developed during the 4th millennium BC. This accounting system physically documented transactions using tokens, tags, banknotes, numerical tablets, and seals.

Proto-cuneiform was first attested on clay tablets from the city of Uruk in southern Iraq around 3350-3000 BC. The script is a complex accounting system with hundreds of iconographic symbols, many of which remain difficult to interpret.

The elaboration of tokens, long used throughout Southwest Asia, may have stimulated the development of proto-cuneiform and served as a model for some symbols, but apart from numerical notation, the Comparisons can hardly be proven, and the forms that emerge from the multimedia environment of the origins of symbols can be diverse.

“The conceptual leap from pre-writing symbolism to writing is an important development in human cognitive skills,” said Professor Silvia Ferrara of the University of Bologna.

“The invention of writing marks a transition between prehistory and history, and the findings of this study demonstrate how some of the later prehistoric images are one of the earliest invented writing systems. We bridge this gap by showing how

“Although the close relationship between ancient seals and the invention of writing in Southwest Asia has long been recognized, the relationship between specific seal images and symbol shapes has remained largely unexplored,” she added. Ta.

“This was our starting question: Did seal images contribute significantly to the invention of symbols during the first writings in this region?”

To find the answer, Professor Ferrara and colleagues compared the design of the columns with proto-cuneiform, looking for correlations that might reveal a direct relationship, both in graphic form and meaning.

“We focused on images of seals, which arose before the invention of writing and continued to develop into the proto-writing era,” said Kathryn Kelly and Mattia Caltrano, researchers at the University of Bologna. Ta.

“This approach allowed us to identify a series of designs associated with the transport of textiles and pottery, which later evolved into corresponding proto-cuneiform scripts.”

This discovery reveals a direct link between the cylinder seal system and the invention of writing and provides a new perspective to study the evolution of symbolic and writing systems.

“Our findings show that the designs inscribed on the cylinder seals are directly related to the development of proto-cuneiform in southern Iraq,” Professor Ferrara said.

“These designs also show how the meanings originally associated with these designs were integrated into the writing system.”

_____

kathryn kelly others. Seals and symbols: Tracing the origins of writing in ancient Southwest Asia. ancientpublished online on November 5, 2024. doi: 10.15184/aqy.2024.165

Source: www.sci.news

Clues to the Origins of Writing Found in Ancient Mesopotamian Clay Seals

Posted on November 5, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Cylinder seal and its design engraved in clay

The origins of the world’s oldest known writing system may be traced back to painted decorated cylinders used for indicating ownership. Some symbols found on these cylindrical seals match those used in Protocuneiform, a form of protowriting utilized in Mesopotamia.

This finding suggests that the development of writing in Mesopotamia was a decentralized process, with numerous people from different regions contributing to the collection of symbols used.

“There have been various reconstructions over the years regarding the emergence of writing in Mesopotamia, but this is likely the earliest instance of writing invention in the world,” mentions Silvia Ferrara from the University of Bologna, Italy. “We are following a more vibrant and less constrained trajectory.”

The oldest confirmed writing system, cuneiform, was developed in Mesopotamia around 3200 BC. This was preceded by the introduction of a simpler writing system known as Protocuneiform, which was in use from 3350 to 3000 BC.

Proto-cuneiform texts lack grammatical rules, making them incapable of conveying complex meanings, as highlighted by Amy Richardson from the University of Reading, UK, who was not part of the research. For example, while proto-cuneiform can label something as “7 bushels of wheat”, only a sophisticated script like cuneiform can express “7 bushels of wheat are being delivered to you.”

The inception of proto-cuneiform is often associated with clay tokens, which were tokenized in various shapes like disks and spheres, engraved with patterns, and pressed into wet clay to create symbols. Some token symbols bear resemblance to those found in proto-cuneiform, as noted by Dennis Schmandt-Becker in a publication at the University of Texas at Austin in 1992 (before writing).

There is evidence supporting the role of tokens in the genesis of proto-cuneiform, according to Ferrara. However, as she mentions, not all signs can be explained by tokens.

Ferrara, along with her colleagues Kathryn Kelly and Mattia Caltrano, researchers at the University of Bologna, took a different approach by investigating another source of symbols: cylinder seals. These cylindrical artifacts, inscribed with patterns and images, when rolled over wet clay, imprint a set of rectangular symbols, often signifying the goods being transported or the individuals involved in the transaction, as described by Caltrano.

Both sides of the original cuneiform dial

CDLI

The researchers analyzed cylinder seals from the period between 4400 BC and 3400 BC across a vast region of southwest Asia, including Mesopotamia, and identified several symbols corresponding to those in proto-cuneiform.

“One prominent example we encountered was the depiction of fringed cloth and containers inside netting,” mentioned Caltrano. These symbols hold well-defined meanings related to goods transportation and are common in both cylindrical seals and proto-cuneiform tablets.

The concept that symbols on cylinder seals influenced those in proto-cuneiform had been previously proposed by scholars like Holly Pittman in a 1994 book chapter at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, with further developments in subsequent publications (link to publication). Pittman expressed satisfaction with the increasing recognition of her ideas among newer scholars with expertise in cuneiform.

“There seems to be a compelling correlation in the specific examples described in this article,” remarked Richardson. She cited her own research findings on the use of cylinder seals in recording interactions between cities.

This does not undermine the potential role of tokens. Richardson noted that there are still valid arguments suggesting the foundational importance of tokens, particularly in the development of counting systems.

If proto-cuneiform indeed originated from a mix of sources like tokens and cylinder seals, it sheds light on the diverse origins of this writing system. Ferrara pointed out that the evidence supports the argument that writing invention in Mesopotamia was more widespread and decentralized than previously thought. While the elites in the metropolis of Uruk played a crucial role, other administrators, as well as merchants scattered throughout the region, might have also contributed. “There is a growing body of evidence suggesting a broader and diversified impetus for the development of writing,” she added.

Initially, writing served administrative purposes rather than narrative ones. Richardson commented, “Early written records were primarily focused on organizing materials, goods, people, and things, aiming to establish social systems.”

topic:

Source: www.newscientist.com

Archaeologists unearth ancient 4,000-year-old copper dagger in Italy

Posted on October 30, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Archaeologists have unearthed a rare dagger dating back to the Copper Age in the Tina Giama cave in Trieste, a decentralized region in Italy’s Friuli-Venezia Giulia region.

A 4,000-year-old copper dagger discovered in Italy’s Tina Giama Cave. Image credit: Davide Bonaduce.

ancient copper dagger Tina Jama Cave It is just under 10 centimeters (4 inches) long and has a spiny leaf shape.

The artifacts were discovered by Professor Federico Bernardini, head of excavations and archaeologist at Venice’s Ca’ Foscari University, and colleagues from Italy and Slovenia.

“Although there are no exact parallels for such finds in Italy, the Tina Jama dagger can be compared with a similar find from the famous Dejman/Deshman pile-dwelling site near Ljubljana, Slovenia. ” said Professor Bernardini.

“During the Tina Jama excavations, we discovered Bronze Age and Final Chalcolithic strata dating back to the second half of the 3rd millennium BC,” added archaeologist Dr. Elena Regissa of the Archaeological Institute of the Slovenian Academy Research Center. Slovensk University of Sciences and Umetnost.

“This discovery is essential for understanding the technological, cultural and social transformation of Europe at the time.”

“The excavations will increase our understanding of various cultural aspects of the third millennium BC in the Caputo-Adriae region.”

“The discovery of the copper dagger is an unusual event that calls into question the use of the cave.”

Archaeologists also discovered a structure made of slabs and stone blocks built between 2000 BC and 1500 BC at the entrance to the cave.

“The purpose of this structure remains unclear, but human skull fragments found nearby suggest that it may have had a funerary function,” the researchers said.

“Or maybe it was built to protect the inside of the cave from storms.”

“The ceramic materials recovered at the site and the presence of a hearth indicate that, before this structure was built, this cave was frequented in the late 3rd millennium by a group whose material culture was closely connected to the Dalmatian region. BC (Cetina culture). ”

Researchers also found flint arrowheads, long blades made from the same material using pressure techniques, polished stone axes, obsidian, stone and ceramic objects, and shell ornaments.

“This evidence suggests that this cave has been visited for thousands of years and holds promise for future excavation efforts,” the researchers concluded.

Source: www.sci.news

UK uncovers ancient cockroach fossil from 180 million years ago

Posted on October 29, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Paleontologists have described a new genus and species of Jurassic cockroach. alderblattina simsibased on an isolated wing discovered in Gloucestershire, England.

alderblattina simsi:(A) Dried specimen. (B) Specimen moistened with ethanol. Note the two subspherical spots (spots) on the wing tips and the prominent distal coloration. Scale bar – 1 mm. Image credit: Swaby others., doi: 10.1002/spp2.1598.

Open University palaeontologist Emily Swaby and colleagues from the Open University and National Museums of Scotland said: “Insects are the most diverse group of terrestrial organisms in the history of life, and have been fundamental to terrestrial ecosystems since the early Devonian period. It has become a major component.”

“Primarily detritivores (decomposers), cockroaches play an important role in nutrient cycling in ecosystems through the decomposition of organic matter and are an important food source for many predators, including birds, lizards, and other mammals. ”

“cockroach(Brat Dare) They are part of the superorder Diptera, beginning in the Bashkirian period (Carboniferous) and diversifying rapidly during the second half of the Moscow period and the penultimate Kasimov period of the Carboniferous period. ”

“Further diversification occurred during the Early and Middle Permian.”

“After the mass extinction at the end of the Permian period, cockroach numbers declined sharply, but they flourished again during the Triassic period.”

The newly described cockroach species lived during the Toarcian period of the Early Jurassic period, about 180 million years ago.

named alderblattina simsihad a relatively small size and distinct wing coloration.

“Color patterns in insects, including their wings, are interpreted to be primarily physiological adaptations, thought to be used to protect against predation and sexual signaling,” the paleontologists say. said.

“Today, cockroach species display a wide variety of color patterns, and their functions include communication, protection from predation, sexual signaling, and hardening of the epidermis.”

“alderblattina simsi It is the second cockroach species to have a distinct Toarcian wing coloration pattern. ”

assigned author alderblattina simsi It belongs to the cockroach family Rhipidoblattinidae.

“Alderblattina Shimshi “The presence of two distinct spherical spots on the forewings and the coloration of the wing tips are very different from all other Jurassic cockroaches,” the researchers said.

of Alderblattina Shimshi The fossil was collected by geologists in January 1984 Mike J. Sims.

The specimen was taken from Alderton Hill. whitby mudstone formation.

“We hypothesize that extreme environmental conditions are associated with this problem. Toarcian ocean anoxic phenomenon “Competition for resources and evolutionary changes in predators were promoted, resulting in the development of apothematic coloration in two insect orders at this time,” the researchers said.

“Alderblattina Shimshi This is the seventh valid member of the European Toalchian cockroach family and adds to our knowledge of the European Toalkian cockroach fauna. ”

“This unique specimen adds significance to the record of Mesozoic cockroach wing color patterns and provides important evidence to further understand the evolution of terminal color patterns in the suborder Cockroaches. ”

a paper The survey results were published in a magazine paleontology papers.

_____

Emily J. Swaby others. 2024. A new species of cockroach (Rhipidoblattinidae) that lived in the Toarcian (Late Jurassic period) of Alderton Hill, Gloucestershire, England. It is likely that aposematic coloration was the earliest to occur in cockroaches. paleontology papers 10 (5): e1598;doi: 10.1002/spp2.1598

Source: www.sci.news

Ancient Christian Church Unearthed in Armenia after 1,600 Years

Posted on October 25, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Armenian archaeologists have discovered the remains of an early Christian church in the ruins of the ancient city of Artaxata.

Preliminary reconstruction of the early Christian church of Artaxata. Image credit: Armenian-German Arttaxata project.

ArtaxataThe main city of ancient Armenia, also known as Artashat, served as the capital of the Kingdom of Armenia from its founding in 176 BC to 120 AD.

Founded during the reign of Artaxias I (Artashes), the city is located on the left bank of the Arax River, in modern-day Ararat province of Armenia.

Artaxata was destroyed and rebuilt several times between the 1st and 5th centuries AD, but was eventually abandoned.

“According to legend, Gregory the Enlightener converted the Armenian king Tiridates III to Christianity at Artaxata in 301 AD, making Armenia the first Christian state in the world,” said Professor Achim Lichtenberger, an archaeologist at the University of Münster. said the colleague.

“The medieval monastery of Khor Villap, located very close to the newly discovered church, is a reminder of this tradition.”

“Artaxata served as the capital of the Armenian kingdom ruled by the Artaxiads and Arsacusids.”

“The city developed into an important metropolis during the Hellenistic period and was the capital of the Kingdom of Armenia for almost six centuries.”

Early Christian churches were built on stately columns. Image credit: Armenian-German Arttaxata project.

The newly discovered Christian church is an octagonal building with a cross-shaped extension.

The building was approximately 30 meters in diameter and was simply constructed with mortar floors and terracotta tiles.

Marble imported from the Mediterranean was also used lavishly.

Professor Lichtenberger and his colleagues from the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia and the University of Münster discovered the remains of a wooden platform in an extension approximately 30 meters in diameter, which they radiocarbonly date to the mid-4th century AD. .

“The fourth-century building is the oldest archaeologically recorded church in the country and is sensational evidence of early Christianity in Armenia,” Professor Lichtenberger said.

Dr. Mukrtich Zardarian, an archaeologist at the Armenian National Academy of Sciences, said: “Octagonal churches were previously unknown here, but we are well-known in the Eastern Mediterranean region, where they first appeared in the 4th century AD. I did,” he added.

“Typologically, this find corresponds to an early Christian monument.”

The researchers said, “We plan to continue the excavation and hope to make new discoveries, including the question of who this church was dedicated to.''

Source: www.sci.news

Archaeologists Uncover Ancient Roman Forum in Spain

Posted on October 22, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Archaeologists from the University of Granada have announced the discovery of the remains of an ancient Roman forum in Ubrique, Spain’s Andalusia region.

Ruins of Ubrique, Andalusia, Spain. Image credit: University of Granada.

“The main purpose of the excavations was to confirm the hypothesis proposed by local scholar Juan Vegaso at the end of the 18th century that the central terrace of the hill, known as Cerro de la Mora, was the site of a Roman forum. City”, University of Granada. Professor Macarena Bustamante Alvarez her colleagues said in a statement.

At the site, archaeologists unearthed what appears to be a wall surrounding the central plaza, about 1 meter (3.3 feet) high and 16 meters (52.5 feet) long.

They also discovered a series of architectural elements indicating large, clearly public buildings dating back to Roman times.

“We confirmed the presence of a monumental altar with decorative architectural remains,” the archaeologists said.

“These include the bases and axes of columns, as well as other evidence of statue plinths and column remains scattered throughout the city.”

“We were also able to re-examine some of the buildings at the site and outline an area that shows Roman religious practices, especially those related to water.”

Ruins of an ancient Roman forum in Ubrique, Andalusia, Spain. Image credit: University of Granada.

According to researchers, the ruins continued to be inhabited until the end of the 4th century AD.

“This is confirmed by coins found in the area, one of which bears a christogram, the first example of Christian iconography found at the site,” they said. Ta.

“Additionally, North African pottery allowed us to extend the period of occupation of this site, which was previously thought to last until the third century AD.

“It also helped us understand the trade routes that are closely connected to the Campo de Gibraltar region.”

In addition, scientists have unearthed the possible basis of a medieval defensive structure.

“This building would have provided a visual link between this site and other surrounding fortifications that would have been used to monitor this mountainous area of Cadiz,” they said. Ta.

“This excavation provides an overview of a space important for understanding the arrival and settlement of the Romans in the southern Iberian Peninsula and their intermixture with communities already settled in the area.”

Source: www.sci.news

Ancient Winged Seed Fossil Unearthed in China, Dating Back 365 Million Years

Posted on October 10, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

named Arasemenia triaa new specimen from the Wutong Formation in China's Anhui Province, dates to the Famennian period of the Late Devonian, making it the second oldest known winged seed.

fertile branches and seeds Arasemenia tria. Image credit: Wang others., doi: 10.7554/eLife.92962.3.

Many plants require seeds to reproduce. Seeds come in all shapes and sizes and often have additional features that help them disperse throughout the environment.

For example, some seeds develop wings from the seed coat as the outer layer. This is similar to the fruit of the plane tree, which has two wings that help it glide on the wind.

The first seeds are thought to have evolved during the Famennian period, between 372 and 359 million years ago.

According to the fossil record, almost all of these seeds were surrounded by additional protective structures known as couples and were wingless.

To date, only two groups of Famennia seeds have been reported to have wings or wing-like structures, and one group lacked couples.

“The oldest known plant seeds date back to the late Devonian period,” said Professor Deming Wang of Peking University.

“This period marks an important evolutionary milestone in plant history, as it transitioned from spore-based reproduction like ferns and mosses to seed-based reproduction.”

“However, little is known about wind dispersal of seeds during this period, as most fossils lack wings and are usually surrounded by a protective copple.”

Professor Wang and colleagues examined fossils of Famennian seed plants collected in China's Anhui province.

assigned to a new genus and species; Arasemenia triathe seeds are about 2.5-3.3 cm long and, unlike most other seeds of this era, clearly lack a cupple.

“In fact, this is one of the oldest known records of coppleless seeds, 40 million years earlier than previously thought,” the paleontologists said.

“Each seed is covered by a layer of integument, or seed coat, which radiates outward to form three wing-like leaves.”

“These wings tapered toward the tip and curved outward, creating a wide, flat structure that helped the seeds catch the wind.”

The researchers then compared Arasemenia tria Other known winged seeds from the Late Devonian: Warstenia and guasia.

Both of these seeds have four wings — guasiais wide and flat; WarsteniaIt's short and straight.

Scientists performed quantitative mathematical analysis to determine which seeds are most effective for wind dispersal.

This reveals that it has an odd number of wings, as follows: Arasemenia triaa more stable and high rotation speed is obtained when the seeds descend from the branches, and the seeds can catch the wind more effectively and disperse further from the parent plant.

“Our findings are Arasemenia tria This further deepens our knowledge about the origins of wind-driven dispersal strategies in early land plants,” said Dr. Pu Fan, a researcher at the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Paleontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

“When combined with previous knowledge, guasia and WarsteiniaWe conclude that winged seeds as a result of integument elongation emerged as the first form of wind dispersal strategy in the Late Devonian, prior to other methods such as parachutes and plumes. ”

“The three-winged seed found in” Arasemenia tria “During the late Devonian period, double-winged seeds would have appeared in the Carboniferous period, and single-winged seeds would have appeared in the Permian period,” Professor Wang added.

of study Published in a magazine e-life.

_____

Deming Wang others. 2024. Arasemeniathe earliest ovule with three wings and no cup. e-life 13:RP92962;doi: 10.7554/eLife.92962.3

Source: www.sci.news

Carbonate minerals in Gale Crater reveal insights into the climate of ancient Mars

Posted on October 8, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Carbonate minerals are an integral part of the carbon and water cycles, both of which are implicated in habitability, making them of particular interest in paleoenvironmental studies. In the new study, planetary scientists focused on carbon and oxygen isotope measurements of carbonate minerals detected by NASA’s Curiosity rover inside Mars’ Gale Crater.

An artist’s concept of an early Mars with liquid water (blue area) on its surface. Image credit: NASA / MAVEN / Lunar and Planetary Institute.

Isotopes are versions of an element that have different masses. As the water evaporates, the lighter ones, carbon and oxygen, are more likely to escape into the atmosphere, while the heavier ones are more likely to be left behind, accumulating in larger quantities, and in this case eventually incorporated into carbonate rocks.

Scientists are interested in carbonates because they have been shown to act as climate records.

These minerals may retain traces of the environment in which they formed, such as the temperature and acidity of the water and the composition of the water and atmosphere.

“The isotopic values of these carbonates indicate extreme amounts of evaporation, suggesting that these carbonates likely formed in climates where only ephemeral liquid water could exist. ‘ said Dr. David Burt, a researcher at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.

“Our samples do not match an ancient environment in which life (biosphere) existed on the surface of Mars. However, it does not match the subterranean biosphere or the surface environment that began and ended before these carbonates formed. This does not exclude the possibility of a biosphere.

Dr. Burt and his colleagues propose two formation mechanisms for the carbonates found in Gale Crater.

In the first scenario, carbonates form through a series of dry-wet cycles within the crater.

In the second, carbonates form in extremely salty water under cold ice-forming (cryogenic) conditions inside the crater.

“These formation mechanisms represent two different climate regimes that could indicate different habitation scenarios,” said Dr. Jennifer Stern, also of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center.

“Wetting and drying cycles would indicate alternations between more and less habitable environments, while the extremely low temperatures in the mid-latitudes of Mars mean that most of the water is trapped in ice. “And what’s there would be very salty and unpleasant to live in.” “

These climate scenarios for ancient Mars have been previously proposed based on the presence of certain minerals, global modeling, and the identification of rock formations.

The results are the first to add isotopic evidence from rock samples to support the scenario.

The heavy isotope values of carbonates on Mars are significantly higher than carbonate minerals observed on Earth, and are the heaviest carbon and oxygen isotope values ever recorded in Martian material.

In fact, both wet-dry and cold-saline climates are required to form carbonates, which are extremely rich in heavy carbon and oxygen.

“The fact that these carbon and oxygen isotope values are higher than any other measured on Earth or Mars indicates that the process is extreme,” Dr. Burt said.

“While evaporation can cause significant oxygen isotope changes on Earth, the changes measured in this study were two to three times larger.”

“This means two things: (i) there was an extreme degree of evaporation that made these isotope values very heavy, and (ii) these heavier values were conserved so that the lighter isotopes The process that generated the body value must have significantly reduced its size.””

team’s paper Published in this week’s Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

_____

David G. Burt others. 2024. High concentrations of carbon and oxygen isotopes in carbonate-derived CO₂ At Gale Crater on Mars. PNAS 121 (42): e2321342121;doi: 10.1073/pnas.2321342121

This article is based on a press release provided by NASA.

Source: www.sci.news

Living microorganisms found in ancient 2 billion-year-old rocks by microbiologists

Posted on October 3, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Researchers from the University of Tokyo and others have discovered pockets of living microorganisms in mineral-filled veins in 2 billion-year-old rocks taken from South Africa’s Bushveld Igneous Complex.

The 2-billion-year-old mafic rocks of the Bushveld Igneous Complex reveal veins filled with clay minerals colonized by indigenous microorganisms (stained green). Image provided by: Suzuki others., doi: 10.1007/s00248-024-02434-8.

“We didn’t know whether rocks from 2 billion years ago were habitable or not,” says Dr. Yohei Suzuki, a researcher at the University of Tokyo.

“This is a very interesting discovery because the oldest geological formations in which living microorganisms have been found were 100 million-year-old deposits beneath the ocean floor.”

“By studying the DNA and genomes of these microorganisms, we may be able to understand the evolution of very early life on Earth.”

Dr. Suzuki and his colleagues analyzed rock samples from the Bushveld Igneous Complex, a rock intrusion in northeastern South Africa that formed when magma slowly cooled beneath the earth’s surface.

“The Bushveld Igneous Complex covers an area of approximately 66,000 km2 (about the same size as Ireland), varies in thickness by up to 9 km, and contains approximately 70% of the platinum mined worldwide. , contains some of the richest mineral deposits on Earth,” they said.

“Due to the way it was formed and the minimal deformation and changes that have occurred since then, the BIC is thought to have provided a stable habitat for ancient microbial life that continues to this day.”

The core sample, measuring 8.5 cm in diameter and 30 cm in length, was taken from a depth of 15.28 meters with the assistance of the International Continental Scientific Drilling Program, a non-profit organization that funds exploration of geological sites.

By analyzing thin slices of the rock, the researchers found that the cracks in the rock were packed with live microbial cells.

The crevices near these cracks were clogged with clay, making it impossible for living things to get out of them or for anything else to get in.

The researchers built on previously developed techniques to ensure that the microbes were native to the rock samples and not due to contamination during the drilling or testing process.

By staining the DNA of microbial cells and using infrared spectroscopy to observe proteins in the microbes and the surrounding clay, they confirmed that the microbes were alive and uncontaminated.

“I am very interested in the possibility that subsurface microorganisms exist not only on Earth, but also on other planets,” said Dr. Suzuki.

“Rocks on Mars are generally much older (20 billion to 30 billion years ago), but NASA’s Perseverance rover is currently scheduled to return rocks that are similar in age to the rocks used in this study.”

“Now that we have discovered microbial life in a 2 billion-year-old Earth sample and have been able to accurately confirm its authenticity, we are excited to see what we will find in Mars samples in the future.”

of result Published in a magazine microbial ecology.

_____

Yuya Suzuki others. 2024. Subsurface microbial colonization of mineral-filled veins in 2 billion-year-old mafic rocks of the Bushveld Igneous Complex, South Africa. microorganism ecole 87, 116; doi: 10.1007/s00248-024-02434-8

This article is based on a press release from the University of Tokyo.

Source: www.sci.news

Ancient coelacanth fossil from the Devonian era discovered in Australia

Posted on September 13, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Living Coelacanth Latimeria Coelacanths are iconic “living fossils,” one of the most conservative groups of vertebrates. Now, paleontologists have described a new species of primitive coelacanth from fossils discovered in the Late Devonian Gogo Formation of Western Australia. Ngamgawi WirungariThe 375-million-year-old fossil fish fills an important transitional period in the differentiation and evolution of coelacanths.

Reconstructing your life Ngamgawi WirungariImage courtesy of Katrina Kenny.

coelacanth It is an evolutionarily unique lobe-finned fish that first appeared in the fossil record during the Early Devonian period, approximately 419 million years ago.

More than 175 species of coelacanth fossils are known from the Paleozoic and Mesozoic eras.

During the Mesozoic era, they diversified greatly, with some species developing unusual body shapes.

But at the end of the Cretaceous period, about 66 million years ago, they mysteriously disappeared from the fossil record.

The end-Cretaceous extinction, caused by a giant asteroid impact, wiped out about 75% of all life on Earth, including the non-avian dinosaurs.

It was therefore assumed that the coelacanth was also a victim of the same mass extinction.

However, in 1938, the first specimen of this species was discovered. Latimeria chalumnae It was caught by chance in South Africa.

The second known species, Latimeria menadoensisIt lives off the coast of Sulawesi, Indonesia.

Specimen Ngamgawi WirungariImage courtesy of John A. Long.

“Our study calls into question the idea that extant coelacanths are the oldest 'living fossils,'” said Professor Richard Cloutier, a vertebrate paleontologist at the University of Quebec.

“It first appeared in the geological record more than 410 million years ago, with fragmentary fossils found in places such as China and Australia.”

“But most of the early forms are poorly known. Ngamgawi Wirungari It is the best known of the Devonian coelacanths.

“As we slowly fill in the gaps, we can see how extant coelacanth species are LatimeriaAlthough they are commonly thought of as “living fossils,” they are in fact constantly evolving and may not deserve this enigmatic title.”

Specimen Ngamgawi Wirungari It was discovered in the Late Devonian Go Go Formation Gooniyandi Country in the Kimberley region of northern Western Australia.

Although now covered by a dry rock outcrop, around 380 million years ago the formation was part of an ancient tropical coral reef teeming with more than 50 species of fish.

Coelacanth phylogenetic relationships and divergence dates. Image courtesy of Clement others., doi:10.1038/s41467-024-51238-4.

“Ngamgawi Wirungari “This discovery gives us great insight into the early anatomy of the lineage that ultimately led to humans,” said Professor John Long, from Flinders University.

“Over 35 years, the Gogo site has yielded some perfectly preserved 3D fish fossils and many other important discoveries, including petrified soft tissue and the origin of complex sexual reproduction in vertebrates.”

“The study of this new species has allowed us to analyse the evolutionary history of all known coelacanths.”

“We calculated evolutionary rates over 410 million years of history,” they said.

“This study reveals that the evolution of coelacanths has slowed significantly since the time of the dinosaurs, with some intriguing exceptions.”

of Survey results Published in a journal Nature Communications.

_____

Alice M. Clement othersLate Devonian coelacanths reconstruct phylogeny, differentiation and evolutionary dynamics of Actinobacteria. Nature Communicationsin press; doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-51238-4

Source: www.sci.news

Genetic study uncovers ancient Easter Islander’s resilience and connections to pre-European contact in the Americas

Posted on September 12, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Easter Island, also known as Rapa Nui, is one of the most isolated inhabited places in the world. Its archaeological record, including megalithic statues, has captured the imagination of many. Two major controversies have emerged from extensive study of the island. First, its history is presented as a cautionary tale of overexploitation of resources leading to a large-scale population decline – the “ecocide” theory. Second, the possibility of a voyage across the Pacific Ocean to the Americas before European contact is still debated. To answer these questions, a team of scientists from the Globe Institute and elsewhere sequenced and analyzed the genomes of 15 Rapa Nui people who lived between 1670 and 1950.

Rapa Nui people. Image courtesy of © Santiago Caruso.

Rapa Nui is one of the most isolated inhabited islands in the world.

It lies at the easternmost tip of the Polynesian Triangle in the Pacific Ocean, 3,700 km west of South America and over 1,900 km east of the nearest inhabited island.

Despite Rapa Nui's remote location, archaeological and genetic evidence indicates that Polynesians from the west had already arrived on the island around 1250 AD.

Over the next five centuries, Rapa Nui's inhabitants, the Rapanui, developed a culture characterized by iconic colossal stone statues (moai) and monumental stone platforms (ahu).

Due to Rapa Nui's isolation, Europeans did not reach the island until 1722 AD.

Over the years, European visitors have had a devastating impact on Rapa Nui, killing locals and introducing deadly pathogens the islanders had never encountered before.

Moreover, a third of the population was kidnapped by Peruvian slave raiders in the 1860s, and only a small proportion were repatriated following international condemnation of slavery.

A smallpox epidemic subsequently decimated Rapanui's population, down to an estimated 110 people.

“It is well known that Rapa Nui's environment was affected by human activities such as deforestation, but it was unknown whether and how these changes led to a dramatic population decline,” said Dr Anna Saffo Malaspinas, a researcher at the University of Lausanne and the Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics.

The Tahitian warrior's shelter from Giulio Ferrario's Le Costume Ancien et Moderne, Milan, 1816-1827.

The authors studied the genomes of 15 ancient inhabitants who lived on the island over the past 500 years.

They found no evidence of a genetic bottleneck corresponding to the 17th century collapse.

The analysis suggests that the island was originally inhabited by a small number of people, but its population grew steadily until Peruvian slave raids in the 1860s forced a third of the island's population to relocate.

Furthermore, the analysis showed that, like modern-day Rapa Nui people, the ancient islanders also carried Native American DNA.

This mixing probably occurred sometime between 1250 and 1430 AD.

Taken together with archaeological evidence and oral history, the find suggests that Polynesians may have been crossing the Pacific long before Europeans arrived on Rapa Nui and long before Columbus reached the Americas.

“Our genetic analysis shows that there was a steady population growth from the 13th century until contact with Europeans in the 18th century,” said Dr Barbara Souza da Mota, a researcher at the University of Lausanne.

“This stability is extremely important because it directly contradicts the idea of a dramatic pre-contact population decline.”

“We investigated how Native American DNA is distributed in the genetic background of Rapa Nui Polynesians,” said Dr Victor Moreno Mayar, a researcher at the Globe Institute at the University of Copenhagen.

“This distribution is consistent with contact occurring between the 13th and 15th centuries.”

“Our study doesn't tell us where this contact occurred, but it may mean that the ancestors of the Rapanui reached the Americas before Christopher Columbus,” Dr Malaspinas said.

of Survey results Published in a journal Nature.

_____

JV Moreno Mayal others2024. Ancient Rapanui genome reveals resilience and pre-European contact with the Americas. Nature 633, 389-397;doi: 10.1038/s41586-024-07881-4

Source: www.sci.news

The ancient inhabitants of Easter Island journeyed to South America

Posted on September 12, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

The famous Moai statues of Easter Island

Tero Hakala/Shutterstock

SEI 221095699 — The famous Moai statues of Easter Island

Tero Hakala/Shutterstock

DNA analysis of ancient ruins on Easter Island has revealed that the population was actually growing when Europeans arrived, rather than plummeting as some history books have reported.

The findings also indicate that there was contact between the inhabitants of this island and those of South America long before the arrival of Europeans. This island and its people are also known as Rapa Nui.

Located in the Pacific Ocean 3,500 km from South America, Rapa Nui is one of the most isolated inhabited islands on Earth. Polynesians first settled here around 1200 AD, when palm forests covered 164 square kilometers of the island.

By the time Europeans arrived in 1722, rats and excessive logging had almost completely destroyed the vegetation, and the island’s history has often been portrayed as an example of the unsustainable exploitation of ecosystems and their subsequent collapse after human population growth.

The researchers worked closely with representatives of the Rapa Nui community, and one of their aims was to verify that the people on display at the museum were in fact from the island, as efforts to repatriate remains are underway, led by modern residents.

The findings showed that 15 people who died in the past 500 years were from Rapa Nui.

Populations that are experiencing bottlenecks due to population decline will show signals in their DNA that indicate reduced genetic diversity, Moreno-Mayer said.

“We use statistical methods that allow us to reconstruct the genetic diversity of the Rapa Nui population over the past few thousand years,” he says, “and intriguingly, we find no evidence of the dramatic population decline around 1600 that would be predicted by collapse theory.”

Instead, the findings suggest that Rapa Nui’s population grew steadily until the 1860s, when slave traders abducted hundreds of islanders and many more died in a smallpox epidemic.

The study also identified regions of DNA in the ancient Rapa Nui genome that were of Native American origin, and the analysis suggests that mixing between these populations occurred around the 1300s.

“Our interpretation is that the ancestors of Rapa Nui first settled on the island and then returned to the Americas shortly thereafter,” Moreno-Mayer says.

Previous studies have also cast doubt on the idea of population decline. Carl Lipo The researcher, from New York’s Binghamton University, said it was
“fantastic” to see that a completely independent body of evidence points to the same conclusion his team reached in a paper published earlier this year using radiocarbon and archaeological evidence.

He said the research confirmed that the island was inhabited by people who lived resilient and successful lives before Europeans arrived.

topic:

Source: www.newscientist.com

Neanderthal fossil genome uncovers ancient tribe isolated for centuries

Posted on September 11, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

The jawbone of a Neanderthal known as Thorin, thought to have belonged to an isolated group

Xavier Mus

Genetic analysis of Neanderthal fossils found in France has revealed that they are the remnants of a previously unknown lineage of ancient people that remained extremely isolated for more than 50,000 years, shedding new light on the final stages of the species' existence.

The fossil has been named Thorin, after a character from J.R.R. Tolkien's novels. The HobbitIt was discovered in 2015 in the Mandolin Cave in the Rhône Valley in southern France. Ludovic Slimak Researchers from the Centre for Human Biology and Genomics in Toulouse discovered a few teeth in the soil of the cave, and after nine years of painstaking excavation, they uncovered 31 teeth, a jawbone, part of a skull, and thousands of other bone fragments.

The discovery of so many fossils of Neanderthals, who lived in Eurasia from about 400,000 to 40,000 years ago and are now extinct, is extremely rare and a surprising find in itself.

Even more surprising, even though DNA doesn't normally preserve in warm climates, a fragment of Thorin's tooth yielded his genome, revealing that the fossil was male but solving a mystery that will take years to unravel.

Srimak and his colleagues compared Thorin's genome with those of other Neanderthals and estimated that he lived about 105,000 years ago, but archaeological evidence and isotope analysis of his bones clearly show that Thorin lived no more than 50,000 years ago, making him a “late Neanderthal” from the final stage of Neanderthal existence.

“We have been together for a long time [geneticists] “We were confident that Thorin was indeed an early Neanderthal precisely because his genetic lineage is very distantly related to modern Neanderthals from the same region,” the team said. Tarshika Vimala “On the one hand, archaeologists were convinced he was a late Neanderthal. It took years of work on both sides to arrive at the answer,” said a researcher from the University of Copenhagen.

Eventually, the researchers realized they must have discovered a previously unknown Neanderthal lineage: Thorin was part of a small group that lived between 42,000 and 50,000 years ago. This group was likely a remnant of a much older Neanderthal population that split off from the main Neanderthal population about 105,000 years ago and remained genetically isolated for more than 50,000 years afterwards.

Thorin's bones unearthed in the Mandolin Cave in France

Ludovic Slimak

Thorin's DNA showed no evidence of interbreeding between his lineage and the main Neanderthal population, despite their close proximity. “Thorin was completely different from other Neanderthals,” Slimak says.

This isolation may have made this population particularly vulnerable: “Prolonged isolation and inbreeding can reduce genetic diversity over time, which is detrimental to a population's survival, which in turn can negatively affect its ability to adapt to a changing environment,” Vimala says.

Srimak, Vimala and their colleagues then reanalyzed the genome of another Neanderthal who lived about 43,000 years ago at Les Côtés in France, and found traces in its DNA of a “ghost population” that interbred with another, previously unknown, Neanderthal group about 15,000 to 20,000 years ago.

“This means that there weren't just two populations among late Neanderthals, but possibly three,” says Slimak. Previously, it was thought that all Neanderthals before their extinction were part of a single genetically similar population.

“The evidence from Mandrin Cave is very exciting because it gives us fascinating insights into late Neanderthal populations and their movements.” Emma Pomeroy At Cambridge University.

topic:

Source: www.newscientist.com

Paleontologists discover three new species of ancient thylacine fossils

Posted on September 10, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Palaeontologists from the University of New South Wales have unearthed the fossils of three new species belonging to the thylacine genus. Basitinus, Nimbakinusand Ngamalasinas It inhabits upper Oligocene sediments in the Riversleigh World Heritage Area, northwest Queensland, Australia. Bassinus timforkneri, Nimbasinus peterbridgeand Ngamalasinas NigermalbeniThese new species are among the oldest known thylacines and indicate an earlier diversification of the family Thylacidae. Thylacine More than previously understood.

Bassinus timforkneri Eating a corpse Silvavestius Michaelvirti.Image credit: Peter Schouten.

The three new species of Pectiniidae lived during the Late Oligocene epoch, between 25 and 23 million years ago.

The largest of these is Bassinus timforkneriThey weigh between 7 and 11 kg, roughly the same size as a large Tasmanian devil.

“Like the Tasmanian devil, Basisinas timforkneri “They could easily crush the bones and teeth of their prey,” said lead author Tim Churchill, a doctoral student at the University of New South Wales.

“But up until now, we've only seen much smaller Bassinus TurnbulliiWeighing in at around 2.7 kg, this dinosaur is the only thylacine relative found in the Late Oligocene.

“The lower jaw and teeth, including an isolated first molar, were found at the Hiatus site at Riversleigh, which is even older than the White Hunter site where B. turnbrii was previously found.”

“This will Basisinas timforkneri It is undoubtedly the oldest thylacine ever discovered.”

The second species is Nimbasinus peterbridgeIt was slightly larger than a long-eared quoll and weighed about 3.7kg.

The species was described from a nearly complete jawbone from the White Hunter site at Riversleigh.

“Nimbasinus peterbridge “It was probably a more generalist predator, targeting small mammals and other prey in the ancient woodland of Riversleigh,” Professor Mike Archer, from the University of New South Wales, said.

“We think it may have been directly related to only one other species. Nimbakinus,big Nimbasinus dicksoni (5-7kg) was discovered in 15 million year old deposits at Riversleigh.”

“This group of thylacines, Thylacine.”

“The other two new species described here appear to represent distinctive side branches on the increasingly complex thylacine phylogenetic tree.”

“This means Nimbasinus peterbridge It is probably the oldest known direct ancestor of the Tasmanian tiger.”

The third new species, Ngamalasinas NigermalbeniIt weighed about 5.1kg and was about the size of a red fox. This one was also unearthed at the White Hunter site in Riversleigh.

“This was a highly carnivorous thylacine,” said Dr Sue Hand, from the University of New South Wales.

“We know this because the cutting edges of the lower molars are elongated and have deep, V-shaped meat-cutting notches.”

“Ngamalasinas Nigermalbeni These notches were more developed than in any other thylacine species of similar size.”

The existence of three distinct lineages of specialized thylacines in the Late Oligocene highlights how rapidly this group of marsupials has diversified since they first appeared in the fossil record, the researchers say.

“These new species have very different dental adaptations, suggesting that several unique carnivore forest niches existed during this time,” Churchill said.

“All of these lineages became extinct by 8 million years ago, except for the lineage that gave rise to modern thylacines.”

“The previous idea that Australia was dominated by reptilian carnivores for the last 25 million years is steadily being disproved as each new discovery adds to the fossil record of these new thylacine-like marsupial carnivores,” Prof Archer said.

“The diversity of mammalian carnivores in Rivers Leaf during this period rivals any other ecosystem, including the large dispersal of mammalian carnivores that developed in South America,” Churchill added.

of study this month, Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology.

_____

Timothy J. Churchill othersThree new opossum species (Marsupialia, Opossumidae) discovered from Late Oligocene deposits in the Riversleigh World Heritage Area, north-west Queensland. Journal of Vertebrate PaleontologyPublished online September 6, 2024; doi: 10.1080/02724634.2024.2384595

Source: www.sci.news

The Kakapo Parrot: A Species with Ancient Origins in New Zealand, According to Paleontologist

Posted on September 3, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Kakapo (Strigops habroptilus) is a species of flightless parrot endemic to New Zealand.

Kakapo (Strigops habroptilusImage courtesy of Jake Osborne.

“Our research has prompted us to rethink our native fauna,” said Dr Paul Schofield, from Canterbury Museum.

“Many species that were thought to be iconic natives of New Zealand – the classic example being the takahe – are now known to be relatively recent species that arrived from Australia only a few million years ago.”

In their study, Dr Schofield and his colleagues focused on the so-called St Bathans Fauna, a collection of more than 9,000 specimens from 33 palaeontological sites and individual deposits near the village of St Bathans in Central Otago, New Zealand’s South Island.

These sites, once the bed of a large prehistoric lake, provide the only significant insight into non-marine life in New Zealand from 20 million years ago (the Early Miocene).

Rare creatures in the St Bathans fauna include: Hercules’ Unexpected a giant parrot that scientists have named Squawkzilla, two mysterious mammals, flamingos, a three-metre crocodile, a giant horned turtle, and a giant bat.

“Twenty-three years of excavations at St Bathans have changed our ideas about the age of New Zealand’s fauna and the importance of some animals over others,” Dr Schofield said.

“For example, we previously thought that birds like kiwis and moas were the oldest representatives of New Zealand’s fauna.”

“We are now beginning to realise that the kakapo, New Zealand’s little wrens and bats, and even the odd freshwater limpet are the true ancient inhabitants of New Zealand.”

The authors conclude that this rare group of animals became extinct as a result of a dramatic drop in temperature over the past five million years or so.

“The work at St Bathans has transformed our understanding of the non-marine vertebrate fauna of New Zealand during the Early Miocene, around 20 million years ago,” Dr Trevor Worthy, from Flinders University, said.

“It’s incredibly exciting to be part of a project that continues to discover brand new things about what animals lived in New Zealand’s lakes, rivers, and surrounding forests at such a pivotal time in history.”

“Every year we find new specimens – amazing discoveries of new species that we never could have imagined when we first started working there.”

“The animals that lived in New Zealand 20 million years ago were very different to those found today,” said Dr Vanessa De Pietri, from the University of Canterbury.

“For example, there was another giant eagle that was not related to Haast’s eagle (Hieraethus Moulay)”

“We had a lot of pretty unusual songbirds, we had alligators and maybe even some small mammals that we call waddling mice.”

“Research is still ongoing to understand what it was exactly.”

This study paper Published in the journal Geobios.

_____

Trevor H. Worthy othersSummary of the Early Miocene St Bathans fauna of New Zealand. GeobiosPublished online August 6, 2024; doi: 10.1016/j.geobios.2024.03.002

This article has been adapted from an original release by Canterbury Museum.

Source: www.sci.news

Astronomers find breathtaking galaxy collision in ancient universe

Posted on September 3, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) and the Subaru Telescope, astronomers have discovered a merging pair of gas-rich galaxies that existed 12.8 billion years ago and housed a faint central quasar that may be the ancestor of some of the brightest and most massive quasars in the early universe.

Artist's impression of the quasars HSC J121503.42-014858.7 and HSC J121503.55-014859.3. Image courtesy of Izumi others., doi:10.3847/1538-4357/ad57c6.

Quasars are luminous objects that gained energy from matter falling into supermassive black holes at the centers of galaxies in the early universe.

The most accepted theory is that when two gas-rich galaxies merge to form one larger galaxy, the gravitational interaction between the two galaxies causes gas to fall towards a supermassive black hole in one or both of the galaxies, triggering quasar activity.

To test this theory, Dr. Takuma Izumi of the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan used ALMA to study the oldest known pair of close quasars.

The quasars, named HSC J121503.42-014858.7 and HSC J121503.55-014859.3, were discovered by the Subaru Telescope's Hyper Suprime-Cam.

These objects are very faint, about 10 to 100 times fainter than highly luminous quasars at the same redshift.

“It is located approximately 12.8 billion light-years away, corresponding to the 'cosmic dawn' era when the universe was only 900 million years old, making it the farthest such quasar pair on record,” the astronomers said.

“Because of their faintness, we thought these objects were in the pre-merger stage, before the supermassive black holes rapidly grow.”

“However, observations with the Subaru Telescope only provide information about the central supermassive black hole, and it remains unclear whether the host galaxy is destined to merge and ultimately grow into a luminous quasar.”

“As a next step, we used the ALMA radio telescope to carry out observations of the host galaxies of these quasar pairs.”

“The results were surprising: the observed distribution of interstellar material and the nature of its motions indicated that these galaxies are interacting with each other.”

“They are definitely on a path to merge into one galaxy in the near future.”

“Furthermore, calculations from observational data reveal that the total gas mass of these galaxies – about 100 billion times the mass of the Sun – is comparable to or exceeds the gas mass in the host galaxies of most luminous quasars, which have extremely bright cores.”

“This enormous amount of matter should easily trigger and sustain the post-merger burst of star formation and fueling of the supermassive black hole.”

“These discoveries therefore represent a significant achievement in identifying the ancestors of luminous quasars and starburst galaxies, the most luminous objects in the early universe, from various perspectives, including galactic structure, motion and the amount of interstellar material.”

of Survey results Appears in Astrophysical Journal.

_____

Takuma Izumi others2024. Gas-rich galaxy merger harboring a low-luminosity twin quasar at z = 6.05: a likely progenitor of the most luminous quasars. ApJ 972, 116;doi:10.3847/1538-4357/ad57c6

Source: www.sci.news

An ancient stone bridge dating back 5,600 years signals the early settlement of humans on the Spanish island of Mallorca

Posted on August 31, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Archaeologists say Genovesa Cave Discovered in Mallorca, the main Balearic island and the Mediterranean's sixth largest, the find suggests that humans settled in the western Mediterranean much earlier than previously thought.

5,600-year-old underwater stone bridge in Genovesa Cave, Mallorca, Spain. Image courtesy of R. Landreth.

Limited archaeological evidence makes it difficult to reconstruct early human colonization of the Balearic Islands in the western Mediterranean.

By studying the 7.7-metre (25-foot) submerged bridge, Professor Bogdan Onak of the University of South Florida and his colleagues were able to provide compelling evidence of prior human activity within Genovesa Cave.

“The presence of this underwater bridge and other artefacts indicates a high level of activity and suggests that early settlers were aware of the cave's water resources and strategically built infrastructure to navigate through them,” Prof Onak said.

Genovesa Cave, located near the coast of Mallorca, has had parts of its passage flooded by rising sea levels and has clear calcite deposits when sea levels were higher.

These layers, along with the light-colored bands on the submerged bridge, act as markers to precisely track historical sea-level changes and pinpoint the date of the bridge's construction.

Previous studies had suggested a human presence at the site as far back as 9,000 years ago, but inconsistencies in nearby carbon-dated bones, pottery and other evidence, as well as poor preservation, had left the findings in doubt.

Recent studies have used charcoal, ash and bones found on the island to create a timeline of human settlement dating back about 4,400 years ago.

This allows the timeline of human presence to coincide with important environmental events, such as the extinction of the goat antelope. Myotragus balearix.

By analysing the bridge's mineral overgrowths and the height of the bridge's colour bands, the authors found that the bridge was built around 6,000 years ago – more than 2,000 years older than previous estimates, narrowing the gap in the timelines between eastern and western Mediterranean settlements.

“The history of the bridge's construction appears to be closely linked to the rapid Holocene sea-level rise just before 6,000 years ago and the brief period of sea-level stillness that caused parts of the upper part of the cave to be flooded,” the researchers said.

“Our chronology shows that sea-level rise stopped and stabilized for several hundred years, between 5,964 and 5,359 years ago. During this time, so-called phreatic expansions of speleothems (POS) formed in the cave lake and the characteristic 'bathtub ring' formed on the bridge.”

“Construction of the bridge probably began early in this period, as it was needed to cross the 0.25 metre deep lake, but it must have been completed before 5,600 years ago, when the upper part of the bridge was submerged.”

“Evidence suggests that humans constructed a cobblestone path and a sturdy bridge leading to the cave's water pool, facilitating access to the only dry part of the cave, located in the Sala d'Entrada across the lake.”

“The exact reason these structures in Genovesa Cave were built remains unclear.”

“However, the dating constraints imposed by the depth of the bridge, and the similar depths at which the POS and colour marks are found, support the idea that early humans were present on the island by 5,600 years ago, potentially extending the date back to 6,000 years ago.”

a paper A paper describing the findings was published in the journal Neurology today. Communication Earth and the Environment.

_____

BP Onac others2024. An underwater bridge built at least 5,600 years ago marks early human arrival on the Spanish island of Mallorca. Community Global Environment 5, 457; doi: 10.1038/s43247-024-01584-4

Source: www.sci.news

Israel Unearths Ancient Stone Seal Dating Back 2,700 Years

Posted on August 30, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Archaeologists from the Israel Antiquities Authority have discovered a stone seal from the First Temple period near the southern wall of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, Israel. The ancient seal bears a name inscribed in ancient Hebrew script and a winged figure.

A 2,700-year-old stone seal discovered in Jerusalem, Israel. Image courtesy of Emil Aladjem, Israel Antiquities Authority.

“The seal, made of black stone, is one of the most beautiful seals ever found in excavations in ancient Jerusalem and is executed at the highest artistic level,” said Dr. Yuval Baruch and Dr. Navot Rom, directors of the excavation at the Israel Antiquities Authority.

“These objects, inscribed with mirror writing, served as talismans for their owners and as a means of legally signing documents and certificates.”

“It has convex notches on both sides and holes along its length so it can be put on a chain and worn around your neck.”

“In the centre is a profile of what is probably a king, winged and wearing a long striped shirt, striding to the right.”

“The figure has a long, curly mane that covers his neck and wears a hat or crown on his head.”

“The figure has one arm raised in front of him with the palm open, possibly suggesting that he is holding something.”

On either side of the statue are ancient Hebrew inscriptions. Rehoezer ben Hoshayahu.

“We believe this seal was worn around the neck as a talisman by a man named Hoshayahu, who was a high-ranking official in the administration of the kingdom of Judah,” said Dr Philip Vukosavovich, an archaeologist at the Israel Antiquities Authority.

“Hoshayahu, by virtue of his authority and position, allowed himself to be ennobled and to sport a seal bearing an awe-inspiring figure that embodied the symbols of his authority.”

“The amulet was likely made by a local craftsman, a Jew, at the request of the owner. It was made at a very high artistic level.”

“The hypothesis is that after Hoshaiah died, his son Jehoezer inherited the seal and added his own name and his father's name on either side of the demon.”

“Perhaps he did so in order to directly adopt for himself the beneficial properties that he believed the talisman embodied as a magical item.”

The name Jehoezer is better known in the Bible (1 Chronicles 12:7) as its abbreviated form, Yoezer. King David's Warriors.

“And in the Book of Jeremiah (43:2), which records the events of these times, a man with a similar name, Azariah ben Hoshaiah, is mentioned.”

“The two parts of his first name are written in reverse order to the seal bearer's name, and his surname is the same, but in an abbreviated form.”

“The text matches the name on the newly discovered seal and is appropriate for the period.”

“When we compare the shape and writing of the letters with other Hebrew seals and stamps from Jerusalem, we see that the names on the seals were carelessly engraved, in contrast to the carefully carved sculptures of demons,” said Professor Ronny Reich of the University of Haifa.

“It is possible that it was Jehoezeru himself who inscribed his name on the object.”

“This is further evidence of the literacy that existed during this time,” Dr Baruch said.

“Contrary to popular belief, literacy during this period does not appear to have been the sole domain of the elite of society.”

“People were able to read and write at least at a basic level because of commercial necessity.”

“Numerous traces of seals written in ancient Hebrew characters have been found in the City of David and in the surrounding areas of the Kingdom of Judah.”

“The distinctive Neo-Assyrian image of the winged man is unique and highly unusual for a hieroglyphic style from the Late First Temple period.”

“The influence of the Assyrian Empire, which conquered the entire region, is clearly visible here.”

“Judah in general, and Jerusalem in particular, was under the hegemony and influence of the Assyrian Empire at that time, a reality that is reflected in its culture and art.”

“That the seal's owner chose the devil as the symbol of his seal may prove that he felt he belonged to a broader cultural context, much like the people of Israel today who consider themselves part of Western culture.”

“But even in his emotions, this Jehoezer held firmly to his local identity, so his name is written in Hebrew letters and his name is a Hebrew name that belongs to the Judah culture.”

Source: www.sci.news

Terrifying Landscapes: The Impact of Violent Conflict on Non-State Societies in Ancient Europe

Posted on August 29, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

The impact of intergroup conflict on demographics has long been debated, especially in prehistoric and non-state societies. In their study, scientists from the Complexity Science Hub, the University of Washington, and the Leibniz Center for Archaeology believe that beyond the direct casualties of combat, conflicts can create “landscapes of fear” that can lead many non-combatants near conflict zones to abandon their homes and migrate.

The Battle of Orsha by Hans Krell.

“Around the world, scientists have extensively studied and debated the existence and role of prehistoric conflict,” said Dr Daniel Condor, a researcher at the Complexity Science Hub.

“But it remains difficult to estimate the impact on population numbers and so on.”

“The situation is further complicated by potential indirect effects, such as people leaving their homes or avoiding certain areas out of fear.”

These indirect effects of conflict can have caused significant long-term demographic changes in non-state societies such as Neolithic Europe (c. 7000-3000 BC).

“Our model shows that fear of conflict led to population declines in potentially dangerous areas.”

“As a result, people began concentrating in safer areas, such as on the hills, and overpopulation threatened to increase death rates and decrease birth rates.”

“The results of the simulation study are in good agreement with empirical evidence from archaeological field investigations, for example the Late Neolithic site of Kapellenberg near Frankfurt, dating to around 3700 BC,” added Dr Detlef Groenenborn, researcher at the Leibniz Archaeological Centre.

“There are many examples of agricultural land being temporarily abandoned as groups retreated to more defensible locations and invested heavily in extensive defensive systems such as walls, palisades and ditches.”

“The concentration of people in particular, often well-defended locations, may have led to growing wealth inequalities and political structures that legitimised these differences,” said Dr Peter Turchin, a researcher at the Complexity Science Hub.

“Thus, the indirect effects of conflict may also have played an important role in the emergence of larger political units and the rise of early states.”

To simulate the demographic dynamics of Neolithic Europe, the authors developed a new computational model.

To test their model, the researchers used a database of archaeological sites and analysed a number of radiocarbon dates from different locations and time periods, under the assumption that this reflects the scale of human activity and therefore population numbers.

“This allows us to explore the typical amplitudes and time scales of population growth and decline across Europe. Our goal was to reflect these patterns in our simulations,” Dr Conder said.

“Direct collaboration with archaeologists is crucial to ensure we have as complete a picture as possible.”

“This study is a great example of the potential of such interdisciplinary collaboration.”

of study Published in Royal Society Journal Interface.

_____

Daniel Condor others2024. Landscapes of Fear: Indirect Impacts of Conflict May Cause Large-Scale Population Declines in Non-State Societies. JR Association Interface 21(217):20240210;doi:10.1098/rsif.2024.0210

This article is based on an original release by Complexity Science Hub.

Source: www.sci.news

Evidence of Indigenous Canines in Jamestown Colony during the 17th Century Unearthed through Ancient DNA Analysis

Posted on August 21, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Multiple studies have demonstrated that European colonization of the Americas caused the extinction of most mitochondrial lineages of North American dogs between 1492 and present, and that they were replaced by European lineages. Historical records indicate that colonists imported dogs from Europe to North America, and that they became objects of interest and exchange as early as the 17th century. However, it is unclear whether the oldest archaeological dogs found from the colonial period were of European, Native American, or mixed ancestry. To determine the ancestry of dogs from the Jamestown Colony in Virginia, scientists sequenced ancient mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) from six archaeological dogs dating from 1609 to 1617.

Lithograph “Indian Dog with Rabbit” by John Woodhouse Audubon.

Europeans and Native Americans treasured dogs as pets, used them for similar tasks, and as symbols of identity.

As a result, the dogs reflected the tensions between European and Native American cultures: settlers described Native American dogs as mongrels to emphasize their perception that Native Americans would not breed or own dogs.

Indigenous peoples perceived European dogs as a direct threat to their existence and took steps to restrict their use.

“Previous research had suggested that there were many indigenous dog species in the continental United States, but that they had gone extinct,” said Ariane Thomas, an anthropologist at the University of Iowa.

“We wanted to understand what it meant: when did it happen, were the dogs culled, were they in competition with European dogs or were they sick?”

Dr. Thomas and his colleagues focused on the Jamestown Colony in Virginia because of the number of dog remains found at the site and evidence of Native American influence.

They were able to identify and analyze 181 bones representing at least 16 different dogs.

Of these, the researchers selected 22 sites that span multiple points in Jamestown's early settlement, from 1607 to 1619.

To better understand the ancestry of these dogs, they extracted and sequenced ancient mtDNA.

Based on body size estimates alone, the researchers found that most of the Jamestown dogs weighed between 10 and 18 kg (22 and 39 pounds), comparable to modern beagles and schnauzers.

Additionally, many of the dog bones bore signs of human damage, including burn marks and cuts.

“Cut marks and other signs of butchery found on the dogs indicate that some of these dogs were eaten,” Dr Thomas said.

“This suggests that when settlers arrived, they did not have enough food and had to rely on the native dogs of the area.”

“Furthermore, DNA sequencing demonstrated that at least six of the dogs showed evidence of Native American ancestry.”

“Our findings indicate that there were indigenous dogs in the region and that they did not quickly become extinct when Europeans arrived.”

“While it is not surprising that dogs could be identified with Native American ancestry, our results suggest that settlers and Native American tribes may have been exchanging dogs and had little concern about potential interbreeding.”

of Survey results Published in the journal American Antiquity.

_____

Ariane E. Thomas othersTsenacomoco Dogs: Ancient DNA reveals presence of local dogs in Jamestown Colony in the early 17th century. American AntiquityPublished online May 22, 2024, doi: 10.1017/aaq.2024.25

Source: www.sci.news

Ancient Marine Crocodile Species Unearthed in Germany

Posted on August 9, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Paleontologists have described a new genus and species of metriorhynchid crocodyloform from the Stadthagen Formation in northwestern Germany.

Artist image Enarioetes schroederi. Image credit: Joschua Knüppe.

The newly discovered crocodyloforme lived in shallow seas off Germany during the Early Cretaceous period, between 140 and 132 million years ago.

dubbing Enarioetes schroederi Ancient reptiles belonged to the family Metriorhynchidae.

“Metriorhynchid fishes had smooth skin without scales, fins and a tail,” explained Dr Sven Sachs from the Natural Sciences Museum in Bielefeld and his colleagues.

“They Feeding Metriorhynchid reptiles fed on a variety of prey, including fast-moving animals such as squid and fish, although some metriorhynchid species have large serrated teeth, suggesting that they may have eaten other marine reptiles.”

“The Jurassic period is the best known, and fossils become rarer as we move into the Cretaceous period.”

Perfectly preserved skull Enarioetes schroederi. It was discovered over 100 years ago in a quarry in Sachsenhagen near Hanover by the German architect D. Hapke.

This specimen is the best-preserved metriorhynchid crocodyloform known from the Cretaceous.

“This specimen is remarkable as it is one of the very few metriorhynchids known to have a three-dimensionally preserved skull,” Dr Sacks said.

“This allowed us to perform CT scans of the specimens, which allowed us to learn a lot about the internal structure of these marine crocodiles.”

“The incredible state of preservation has even allowed us to reconstruct the animal’s internal cavity and inner ear.”

Enarioetes schroederi gives paleontologists new insight into how metriorhynchidae evolved during the Cretaceous period.

“During the Jurassic period, metriorhynchids evolved a body plan that was radically different to other crocodiles, with fins, tails, loss of bony armour and smooth skin without scales,” said Dr Mark Young, a palaeontologist at the University of Edinburgh.

“These changes were increasingly adapted to a marine life.”

“Enarioetes schroederi This trend continues into the Cretaceous. Enarioetes schroederi It has larger eyes than other metriorhynchids (which are already large by crocodile standards) and its bony inner ear is more compact than other metriorhynchids. Enarioetes schroederi I probably could have swum faster.”

Discovery Enarioetes schroederi has been reported paper of Journal of Systematic Palaeontology.

_____

Sven Sachs others 2024. A new genus of metriorhynchid crocodile from the Lower Cretaceous of Germany. Journal of Systematic Palaeontology 22 (1): 2359946; doi: 10.1080/14772019.2024.2359946

Source: www.sci.news

Paleontologists discover significant discrepancies in growth patterns between ancient and modern mammals from the Jurassic era

Posted on August 8, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

In a new study, paleontologists used synchrotron X-ray tomography of annual growth in dental cementum from fossil mammals belonging to three Jurassic animal groups to elucidate the origin of mammalian growth patterns that are intrinsically linked to mammals being warm-blooded.

“This is the first time we've been able to reconstruct the growth patterns of early mammals in such detail,” said Dr Elise Newnham, a postdoctoral researcher at Queen Mary, University of London and the University of Bonn.

“By studying the spacing and texture of these growth rings, we can not only tell us how fast they grew at different stages of their life, but also make inferences about their metabolism and overall lifespan.”

The study calls into question previous assumptions about the growth patterns of our mammalian ancestors and the idea that these animals may have grown in a way similar to modern mammals.

Instead, the study answers a question raised by similar recent studies of early mammalian ancestors: when did modern mammalian life cycles evolve?

The researchers found that the first signs of modern mammalian growth patterns — high growth rates in young animals that stop at puberty — began in the earliest true mammals about 130 million years ago, compared with relatively little change throughout their lives in previously evolved mammalian forms.

However, like mammals, these animals grow slower and live much longer than modern small mammals such as mice and mice, with a maximum lifespan of 8 to 14 years.

The timing of this change in growth rate, combined with changes in tree-ring structure, indicates when these animals reached puberty and possibly sexual maturity.

“These data suggest that while all living small mammals reach sexual maturity within a few months of birth, the earliest mammals took several years to reach sexual maturity, supporting the results of a recent study on one of our study animals. Cruxatodon” Dr Pam Gill, a researcher at the Natural History Museum and University of Bristol, said:

“What's more, we find that this long, drawn-out life history was common to early mammals throughout the Jurassic Period.”

“Our results suggest that distinctive mammalian life history traits, such as high metabolic rate and extended parental care, evolved gradually over millions of years,” Dr Newnham said.

“The Jurassic period appears to have been a pivotal period in this evolution.”

The researchers used a technique called synchrotron X-ray tomography to image tiny growth rings in fossilized root cementum, the bone tissue that attaches teeth to the jaw. These rings are similar to those found in trees, but on a microscopic scale.

By counting the growth rings and analysing their thickness and texture, they were able to reconstruct the growth patterns and lifespan of the extinct animals.

“This work is a great example of how new technologies are revolutionizing our understanding of the distant past,” said Professor Thomas Martin from the University of Bonn.

“By closely examining these fossilized teeth, we can gain valuable insight into the lives of organisms that lived millions of years ago.”

“We are incredibly excited to be involved in this project,” said researcher Dr Jen Bright, from the University of Hull.

“Putting Jurassic fossils in a particle accelerator (synchrotron) to reconstruct the past sounds like science fiction, but it's actually possible!”

of Investigation result Published in a journal Scientific advances.

_____

Ellis Newham others2024. Origin of mammalian growth patterns during the Jurassic mammalian radiation. Scientific advances 10(32); doi: 10.1126/sciadv.ado4555

Source: www.sci.news

The Flores hominin likely descended from ancient Asian Homo erectus

Posted on August 7, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Two recently discovered small hominin species, Homo floresiensis and Homo luzonensisraises the question of why such extreme body size reduction occurred in extinct human species in island environments. Previous research at Mata Menge on the Indonesian island of Flores has shown that early Middle Pleistocene human ancestors Homo floresiensis The jaws and teeth were even smaller. Now, paleoanthropologists have discovered additional hominid fossils in the same deposits at Mata Menge. The adult humerus (the lower half of the upper arm bone) is estimated to be 9 to 16 percent shorter and thinner than the type specimen. Homo floresiensis It is estimated to be about 60,000 years old and is smaller than the humerus of an adult human from the Plio-Pleistocene epoch. Homo floresiensis The lineage probably evolved from early Asia. Homo erectus This was a lineage that had existed for a long time on Flores Island, with a remarkably small body size, for at least 700,000 years.

Reconstruction Homo floresiensisImage courtesy of Elisabeth Daynes.

Homo floresiensis This is a small hominin species from the Late Pleistocene discovered in a limestone cave in Liang Bua, western Flores.

Archaeological evidence suggests that this species lived in Liang Bua as recently as 50,000 years ago, around the time that our species first appeared. Homo sapienshas been established in southern Australia for a long time.

The origins of the mysterious humans from Flores have been much debated.

The first hypothesis was Homo floresiensis They were dwarf descendants of early Asians Homo erectus.

Another theory is that “Hobbits” are remnants of an earlier human race that originated in Africa around 1000 BC. Homo erectus If you are naturally short, some good candidates are: Homo habilis or Australopithecus afarensisThis species includes the famous “Lucy”.

Besides Liang Bua, hominin fossils have only been found at one other site on Flores, at the open-air site of Mata Menge, 75 km east of the cave.

Located in the sparsely populated tropical grasslands of the Soa Basin, the site has previously contained several other hominin fossils, including a jaw fragment and six teeth, unearthed in sandstone deposits near a stream some 700,000 years ago.

The Mata Menge fossils are 650,000 years older than the Liang Bua man and have been found to belong to at least three individuals, with jaws and teeth slightly smaller than those of the Liang Bua man. Homo floresiensisThis suggests that small body sizes evolved early in human history on Flores.

However, because no bones below the skull have been found in the fossil record from this site, it is not possible to confirm whether these Soar Basin hominins were at least as large, or even slightly smaller. Homo floresiensis.

Furthermore, due to a lack of diagnostic specimens, it was unclear to which species the Mata Menge fossils belonged.

However, some of the teeth are thought to be intermediate in morphology to earlier Asian teeth. Homo erectus and Homo floresiensis.

This is an artist's reproduction Homo erectusImage courtesy of Yale University.

in New paper Published in the journal Nature CommunicationsProfessor Yosuke Kaifu of the University of Tokyo and his colleagues report the discovery of three additional hominin fossils at the 700,000-year-old Mata Menge site after several on-site excavations at the site.

Most importantly, this new assemblage contains the first postcranial element, the distal shaft of the adult humerus.

The fossil limb bones discovered at the Mata Menge excavation site have been long awaited as they provide a wealth of evidence regarding the origins of our human ancestors. Homo floresiensis.

Digital microscopic examination of the microstructure revealed that the small humerus belonged to an adult individual.

Based on the estimated length of the bones, the team was able to calculate that the hominin was about 100 centimetres tall.

This is about 6cm shorter than the estimated height 60,000 years ago. Homo floresiensis Liang Bua skeleton (approximately 106cm based on femur length).

“This 700,000-year-old adult humerus is Homo floresiensis“This is the smallest humerus bone in the human fossil record anywhere in the world,” Professor Adam Blum, from Griffith University, said.

“This extremely rare specimen Homo floresiensis The body size was very small.”

“But the small size of these limb bones reveals that the hobbit's early ancestors were even smaller than we previously thought.”

Two additional hominid teeth from Mata Menge are also smaller in size, one of which is an early Homo erectus Java.

This similarity is Homo floresiensis It evolved from an older, more primitive type of hominin and has never been found anywhere else, not even in Indonesia, or anywhere else in Africa.

The Mata Menge skeleton now contains a total of 10 fossil specimens, representing at least four individuals, including two children.

They are all anatomically very similar to the Liang Bu. Homo floresiensis They are now considered to be an ancient variant of this human species.

However, this early form, although directly ancestral to the “hobbits”, had a less specialized dentition (more primitive teeth) than the descendants of Liang Bua.

Furthermore, the small arm bones indicate that extreme body size reduction occurred early in the history of Flores's population.

“The evolutionary history of humans on Flores is still largely unknown,” Professor Blum said.

“But the new fossils suggest that the story of The Hobbit Homo erectus “Maybe a million years ago, it somehow became isolated on this remote Indonesian island, and over time its body size dramatically decreased.”

_____

Hiroyuki Kaifu others2024. Early evolution of small body size Homo floresiensis. Nat Community 15, 6381; doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-50649-7

Source: www.sci.news

Discovery of Ancient Dwarf Penguin “Pacdiptes hakataramea” in New Zealand

Posted on August 2, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Pakdipthes hakataramea Body size would have been similar to that of modern humans Little Blue Penguin (Eudyptula minor)It is approximately 40-45 cm (15.7-17.7 in) in length.

Artist image Pakdipthes hakatarameaPhoto courtesy of Tatsuya Niimura / Ashoro Museum of Paleontology

Pakdipthes hakataramea It lived in New Zealand about 24 million years ago (Late Oligocene Epoch).

This new species was very small, about the size of a little blue penguin. World's smallest — They have anatomical adaptations that allow them to dive.

“Pakdipthes hakataramea “This fossil fills the morphological gap between modern and fossil penguins,” said Dr. Tatsuro Ando, a paleontologist at the Ashoro Museum in Ashoro Town.

“In particular, the shape of the wing bones is very different, and it was unclear how penguins' wings acquired their current shape and function.”

“The humerus and ulna show how penguins' wings evolved.”

“To my surprise, Pakdipthes hakataramea It was very close to the condition of modern penguins, but the elbow joint was very similar to that of older types of fossil penguins.

“Pakdipthes hakataramea This is the first penguin fossil to be found in this combination and is a key fossil that will shed light on the evolution of penguins' wings.”

Fossilized remains Pakdipthes hakataramea The fossils were discovered by palaeontologists Craig Jones and Professor Euan Fordyce during a series of field expeditions in the Hakataramea Gorge in South Canterbury in 1987.

“Analysis of internal bone structure compared with data from modern penguins shows that these penguins had microanatomical features indicative of diving behaviour,” said Dr Carolina Lock, a palaeontologist at the University of Otago.

Modern penguins have excellent swimming abilities, thanks mainly to their dense, thick bones that provide them with buoyancy when diving.

in Pakdipthes hakatarameaAlthough the medullary cavity containing the bone marrow was open, the cortical bone was quite thick, similar to that seen in modern little blue penguins, which tend to swim in shallow waters.

ability Pakdipthes hakataramea Their ability to dive and swim depends on a unique combination of bones.

“Penguins evolved rapidly from the late Oligocene to the early Miocene. Pakdipthes hakataramea “This is a significant fossil from this period,” Dr Locke said.

“Their small body size and unique bone combination may have contributed to the ecological diversity of modern penguins.”

Discovery Pakdiptes hakataramea teeth, paper In Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand.

_____

Tatsuro Ando othersA new small penguin fossil discovered from the Late Oligocene of New Zealand and morphofunctional changes in penguin wings. Journal of the Royal Society of New ZealandPublished online July 31, 2024, doi: 10.1080/03036758.2024.2362283

Source: www.sci.news

Scientists are on the verge of uncovering the secrets behind the construction of Egypt’s ancient pyramids.

Posted on July 30, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

A recent study published in July suggests that Egypt’s oldest pyramid, the Step Pyramid of Djoser, may have been constructed using advanced technology. The study proposes that a hydraulic lift system was used during the construction of the pyramid to raise the massive blocks needed for its construction.

The Step Pyramid of Djoser was built as the final resting place of King Djoser, the first or second pharaoh of Egypt’s Third Dynasty during the Old Kingdom, around 4,700 years ago. The pyramid rises in six tiers to a height of 62 meters above the Saqqara plateau, equivalent to the height of a 14-storey building.

If proven true, the existence of this hydraulic lift system would offer an explanation for how the ancient Egyptians were able to construct such monumental structures with the technology available at the time. The study also suggests that a nearby enclosure, known as Gisr el-Mudir, may have served as a “check dam” to capture water and sediment, supporting the hydraulic system.

Map of the Saqqara plateau showing the waterway from the Gisr el-Mudir Dam to the water treatment facility near the Pyramid of Djoser. The water is then routed to the pyramid’s pipe network to power the hydraulic elevators. – Image courtesy of Paléotechnique, Paris, France

The study proposes that a sophisticated system of water treatment plants outside the pyramid combined with the Gisr el-Mudir and a ditch controlled water quality and flow. Water would flow into a shaft inside the pyramid where a float system potentially carried building stones to their needed locations. A plug system at the base of the shaft could then drain the water for the process to start again.

Xavier Landreau, president of Paleotechnique and lead author of the study, emphasizes the importance of this discovery in questioning established historical narratives and the technical knowledge possessed by the ancient Egyptian architects. The study also raises the intriguing question of whether the same hydraulic system used to construct the pyramid could have been used to bury the king in his final resting place within the pyramid.

About the Experts

Xavier Landreau: President of Paleotechnique and lead author of the study. Paleotechnique is a research practice that combines hydrology, geotechnical engineering, physics, mathematics, materials science, and history to explore the origins of civilization.

Read more:

Source: www.sciencefocus.com

What unfolded after scientists revived an ancient virus from suspended animation?

Posted on July 28, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Permafrost is ground that is always frozen, and the possibility of life existing there is believed to be low. However, in recent years, Scientists have discovered an abundance of microorganisms that are still alive despite being frozen in permafrost.

Various viruses, including one called Pandoravirus, have been found frozen. Researchers have been able to revive a frozen Pandoravirus that only infects amoebas from 30,000-year-old permafrost in Siberia.

More concerning viruses, such as strains of influenza that caused the 1918 pandemic, have also been discovered. The smallpox virus was found in a 300-year-old Siberian mummy, but the virus was no longer infectious as its genome was degraded.

Scientists have found these microorganisms frozen in the permafrost. – Image credit: Getty

Most viruses cannot survive long outside a host, reducing the likelihood of still-infectious human viruses in permafrost. Rather, the discovery of viruses infecting other microbes, like bacteria adapted to extreme environments, is more probable.

Some living bacteria found in permafrost over a million years old can still cause illness. The anthrax outbreak in Siberia in 2016 killed humans and animals, likely due to melting permafrost exposing the bacteria.

Bacillus anthracis is a type of bacteria that can form spores enabling survival in harsh environments. Climate change-induced permafrost melting may lead to ancient microbe outbreaks, but the emergence of new viruses causing global pandemics from permafrost is unlikely.

This article addresses the question of how a virus can survive in ice for many years, posed by Roy Meddings in an email.

If you have any questions, please email us below. For more information:

Facebook, Twitter, Instagram

For more amazing science, check out this page.

Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Ancient life signs found in rocks by Mars rover

Posted on July 26, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

The leopard-spot-like features in the center of the image may be a sign of ancient life.

NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS

NASA's Perseverance rover has discovered a rock speckled with what appear to be traces of ancient life. Named Cheyaba Falls after a famous waterfall in Arizona, the rock suggests that microbial life may have existed there billions of years ago, but there's currently no certainty that life ever existed there.

The rock, about 1 meter by 0.6 meters in size, is mostly reddish with thin veins of white calcium sulfate that were likely formed when water flowed through cracks in the rock, depositing minerals in the cracks. Water is one of the elements necessary for life, but water is not the only thing researchers found as they sifted through the Perseverance data.

They found that among the white stripes were strange light-colored spots just a few millimeters in diameter, surrounded by a dark material containing iron and phosphate. “These spots were a big surprise,” they said. David Flannery NASA's Queensland University of Technology in Australia press release“On Earth, these rock features are often associated with the fossil record of microorganisms living below the Earth's surface,” because the chemical reactions that produce these leopard-print patterns in Earth's rocks can also provide useful energy for microorganisms.

In the same area where the rocks are, Perseverance also detected certain organic compounds that are considered building blocks of life. Taken together, all of this could be considered a trace of past microbial life on Mars, but it's far from conclusive proof. “We should be cautiously enthusiastic, but realistically cautious,” Perseverance said. Pole Barn “Right now, this is a sign that wet rocks are (probably) causing chemical changes,” said John Doe, a researcher at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, who was not involved in the study.

As it turns out, there are ways to produce all these signatures without the involvement of any living organisms, and there are some indications that the region may have once been filled with hot magma, which may have made it impossible for life to survive there.

Unfortunately, it won't be clear anytime soon whether there are signs of life at Cheyaba Falls. “We've shone lasers and X-rays on the rocks, and literally photographed them day and night, from just about every angle you can imagine,” says Dr. Ken Farley “Scientifically, Perseverance has nothing more to offer,” Caltech said in a press release.

The rover is adding samples from Cheyaba Falls to its archives, and a future mission will bring them back to Earth, where researchers will be able to study them more closely with more advanced instruments. “There's a whole different way to analyze them than you would in a lab on Earth,” Byrne says.

But NASA's Mars sample-return mission, Perseverance, has suffered a series of setbacks over the past year, and it's still not clear when or if we'll be able to get an up-close look at the intriguing rocks.

topic:

Source: www.newscientist.com