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Cat Tales Review: A Comprehensive Exploration of Felines and Their Intricate Bonds

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Did these intriguing animals manage to effectively domesticate themselves?

Eman Kazemi/Alamy

Cat tales: history
Jerry D. Moore, Thames & Hudson

One weekend, I observed one of my family’s cats, a Byronic fellow named Solomon, playfully swat his sister, regurgitate on her bed linens right before my father, who loves birds, and finish off her gold crest. Yet we couldn’t hold it against Solomon. After all, I harbor no ill feelings toward him or his sister. This paradox defines the experience of cat enthusiasts.

The domesticated house cat (Felice Catus) stands as one of the world’s favorite pets. However, there remains uncertainty over whether they can genuinely be classified as domesticated and why anyone sought to do so in the first place. How did we come to cherish them in their various forms, particularly given that numerous species throughout history counted humans as prey?

In his book, archaeologist Jerry D. Moore delves into the origins of that inquiry, Cat tales: history. More noteworthy than its subtitle “History” is the cover’s text: “How we learned to coexist with them.” It’s ambiguous whether this reflects a human viewpoint or a disgruntled feline’s perspective. Regardless, this book is more about our evolving bonds with cats than a mere study of the creatures themselves.

The narrative of cat domestication narrates how, once humans formed settlements and began hoarding grain, rats descended to feast on their hard-won resources, leading them to the African wildcat (Felice Ribica). Thus, a mutually beneficial arrangement formed: humans stored the grain, and the cats enjoyed a free meal.

Yet, the reality is more nuanced, according to Moore. Domestication, typically involving breeding for specific traits, has only become prevalent with cats in the last century, as humans have aimed for particular appearances and unique characteristics. The humorous notion about cats comes to mind, but another frequent catalyst for domestication is herding.

Moore posits that understanding commensalism offers valuable insight into our bond with cats. Nevertheless, cats can exhibit fickle and aloof behavior, and mice often outmaneuver other species, such as terrier dogs. Cats seem to have confidently established themselves within human homes, suggesting an admirable sense of self-assurance. In essence, they have self-domesticated.

Moore effectively links the depictions of big cats in ancient cave art to their visibility in contemporary conservation campaigns. A 2018 study revealed that big cats consistently rank as among the most charismatic animals.

He also positions cats among history’s elite seafarers, traversing trade routes to Asia and the Mediterranean alongside African and Arab navigators. Their later journeys aboard European colonial vessels wreaked havoc in regions like Australia and New Zealand, where local fauna fell victim to feral cats.

While Moore’s writing occasionally flows gracefully, there are also meandering sections that detract from the book’s overall impact. A notable instance involves an early discussion on 20th-century human tool use. Initially puzzling, he later contends that portraying ancient humans as adept hunters minimizes the influence of ancient cats—the primary predators of our ancestors who shaped our physiology and cognition.

Moore indicates that the dynamics between cats and humans may have been more varied than those with other animals. “Cats have existed as agents of fear, subjects of veneration, deities in religious rites, and have been brutally exploited for amusement.”

For me, Cat tales may not present a wealth of groundbreaking information, but it serves as an excellent collection of archaeological insights paired with stunning photography. Even if our understanding of cats remains shrouded in some mystery after reading this book, perhaps that’s exactly how they prefer it.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Webb Discovers Intricate Structures in Saturn’s Upper Atmosphere

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Astronomers utilizing the NASA/ESA James Webb Space Telescope have identified a series of dark, bead-like star formations within Saturn’s ionosphere and stratosphere.

Detection of near-infrared emissions in Saturn’s ionosphere (left) reveals dark bead-like features embedded in bright auroras. In the stratosphere (right), below 500 km, an asymmetric star pattern extends toward the equator. Image credit: NASA/ESA/CSA/WEBB/STALLARD et al.

“This was the first opportunity for me to make such detailed near-infrared observations of Saturn’s aurora and upper atmosphere,” said the researcher.

“We anticipated seeing emissions across various levels.”

“Instead, we observed intricate patterns of beads and stars, which might be interconnected despite their considerable height separation and could relate to the iconic hexagon within Saturn’s clouds.”

“These features were entirely unforeseen and remain unexplained.”

The research team concentrated on detecting infrared emissions from charged molecular hydrogen, which plays a significant role in Saturn’s atmospheric dynamics, offering valuable insights into the chemical and physical processes at work.

Using Webb’s near-infrared spectrograph, scientists observed H3+ ions at an altitude of 600 km, 1,100 km above Saturn’s nominal surface, alongside lower stratospheric methane molecules.

Within the ionosphere’s electrically charged plasma, a series of dark bead-like features intermingled within bright aurora halos were detected.

These structures maintained stability for several hours but seemed to drift slowly over time.

In the stratosphere of Saturn, researchers identified asymmetric star-shaped features, dropping approximately 500 km.

This remarkable formation extended from Saturn’s North Pole down toward the equator.

Only four of the star’s six arms were visible, with two mysteriously absent, resulting in a biased pattern.

“Studying Saturn’s atmosphere has always posed challenges due to the faint emissions from that region,” remarked Professor Stallard.

“Webb’s remarkable sensitivity transforms our capacity to observe these atmospheric layers, unveiling a wholly different structural configuration than previously noted.”

The authors meticulously mapped the precise locations of features, overlaying data for the same Saturn area, discovering that the arms of the star seem to emanate from a point just above the hexagonal structure at the Stormcloud level.

This implies that the mechanisms driving the pattern could influence structures penetrating through Saturn’s atmosphere.

“We believe the dark beads arise from the intricate interactions between Saturn’s magnetosphere and its dynamic atmosphere, potentially providing new insights into the energy exchanges that fuel Saturn’s auroras,” stated Professor Stallard.

“The asymmetric star formations suggest previously unknown atmospheric processes functioning within Saturn’s stratosphere and are likely connected to the hexagonal storm pattern observed deeper in Saturn’s atmosphere.”

“Interestingly, the dark beads in the ionosphere seem to align with the arms of the strongest stars in the stratosphere, though it’s unclear whether this connection is genuine or merely coincidental.”

Both phenomena may have significant implications for our comprehension of atmospheric dynamics within the gas giant, although further investigation is needed to elucidate their underlying causes.

The team aspires for additional time to conduct follow-up observations of Saturn using Webb to explore further features.

As planets align approximately every 15 years, the structure can undergo dramatic changes as Saturn’s orientation shifts toward the Sun, moving the Northern Hemisphere into autumn.

“The necessity for follow-up Webb observations during this pivotal phase of Saturn’s seasonal transition is evident, as neither atmospheric layer can be examined using ground-based telescopes.” Paper published in the journal Geophysical Research Book.

The findings were also presented as a result this month at the EPSC-DPS2025 Joint Meeting in Helsinki, Finland.

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Tom S. Stallard et al. 2025. JWST/NIRSPEC detects the complex structures of Saturn’s ionosphere and stratosphere. Geophysical Research Book 52 (17): E2025GL116491; doi: 10.1029/2025GL116491

Tom S. Stallard et al. 2025. Transformational observations of the ionosphere of the giant planet with JWST. EPSC Abstract 18: EPSC-DPS2025-817; doi: 10.5194/epsc-dps2025-1438

Source: www.sci.news

How Intricate Plants Have Transformed the Oceans

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Over 350 million years ago, the initial forest began to emerge on Earth, transforming its planetary environment. Geologists refer to this time as the Late Paleozoic period. Recent studies have proposed that the development of land plants initiated a series of events that reconstructed atmospheric and marine oxygen levels, as well as marine ecosystems.

Multiple oxygenation events have been recorded throughout Earth’s history. A significant event, marked by the presence of photosynthetic aquatic bacteria known as Cyanobacteria, occurred around 2.4 billion years ago, releasing a substantial amount of oxygen into the atmosphere. Further neoproterozoic oxygenation events between 85 and 540 million years ago exhibited increases in atmospheric oxygen, creating conditions favorable for animals and multicellular life. Researchers suggest that oxygen levels remained low until land plants proliferated in the Devonian period, leading to the Paleozoic oxygenation events.

While scientists generally concur that the explosion of complex plant life elevated atmospheric oxygen through photosynthesis, the precise timing and causes of Paleozoic oxygenation events remain unclear. Biogeochemists who modeled this event produced inconsistent timing estimates due to limited data constraints. Without a defined timeline, it is challenging for researchers to determine the nature of these events.

To tackle this issue, researchers from Australia and Canada analyzed various coral reefs that formed at the edge of the seas during the Devonian period. They studied chemical records of oxidation and reduction reactions in Carbonate rocks, which preserve the chemical signatures of their marine environments upon formation. The focus was on chemical properties that can indicate ocean oxygen concentrations, specifically the oxidation and redox conditions, by examining various carbonate rocks from shallow and deep waters to assess oxygen alterations at approximately 200 meters deep (or 650 feet).

The research team developed a novel method for analyzing past marine redox conditions by measuring the presence of elements like cerium (CE) in carbonate rocks. This choice was made because cerium’s behavior in seawater varies with oxygen levels. Coral reef organisms construct carbonate rocks from carbonates dissolved in seawater. In oxygen-rich conditions, minerals such as magnesium oxide and oxides absorb cerium, lowering its concentration in seawater, leading to a negative cerium anomaly in associated carbonates. Conversely, when seawater lacks oxygen, these oxides fail to form, allowing CE to remain in the seawater and become incorporated into the carbonate. By analyzing cerium anomalies in carbonates, the researchers could estimate shallow marine oxygen level changes over time.

The researchers sampled coral reefs from the Cambrian period (541 to 485 million years ago), the period from 419 to 359 million years ago, and the Mississippi period (359 to 323 million years ago) across Australia, Canada, and Ireland. They measured the CE abundance in these rocks using techniques known as mass spectroscopy. Following this, CE anomalies were calculated for each sample.

Findings indicated that CE anomalies generally decreased from Cambrian to Mississippi samples, signifying an increase in shallow marine oxygen levels. The study also revealed that each period exhibited distinct CE profiles. The earliest carbonate samples from the Cambrian to Devonian periods displayed weak CE anomalies and low marine oxygen levels, whereas samples from the Upper Devonian to Mississippi revealed notable CE anomalies and higher oxygen levels. Within the Mississippi samples, variability in oxygen levels was highlighted, with differing CE anomalies reported.

The team suggested that the various CE anomalies from the late Mississippi period indicated unstable shallow water conditions. Their chemical analyses proposed that earlier oxygenation events were not permanent, resulting in climate fluctuations and low biogeochemical conditions deeper in the ocean. Consequently, when oxygen-depleted water surged to shallower regions, it led to mass extinctions by creating inhospitable conditions for the dominant fauna of the time. They speculated that extinctions could have resulted from increased nutrient runoff due to the expansion of deep-rooted land forests.

In conclusion, the researchers indicated that the evolution of land plants would lead to a reduction in atmospheric carbon dioxide and an increase in oxygen levels. This rise in marine oxygen would create a livable environment for oxygen-dependent species, including fish, setting the stage for complex evolutionary advancements and a diverse array of modern marine life.


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Source: sciworthy.com

Webb skillfully depicts the intricate details of Lynds 483

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Two young protostars are responsible for the sparkling ejection of orange, blue, and purple glowing gas and dust in this colorful dark clouds 483 on NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope.

This webb image shows part of Lynds 483. Image credits: NASA/ESA/CSA/STSCI.

Lynds 483 It’s almost arranged 200 persec (652 light years) Separately in the constellations of Serpen.

This object is named after American astronomer Beverly T. Lyns. Published An extensive catalogue of “dark” and “bright” nebulae from the early 1960s.

“For tens of thousands of years, the central Protostar Webb’s astronomer said in a statement.

“When a recent emission hits an older one, the material crouches and spins around based on the density of what is collision.”

“Over time, these emissions and chemical reactions within the surrounding clouds have produced a range of molecules, such as carbon monoxide, methanol, and several other organic compounds.”

“The two protostars in charge of this scene are at the heart of the hourglass shape, on an opaque horizontal disk of cold gas and dust that fit within a single pixel,” they added.

“More farther above and below the flat disc with thinned dust, bright light from the stars passes through the gas and dust, forming a large, translucent orange cone.”

“It’s equally important to notice where the starlight is blocked. Look for a very dark, wide V-shaped shape that is offset by the orange cone 90 degrees.”

“These areas may appear to be free of material, but in reality, they are the most dense surrounding dust, and small starlights will penetrate it.”

This new image was captured by Webb’s Near-Infrared Camera (Nircam) Equipment.

“The L483 is too large to fit in a single Webb snapshot. This image was taken to capture the top and the leak perfectly, so the bottom section is only partially visible,” the astronomer said.

“All symmetry and asymmetry in these clouds could ultimately be explained by updating the model and producing the same effect as researchers reconstruct the history of star emissions.”

“Astronomers also calculate how much material the stars expelled, which molecules were created when the materials were destroyed together, and how dense each region is.”

“Millions of years from now, when the stars form, they may each be about our solar mass.”

“They’ve cleared that area. They wipe out these translucent discharges.”

“All that remains is a small disc of gas and dust that the planet could eventually form.”

Source: www.sci.news

Ancient DNA analysis uncovers Ukraine’s intricate genetic history

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To study the history of migration and movement in the Ukrainian region, with a particular focus on Iron Age and Medieval migrant populations, the scientists generated genomic data on 91 individuals from around 7000 BC to around 1800 AD. Their results show that ancient peoples had diverse ancestry as a result of frequent migration, assimilation, and contact.

A map showing the geographical location of the ancient figures included in the study and a chronology showing the dates of the figures in the archaeological group. Image credit: Saag others., doi: 10.1126/sciadv.adr0695.

Over the centuries, migration has taken place in the steppe and forest-steppe regions of Ukraine in several directions.

These migrations were driven by a variety of processes, including cultural contacts and conflicts between tribes, trade, demographic pressures, and the expansion of nomadic areas of influence.

The main migration flows were from the Carpathian-Donabian region, the Southern Ural-Volga region, Central Asia and the North Caucasus, and intensive population movements also occurred within the territory of Ukraine.

At the end of the Bronze Age and the beginning of the Early Iron Age, the most notable archaeological activity in the northern Pontic Steppe was Cimmerian and military operations in Asia Minor.

The Cimmerians were followed by Scythians and SarmatiansEarly Iron Age political and military tribal confederations with various combinations of local and East Asian ancestry, as shown by previous ancient DNA (aDNA) studies. At this time, the northern Black Sea coast was covered with a network of urbanized Greek colonies.

In the forest-steppe region, the modern sedentary population is influenced by the former Tsinets culture (including the Lusatian and Vysotska cultures) and the central European influences of the Hallstatt and La Tène periods (Illyrians, Thracians, Celts). It was related.

According to written and archaeological sources, the peoples considered to be the predecessors of the Slavs were Zarbinetska culture — Already existed in the Ukrainian region from the 3rd century BC onwards, during the La Tène and Roman times.

The beginning of the era of migration in the Ukrainian region is associated with the arrival of Germanic tribes such as the Goths and the formation of a multiethnic state. Culture of Cherniahivwhich also included other ethnic groups that already lived in the area.

Between the 2nd and 4th centuries AD, the nomadic Huns of Central Asia emerged on the northern Pontic Steppe, and their westward migration brought about significant economic, cultural, and social changes in Europe.

This period is associated with the emergence of a new ethnolinguistic group, the Slavs, who spread across much of Eastern Europe between the 5th and 7th centuries AD.

From the 8th to the 10th century AD, large parts of Ukraine were under its control. Khazar Khaganate.

In Ukrainian archeology, this is expressed as follows: saltive cultureit is believed that it was shared among multiple ethnic groups (Alans, Bulgars, Turks, Slavs, Magyars, etc.).

At the same time, there was a process of unification of the Slavic tribes, and in the 9th century AD, Kiev Rus was formed.

The development of Slavic states took place against the background of constant nomadic invasions from the east.

Between the 11th and 13th centuries AD, waves of Pechenegs, Turks, and Cumans invaded the northern Pontic region from Central Asia. The most substantial invasion in terms of military power and results was that of the Mongols of the Golden Horde. 13th century AD.

By the 15th century AD, remnants of the Golden Horde, such as the Nogai, still lived in the steppes of northern Pontus.

Since the 16th century. In the Western era, Slavs were the majority ethnolinguistic group in the Ukrainian region.

“We decided to investigate the genetic ancestry of people who lived in the northern Pontic region during these times and were associated with different cultural groups,” said lead author of the study and co-author of the University of Tartu and University of Tartu. said Dr. Letty Saag, a researcher at College London. And my colleagues.

For the study, the authors extracted and sequenced DNA from tooth roots and bone fragments from 91 people at 33 archaeological sites in present-day Ukraine.

The sample included one Neolithic individual (7000–6000 BC), nine individuals from the Bronze Age and the beginning of the Final Bronze Age to the beginning of the Iron Age (3000–700 BC), and six individuals from the beginning of the Early Iron Age. contained the name (900-700 BC), 29 people of the Early Iron Age Scythian period (700-300 BC), 6 people of the Early Iron Age (700-300 BC), the end of the Iron Age (400-1 BC). , 12 from the Late Iron Age (1-400 AD), 9 from the Early Middle Ages (800-900 AD), and from the Middle Ages to B.C. 19 Early modern period (900 to 1800 AD).

Their DNA analysis shows that ancient peoples had diverse ancestry as a result of frequent migration, assimilation, and contact.

“From the Mesolithic to the time of the Vysotska and Vylozerska cultures at the end of the Bronze Age, the proportion of large-scale ancestry was similar to modern populations in other parts of Europe, first as hunter-gatherers and then as early farmers. and finally a mixture of the two: early farmers and steppe pastoralists,” the researchers said.

“From the Cimmerian period to the Middle Ages, the appearance of eastern nomads in the Pontic region became a common occurrence.”

“Their genetic make-up ranges from Yamuna-like superimposition on indigenous peoples, such as the Scythians and Cumans, to highly East Asian ancestry and minimal indigenous ancestry, such as the Alan Bulgars and Nogais. They ranged from mixed race to mixed race.”

“At that time, nomadic groups were recorded in the steppe regions, but the people of other parts of the Ukrainian region had mainly European ancestry, with connections to local ancestors and Thracians, Greeks, Goths, etc. there were.”

“The palincest of migration and population mixing in the Ukrainian region contributes to high genetic heterogeneity in geographically, culturally and socially homogeneous populations, and between individuals from the same place, at the same time, and with the same characteristics. “Different genetic profiles will exist,” they added.

“Our study focuses specifically on historically attested migrant populations rather than local populations, and the sampling is geographically biased primarily towards eastern Ukraine and temporally towards the Iron Age and Middle Ages. It is important to note that

“Nevertheless, a large local genetic profile similar to modern Ukrainians persists in the region through time and within this sample set.”

“This ancestral structure can be traced back at least to the Zurbunas, and is also found in the Vysotskas and Lusatians, the Scythians of the west, the modern agricultural peoples of the east, the Chernyahivs, and even the medieval and early modern Slavs.”

“We infer that there has been a major indigenous component in the ancestry of Ukrainians since at least the Bronze Age, although there are clear traces of high migration activity, including immigration from East Asia and extensive admixture. ”

of findings Featured in this week's diary scientific progress.

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Letty Thurg others. 2025. Crossroads of the Northern Pontus: Migration of Ukraine from the Bronze Age to the Early Modern Period. scientific progress 11(2);doi: 10.1126/sciadv.adr0695

Source: www.sci.news

Newly discovered Silurian fossils provide insight into the intricate early development of molluscs

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Paleontologists have discovered two new three-dimensionally preserved aculiferous mollusks from the Silurian period, showing that the earliest molluscs were more complex and adaptable than previously known. It was revealed that there was.

3D model of punk ferox (above) and emo swirl (Bottom) Reconstructed as a digital virtual fossil. Image credit: Mark Sutton, Imperial College London.

The two new Aculifera species are punk ferox and emo swirllived about 430 million years ago.

The specimen was discovered in a Silurian deposit in the county of Herefordshire, England.

These had distinctive spikes and other features that set them apart from the earlier molluscs mentioned above.

Dr Mark Sutton, a paleontologist at Imperial College London, said: “Molluscans are one of the largest and most diverse groups of animals on Earth.

“However, early acripheran molluscs are less well known than their relatives.”

“Information about this group was limited, and for a very long time we thought they were fairly basic, simple, and primitive.”

“It's extremely rare to find fossils that are so well-preserved and have such detailed soft tissues.”

“We were able to create 'virtual fossils', or 3D digital models. This provided us with a treasure trove of information and revealed that the evolutionary branches of molluscs include: It helps you understand that punk ferox and emo swirl It was much more evolutionarily rich and diverse than we expected. similar to other mollusk groups. ”

Sutton and his colleagues used two different methods to obtain clear images of both the interior and exterior of the fossil.

First, an X-ray scan was used to closely observe the internal structure without damaging the exterior.

The fossil is then carefully crushed into very thin layers and photographed at each stage to create 3D images of its external features.

The researchers found that both fossils had smooth undersides, suggesting they lived on the ocean floor, and both had some unique features and unconventional locomotion strategies.

of emo swirl The fossil is preserved in a folded position, suggesting it moved like an inchworm to grasp the vertebrae and push forward.

Meanwhile, how punk ferox Scientists weren't sure if it was still mobile, but it turned out that it had ridge-like legs, unlike any mollusk that exists today.

“The name is punk ferox and emo swirl In fact, our first nicknames for these ancient mollusks were inspired by some of their unique features and personalities,” Dr. Sutton said.

“punk ferox In particular, its spiky appearance clearly resembles a rebellious punk rocker. emo swirl It complemented it nicely. ”

“meanwhile punk ferox They resemble insect-like molluscs with long spines, but also have wide legs and chiton-like gills. ”

“emo swirlIt resembles an earthworm with a similarly long body and spines, but also features a chiton-like shell and compressed body. ”

“Such a combination of features helps us better understand the evolutionary tree of molluscs. This points to a story involving more complexity and diversity than previously thought.”

of study Published in a magazine nature.

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MD Sutton others. New Silurian aculiferan fossils reveal the mollusk's complex early history. naturepublished online on January 8, 2025. doi: 10.1038/s41586-024-08312-0

Source: www.sci.news

Intricate bird fossils reveal insights into the development of avian brains

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Skeleton of Nabaornis Hestia, an 80-million-year-old bird fossil

S. Abramowitz/Dinosaur Institute/Los Angeles County Natural History Museum

An 80-million-year-old fossil bird skull is so well preserved that scientists were able to study the detailed structure of its brain.

In both age and evolutionary development, new species Nabaornis Hestiae, It falls about halfway between the earliest known bird-like dinosaurs. ArcheopteryxBirds that lived 150 million years ago and modern birds. They lived along with dinosaurs during the Cretaceous period. tyrannosaurus and triceratops.

The fossil, which superficially resembles a pigeon, was discovered in 2016 near Presidente Prudente, Brazil, and quickly became important because of the rarity of complete bird skeletons, especially those from the same period. recognized as something.

but daniel field It wasn't until 2022 that Cambridge University professors realized that the skull was so intact that it could be scanned to create a 3D model of the brain.

High-resolution CT scans allow paleontologists to see inside fossils. “This involves careful 'digital dissection' – separating the individual components of the skull and reassembling them to create a complete, undistorted three-dimensional reconstruction,” Field said. says Mr.

“This new fossil provides unprecedented insight into the patterns and timing of the evolution of specialized brain functions in living birds.”

Professor Field said that based on the brains his team reconstructed, human cognitive and flight abilities: nabaornis It was probably inferior to most living birds.

Artist's impression of Nabaornis Hestia

J. D'Oliveira

The parts of the brain responsible for complex cognition and spatial awareness are not as enlarged as they are in modern birds, he says.

“It’s cerebral, but nabaornis greatly expanded compared to more archaic bird conditions such as . Archeopteryx, It is not as expanded as we see in living birds. ”

Professor Field said the enlarged brains of modern birds support a wide range of complex behaviors, but there is a lack of sufficiently complete and well-preserved fossil bird skulls from early bird relatives. This makes it difficult to understand how their brains evolved.

“nabaornis This fills an approximately 70 million-year gap in our understanding of how the distinctive brains of modern birds evolved. ”

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Exceptionally well-preserved fossil unveils intricate 3D anatomy of Cambrian trilobite

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Paleontologists have unearthed a well-preserved collection of Cambrian trilobite fossils in Morocco's High Atlas Mountains. The 510-million-year-old specimens are among the best-preserved three-dimensional trilobite fossils ever found.

Artistic reconstruction of two species of trilobites shortly before they were buried under volcanic ash flows 510 million years ago. Image by Abderrazak El Albani, University of Poitiers.

Trilobites are extinct arthropods that dominated the marine fauna of the Paleozoic Era.

During their lifetime on Earth, which lasted much longer than the dinosaurs, they survived two major extinctions and dominated undersea ecosystems.

Trilobites are among the best-studied marine animal fossils because their hard, calcified exoskeletons are well preserved in the fossil record.

Over the past two centuries, paleontologists have described more than 20,000 species of organisms.

However, until now, comprehensive scientific understanding of this incredibly diverse group has been limited by the relative lack of soft tissue preservation.

“I've been studying trilobites for nearly 40 years but I've never felt as though I was looking at a living animal as I did in this case,” said Dr Greg Edgecombe, a palaeontologist at the Natural History Museum in London.

“I've seen a lot of representations of the soft-body anatomy of trilobites, but the 3D preservation here is truly astounding.”

“An unexpected outcome of our research is the discovery that shallow marine volcanic ash could be a huge repository for the preservation of exceptional fossils.”

The Moroccan trilobite was encased in hot ash in seawater, so its body fossilized very quickly as the ash turned to rock.

The ash molds preserved parts of their bodies, their legs, and even the hair-like structures running along their appendages.

The trilobite's digestive tract was also preserved after being buried in the ash.

Tiny “lamp shells” attached to the trilobite's exoskeleton also remained attached by fleshy stalks, just as they were when the animal was alive.

Microtomographic reconstruction of trilobite species. Zygothera mauretanica Ventral view. Image courtesy of Arnaud Mazurier, IC2MP, University of Poitiers.

Using CT scans and computer modelling of virtual X-ray slices, the researchers found that an appendage found at the edge of the mouth had a curved, spoon-like base, but was so small that it went undetected in the less well-preserved fossils.

In fact, while trilobites were previously thought to have three pairs of head appendages behind their long antennae, this study shows that both Moroccan species have four pairs.

The fleshy leaf-like part covering the mouth, called the labia, was recorded for the first time in a trilobite.

“The results reveal in incredible detail the clustering of specialised pairs of legs around the mouth, giving us a clearer picture of how trilobites fed,” said Dr Harry Burks, a palaeontologist at the University of Bristol.

“We found that the head and body appendages had rows of densely packed spines that pointed inwards, like those of today's horseshoe crabs.”

“As a scientist who has studied fossils from different times and places, finding such amazingly well-preserved fossils in a volcanic area was a very exciting experience for me,” said geologist Professor Abderrazak El Albani of the University of Poitiers.

“I believe that pyroclastic deposits should become new research subjects because of their excellent potential for capturing and preserving biological remains, including delicate soft tissues.”

“These discoveries are expected to lead to important discoveries about the evolution of life on Earth.”

The results of this study today are journal Science.

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Abderrazak El Albani others2024. Rapid volcanic ash deposition reveals 3D structure of Cambrian trilobite. Sciencein press.

Source: www.sci.news

Webb studies the intricate makeup of Jupiter’s ionosphere

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Jupiter’s upper atmosphere consists of a neutral thermosphere and an electrically charged ionosphere. Astronomers using the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope have discovered unexpected small-scale intensity features, including arcs, bands, and spots, in the low-latitude ionosphere in the region above Jupiter’s Great Red Spot.

This illustration shows the region observed by Webb, first with its location on the NIRCam image of the entire planet (left), and then the region itself as imaged by Webb’s Near-Infrared Spectrometer (NIRSpec) (right). Image credit: NASA / ESA / CSA / Webb / Jupiter ERS Team / J. Schmidt / H. Melin / M. Zamani, ESA and Webb.

Jupiter is one of the brightest objects in the night sky and can be easily seen on a clear night.

Apart from the bright Northern and Southern Lights at Jupiter’s poles, the glow from Jupiter’s upper atmosphere is weak, making details in this region difficult to discern with ground-based telescopes.

But Webb’s infrared sensitivity has allowed scientists to study the upper atmosphere of the infamous Great Red Spot in unprecedented detail.

The upper atmosphere of this gas giant is the interface between the planet’s magnetic field and the atmosphere below it.

Here you can see the bright and vibrant aurora borealis and southern lights, created by volcanic material erupting from Jupiter’s moon Io.

However, as one approaches the equator, the structure of the planet’s upper atmosphere is influenced by incoming sunlight.

Because Jupiter receives only 4% of the sunlight that Earth does, astronomers predicted that this region would be essentially homogeneous.

Astronomer Henrik Melin of the University of Leicester and his colleagues observed the Great Red Spot in July 2022 using an Integral Field Unit. Webb’s near-infrared spectrometer (NIR Spec).

Their early public science observations aimed to investigate whether this region was in fact dull, and the region above the iconic Great Red Spot was the subject of Webb’s observations.

They were surprised to find that the upper atmosphere contains a variety of complex structures, including dark arcs and bright spots across the entire field of view.

“We probably naively thought this area would be really boring. It’s actually just as interesting, if not more so, than the Northern Lights. Jupiter never fails to surprise us,” Dr Melin said.

The light emitted from this region is driven by sunlight, but the team suggests there must be another mechanism that changes the shape and structure of the upper atmosphere.

“One way this structure can be altered is by gravity waves, similar to how waves crashing on the shore create ripples in the sand,” Dr Melin said.

“These waves originate deep within the turbulent lower atmosphere around the Great Red Spot and can rise in altitude to alter the structure and emissions of the upper atmosphere.”

“These atmospheric waves are occasionally observed on Earth, but they are much weaker than those Webb observed on Jupiter.”

“In the future, we hope to carry out follow-up webbed observations of these complex wave patterns and investigate how they move within the planet’s upper atmosphere to improve our understanding of the energy budget of this region and how its features change over time.”

of Investigation result Published in a journal Natural Astronomy.

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H. Melin othersIrregularities in Jupiter’s ionosphere observed by JWST. Nat AstronPublished online June 21, 2024, doi: 10.1038/s41550-024-02305-9

Source: www.sci.news

Study reveals sperm whale communication is more intricate than previously believed

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Sperm whale (physeter macrocephalus) They are highly social mammals that use clicks to communicate. New research shows that, just like in human language, they can combine and coordinate different clicks and rhythms to create complex calls.

Sperm whale (physeter macrocephalus). Image credit: Gabriel Barathieu / CC BY-SA 2.0 Certificate.

Communication is important for social animals to make group decisions and coordinate collaborative tasks such as foraging and raising children.

Sperm whales are social mammals that communicate with each other by clicking repeatedly.

Little else is known about sperm whales' communication systems, although some of their clicks have previously been shown to communicate their identity.

“Cetaceans are an important group for studying evolution and the development of sophisticated communication systems,” said Pratyusha Sharma, a researcher at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and colleagues.

“Among cetaceans, long-term observational studies of sperm whales describe both a culturally defined, multilayered matrilineal society and a socially transmitted communication system.”

“Sperm whales are known for their complex social and foraging behaviors, as well as their collective decision-making.”

“They communicate using codas, stereotypical sequences of three to 40 broadband clicks. Codas are exchanged when whales interact with each other and during long, deep dives foraging. .”

For the study, the authors Dominican Sperm Whale Projectthe largest repository of sperm whale data.

They analyzed the records of about 60 different whales from the eastern Caribbean sperm whale clan and used them to define a “sperm whale phonetic alphabet” of click combinations from this clan's records.

They discovered that whales' communication systems are more complex and have greater information-transfer capabilities than previously thought.

We found that the combination and structure of the generated click sequences depended on the context of the individual's conversation.

Scientists also identified a “combinatorial structure” in whale language. Whales can combine and coordinate different clicks and rhythms to create complex vocalizations, similar to human language.

“Although the function and meaning of the click combinations are still unknown, the sperm whale language could potentially express a large number of meanings,” the researchers said.

Their paper It was published in the magazine nature communications.

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P. Sharma other. 2024. Contextual and combinatorial structure in sperm whale calls. Nat Commune 15, 3617; doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-47221-8

Source: www.sci.news

‘Hubble Space Telescope Discovers Intricate Galaxy in Virgo Galaxy Cluster’

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The Hubble team has released a beautiful new image of the dwarf galaxy IC 776 in the constellation Virgo.

This Hubble image shows IC 776, a dwarf galaxy about 100 million light-years away in the constellation Virgo. Image credit: NASA / ESA / Hubble / M. Sun.

IC776 It is located in the constellation Virgo, about 100 million light years away from Earth.

This galaxy, also known as ALFALFA 3-210, LEDA 39613, and UGC 7352, discovered It was announced by French astronomer Stéphane Javert on May 4, 1893.

IC 776 is Virgo Clusterthe nearest and best-studied large galaxy cluster.

It is a dwarf galaxy and is also classified as a dwarf galaxy. SAB type One study calls this the “complex case” in morphology.

“This extremely detailed observation from Hubble illustrates its complexity,” Hubble astronomers said in a statement.

“IC 776 has a ragged and disorganized disk, but it still appears to spiral around a central core, creating an arc of star-forming regions.”

The color image of IC 776 was created from separate exposures taken in the visible and near-infrared regions of the spectrum. Hubble's advanced survey camera (ACS).

Two filters were used to sample different wavelengths. Color is obtained by assigning different hues to each monochromatic image associated with an individual filter.

“This image comes from an observational program dedicated to the study of dwarf galaxies in the Virgo cluster and searching for X-ray sources in such galaxies,” the researchers said.

“X-rays are often emitted from accretion disks, where matter pulled into a compact object by gravity collides, forming a hot, glowing disk.”

“This compact object could be a white dwarf or neutron star that steals material from its companion star, or it could be a supermassive black hole at the center of a galaxy that consumes its surroundings.”

“Dwarf galaxies like IC 776 passing through the Virgo cluster can experience pressure from intergalactic gas, stimulate star formation, and feed the black hole at the galaxy's center,” the study says. they added.

“It could produce a high-energy accretion disk that is hot enough to emit X-rays.”

“Hubble cannot see X-rays, but in conjunction with X-ray telescopes such as NASA's Chandra, it can use visible light to reveal the source of this radiation in high resolution.”

“Dwarf galaxies are thought to be of great importance for understanding cosmology and galaxy evolution.”

“As with many fields of astronomy, the ability to examine these galaxies across the electromagnetic spectrum is critical to research.”

Source: www.sci.news

Researchers develop record-breaking, highly intricate bird family tree

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The latest genealogy is detailed in two supplementary papers published today. journal Nature And that Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers have uncovered patterns in the evolutionary history of birds after the massive mass extinction event that wiped out the dinosaurs 66 million years ago. The authors observed rapid increases in effective population size, replacement rate, and relative brain size in early birds, and found that new adaptive mechanisms that drove bird diversification in the aftermath of this pivotal event. Shined a light. The researchers also took a closer look at one branch of the new family tree and found that flamingos and pigeons are more distantly related than previous genome-wide analyzes had shown.

The latest bird family tree outlining 93 million years of evolutionary relationships among 363 bird species. Image credit: Jon Fjeldså / Josefin Stiller.

“Our goal is to reconstruct the entire evolutionary history of all birds,” said Professor Siavash Milarab, a researcher at the University of California, San Diego.

This work is part of that Bird 10,000 Genomes (B10K) ProjectThis is a multi-institutional effort led by the University of Copenhagen, Zhejiang University, and the University of California, San Diego, with the aim of producing draft genome sequences for approximately 10,500 extant bird species.

At the heart of these studies is a suite of algorithms known as ASTRAL, developed by Professor Miralove and colleagues to infer evolutionary relationships with unprecedented scalability, accuracy, and speed.

By harnessing the power of these algorithms, we integrated genomic data from over 60,000 genomic regions and provided a robust statistical foundation for our analysis.

The researchers then examined the evolutionary history of individual segments across the genome.

From there, they pieced together a mosaic of gene trees and compiled them into a comprehensive species tree.

This meticulous approach has allowed researchers to construct new and improved bird genealogies that depict complex divergence events with remarkable accuracy and detail, even in the face of historical uncertainty. I did.

“We found that our method, which adds tens of thousands of genes to the analysis, is indeed necessary to unravel the evolutionary relationships between bird species,” Professor Miralove said.

“We really need all the genomic data to reconstruct with a high degree of confidence what happened during this period of time, 65 to 67 million years ago.”

The scientists also looked at the impact of different genome sampling methods on the accuracy of the tree.

They showed that to reconstruct this evolutionary history, it is important to combine two strategies: sequence many genes in each species and sequence many species. Ta.

“Because we used both strategies in combination, we were able to test which approach has a stronger impact on phylogenetic reconstructions,” said Professor Josephine Stiller from the University of Copenhagen.

We found that it is more important to sample many gene sequences from each organism than to sample from a wider range of species, but the latter method does not allow us to determine when different groups evolved. It was helpful to know. ”

mira love other. They took a closer look at one branch of the updated bird family tree and found that groups including flamingos and pigeons are more distantly related than previous genome-wide analyzes had shown. We attributed the results to an abnormal region on chromosome 4.Image credits: Ed Braun / Daniel J. Field / Siavash Miarab

With the help of advanced computational techniques, the researchers were also able to shed light on anomalies discovered in previous studies. The theory is that a particular part of a chromosome in the bird's genome remained unchanged and blank for millions of years. Description of expected genetic recombination patterns.

“Ten years ago, we put together a family tree. Neo Avesthe group that includes the vast majority of bird species,” said Professor Edward Brown of the University of Florida.

“Based on the genomes of 48 species, we divided neoabees into two broad categories: pigeons and flamingos in one group, and all the rest in the other.”

“This year, when we repeated the same analysis with 363 species, a different family tree emerged that divided pigeons and flamingos into two distinct groups.”

“Given two mutually exclusive family trees, I looked for an explanation that would allow me to determine which family tree was correct.”

“When we looked at individual genes and which trees they supported, it suddenly dawned on us that all the genes that support old trees were all in one place. That's how it all started. “It was,” he explained.

“When we investigated this site, we realized that it was a place where sexual reproduction had been occurring for millions of years, but it wasn't as mixed.”

“Just like humans, birds combine the genes of their father and mother to create the next generation.”

“But in birds and humans alike, when creating sperm and eggs, we first mix together genes inherited from both parents.”

“This process, called recombination, maximizes the genetic diversity of a species by ensuring that no two siblings are exactly alike.”

The authors found evidence that parts of bird chromosomes suppressed this recombination process for millions of years after the dinosaurs went extinct.

It is unclear whether extinction events and genomic abnormalities are related.

They found that flamingos and pigeons resemble each other in this frozen chunk of DNA.

However, when the complete genomes were considered, it became clear that the two groups were more distantly related.

“What is surprising is that this period of recombination suppression can mislead the analysis,” says Professor Brown.

“And because that can mislead the analysis, it was actually detectable more than 60 million years in the future. That's the cool thing about it.”

“Such mysteries may also be hidden in the genomes of other organisms.”

“We discovered this misleading region of birds because we put a lot of energy into deciphering their genomes.”

“I think there are similar cases in other species that are unknown at this time.”

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J. Stiller other. 2024. The complexity of bird evolution revealed by family-level genomes. Naturein press.

Siavash Milarab other. 2024. Suppressed recombinant regions mislead neoavian phylogenomics. PNAS 121: e2319506121; doi: 10.1073/pnas.2319506121

Source: www.sci.news

New study finds bumblebees can acquire intricate skills through social learning

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Culture refers to behaviors that are socially learned and persist within a group over long periods of time. Growing evidence suggests that animal culture, like human culture, may be cumulative. However, the accumulated culture of humans contains behaviors so complex that they exceed the ability of individuals to discover them independently over a lifetime. New research shows that the buff-tailed bumblebee (Western bumblebee) can learn how to open new two-step puzzle boxes and obtain food from trained conspecifics, even if they fail to open them independently.

Bufftail Bumblebee (Western bumblebee) socially learn behaviors that are too complex to innovate alone. Image credit: Ralphs Fotos.

“This groundbreaking research opens new avenues for understanding the evolution of intelligence and social learning in animals,” said study lead author Lars, a researcher at Queen Mary University of London. Professor Chitka said.

“This challenges long-held assumptions, paves the way to further explore the cognitive wonders hidden in the insect world, and even suggests the exciting possibility of accumulated culture among seemingly simple creatures. Masu.”

Professor Chitka and his colleagues designed a two-step puzzle box that required bumblebees to perform two different actions in sequence to access a sweet reward at the end.

Training bees to do this was no easy task, and we had to help them by adding additional rewards along the way.

This temporary reward was eventually taken away, and the bees were forced to open the entire box before getting the treat.

Surprisingly, while individual bees had difficulty solving the puzzle from the beginning, bees allowed to observe trained demonstration bees completed the entire sequence, including the first step. You just learned quickly and got rewarded at the end.

This study shows that bumblebees have a level of social learning that was previously thought to be unique to humans.

They can share and acquire behaviors that are beyond the cognitive capacity of individuals. This ability is thought to underpin the vast and complex nature of human culture, and was previously thought to be exclusive to us.

“This is a very difficult task for bees,” said study lead author Dr. Alice Bridges, a researcher at Queen Mary University of London and the University of Sheffield.

“They had to learn two steps to get the reward, and the first action in the sequence was not rewarded.”

“Initially, we had to train demonstration bees to include temporary rewards, which highlighted the complexity.”

“But other bees learned the sequence from the social observations of these trained bees, without ever experiencing the reward of the first step.”

“But when we tried to get other bees to open the box without a bee trained to show them the solution, they couldn't open it at all.”

This study opens up exciting possibilities for understanding the emergence of cumulative culture in the animal kingdom, beyond individual learning.

Cumulative culture refers to the gradual accumulation of knowledge and skills over generations, allowing increasingly complex behaviors to develop.

The ability of bees to learn such complex tasks from demonstrators suggests potential pathways for cultural transmission and innovation beyond the bees' individual learning abilities.

“This challenges the traditional view that only humans can learn socially complex behaviors beyond individual learning,” says Professor Chitka.

“Many of the most remarkable achievements of social insects, such as the nesting structures of honey bees and wasps and the agricultural habits of ants that farm aphids and fungi, may have first been spread by imitation by clever innovators, and then spread. , which is increasingly likely.'' They eventually became part of the species-specific behavioral repertoire. ”

Regarding this research, paper Published in the Journal on March 6, 2024 Nature.

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AD bridge other. Bumblebees socially learn behaviors that are too complex to innovate alone. Nature, published online March 6, 2024. doi: 10.1038/s41586-024-07126-4

Source: www.sci.news