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The boy’s body was preserved in a copper coffin, taking on a green hue.

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The mummified remains of a boy buried in a copper box between 1617 and 1814

Annamaria Arabiso

An adolescent boy, interred in a copper coffin almost three centuries ago in northern Italy, stands out as the only nearly fully preserved green mummy known to exist.

While other ancient remains have shown partial mummification or green coloration from burial alongside copper or bronze items, a green mummified hand of a newborn clutching a copper coin was discovered in medieval Hungary within pottery vessels.

In contrast, this Italian mummy is largely intact, save for its feet, showcasing an almost entirely green complexion from skin to bone, with the exception of its left leg.

The mummy emerged from the basement of an old villa in Bologna in 1987, where it underwent forensic analysis at the University of Bologna. Experts determined it belonged to a boy aged 12 to 14, and it has been preserved at the university since.

Annamaria Arabiso, a conservation scientist at the University of Rome Tor Vergata, took part in the examination alongside a myriad of specialists including geneticists, anthropologists, radiologists, mathematicians, physicists, and computer scientists. “It was an impressive interdisciplinary effort,” she remarks.

The researchers conducted an extensive series of chemical and physical analyses on the mummy. Radiocarbon dating assigned the boy’s death to between 1617 and 1814, with Arabiso noting that the remains exhibited no apparent signs of trauma or disease.

Copper played a crucial role in preserving both hard and soft tissues, owing to its known antimicrobial characteristics, Arabiso states. However, the copper box reacted with acid from the body, leading to corrosion that created copper byproducts interacting with the chemicals in the bone. Gradually, copper ions replaced calcium in the boy’s skeleton, imparting a green hue and simultaneously enhancing the structural integrity of his bones over time.

The skin developed a rough layer of copper corrosion products referred to as patina, a pale green film typical on bronze items. Arabiso explained that this patina formed as a result of copper’s reaction with water and carbon dioxide during decomposition.

“This fundamentally shifts our understanding of heavy metals, revealing a more intricate relationship regarding their effects on conservation than previously assumed,” she states.

Possibly due to acidic interactions, the bottom of the copper box eventually cracked, leading to liquid spillage that left the remains in a cool, arid environment with limited oxygen, which mitigated decomposition. Arabiso suggests the boy may have become disoriented and lost his footing during this process.

“Engaging with these extraordinary human remains was profoundly emotional for me,” she shares.

Julia Gallo, having seen images of mummies for the first time at the Collège de France in Paris, expressed her awe. “Oh, how beautiful!” she exclaims. “This entire case study is utterly captivating.”

Gallo offered praise for the researchers’ efforts in meticulously investigating the physical and chemical processes leading to the mummification and subsequent color changes. “The evidence robustly supports their conclusions regarding both the preservation of tissues and bones and the variations in coloration.”

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Cheetah Discovered Preserved as a Mummy in a Cave in Saudi Arabia

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One of the mummified cheetahs found in a cave

Ahmed Boug et al. 2025/Saudi Arabia’s National Center for Wildlife

Recent findings report the discovery of seven cheetah mummies, dating back thousands of years, in caves located in Saudi Arabia.

The cheetah (acinonyx jubatus) populations have seen drastic reductions due to habitat destruction, hunting, and the wildlife trade, leading to their disappearance from the Arabian Peninsula several decades ago. Ahmed Boug and his associates at the National Wildlife Centre in Riyadh revealed details about these seven mummified cheetahs along with 54 skeletal sites found in the Lauga Cave Network in northern Saudi Arabia during the years 2022 and 2023.

The mummies, preserved through a unique process that inhibits decomposition, date back approximately 4,000 to 100 years.

“These discoveries are incredibly significant,” states Anne Schmidt Künzel from the Cheetah Conservation Fund in Namibia. “While the mummification of Negrids isn’t wholly unexpected, this marks a groundbreaking and important find.”

“The stable temperature and low humidity in the cave environment likely aided the mummification process,” the researchers noted.

The reason for the cheetahs’ presence in the cave remains a mystery, as these animals typically do not utilize caves as dens or for storing carcasses. At the time of investigation, none of the five caves revealed any water supply.

Many of the remains were located in caves accessible solely via sinkholes, leading Schmidt Künzel to propose that the cheetahs may have fallen and become trapped. Additionally, remains of other animals including insects, wolves, striped hyenas, gazelles, and red foxes were also discovered here.

Upon examining 20 complete cheetah skulls, researchers found that six belonged to adults, while the rest were from individuals aged between 6 and 24 months. There were also nine cub skeletons located in the primary cave. The abundance of young cheetahs indicates that adult females might have used the cave for collective protection, according to Schmidt Künzel.

Camera traps set up during the investigation indicated that wolves were also using these caves. “This implies that during the cheetah’s lifespan, they may have frequented several, if not all, of these caves, enabling them to enter intentionally,” Schmidt Künzel added.

While there is only one species of cheetah, it is divided into four genetically distinct subspecies. The Southeast African cheetah (acinonyx jubatus jubatus) is the most populous, while the Northeast African cheetah (acinonyx jubatus soemmeringii) and Northwest African cheetah (acinonyx jubatus heck) exist in smaller, fragmented groups. The Asian cheetah (acinonyx jubatus venaticus), meanwhile, has very few remaining members in Iran.

Boug and his team sequenced the genomes of three sets of artifacts. Their research indicated that the mummified individuals are most closely related to the Asian subspecies, currently found in that region.

Schmidt-Künzel emphasizes that this work supports the notion that all cheetah subspecies can adapt to similar arid conditions, making it feasible to reintroduce them to the area through selective breeding of African subspecies.

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Incredible Amber Deposits Have Preserved Insects Since the Dinosaur Era

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Amber-preserved midge discovered in Ecuador

Mónica Solórzano-Kraemer

A remarkable collection of insects and a spider web encased in amber from 112 million years ago has been discovered in quarries within the Amazon rainforest.

Xavier Delclòs from the University of Barcelona, along with his team, learned that amber—resulting from fossilized tree resin—had been unearthed from the Genobeva quarry in eastern Ecuador’s Oriente Basin, prompting them to investigate the site in 2022.

The amber from this region is believed to originate from the resin of coniferous trees from the Araucaria family, prominent when modern-day Ecuador was part of the ancient Gondwana Supercontinent.

Amber deposits are sourced from two primary origins: the tree crown and the roots. Substances from the ground may entrap remnants of insects and other organisms in resin, later turning into amber—a process known as Bioin Crucion.

While most amber found in the quarry originated from underground sources, during initial diggings, the team collected 60 notable pieces of ground amber for further study in the lab.

Over a third of these specimens showcased the bioencapsulation of various insects, plants, and even spider webs, dating back to the Cretaceous period, particularly from the Mozazo era. “This is the first time [Mesozoic] amber with insects and spider biopackages has been discovered in South America, and they are certainly new species,” states Delclòs.

The insect specimens included diverse species of flies, bees, beetles, and mosquitoes. All thrived in a humid forest environment during the age of dinosaurs, likely near abundant lakes, rivers, and marshes necessary for some species’ life cycles.

Polypore beetle encased in amber discovered in Ecuador

Enrique Peñalver

Visitors to the site are definitely advised to use insect repellent. “And perhaps look for a way to avoid encounters with carnivorous dinosaurs,” he humorously suggests.

“Some mosquitoes exhibit blood-feeding behavior, implying that they at one time relied on vertebrate blood, possibly from birds or non-avian dinosaurs,” he notes.

However, the dinosaur DNA that mosquitoes may have ingested from amber is likely compromised by the chemical properties of resin. “We cannot recreate a Jurassic Park from Cretaceous amber, certainly not with current techniques,” Delclòs remarks.

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3,500 Years Ago, Cheese Was Preserved for the Afterlife—Here’s Why

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Tracing the world’s oldest cheese is challenging, but direct evidence shows that humans have been consuming milk for millennia.

Archaeologists have discovered milk residues in ancient pottery from various locations worldwide.

Research on carbon isotopes of fatty acids from pot residues reveals that humans have been consuming milk in the UK since 4000 BC. However, in Anatolia, a region in Türkiye noted for its Neolithic agriculture, evidence suggests milk consumption dates back even earlier to around 7000 BC.

Farmers in Anatolia were widely mobile. Although milk fat residues often degrade over thousands of years underground, the sheer number of ceramic pieces found leads scientists to speculate that these early peoples were likely producing long-lasting dairy products like cheese.

When milk is transformed into cheese, lactose levels decrease, helping to mitigate lactose intolerance, which was common across Europe. It wasn’t until approximately 3,000 years ago that genetic mutations became prevalent, enabling adults to produce lactase.

A 2023 study from York University found protein structures in a Polish late Neolithic pot, suggesting it contained cheese made from the milk of cows, goats, and sheep.

The oldest surviving cheese sample dates back about 3,500 years – Illustration credits: Jessley

The oldest cheese sample still known today is approximately 3,500 years old and was found around the neck of a Bronze Age mummy in the Xiaohe Cemetery in northwestern China.

A team at the Chinese Academy of Sciences conducted an analysis of this specimen, identifying it as kefir cheese (fermented bacterial milk). The scientists found DNA from various bacteria and yeast species, including Lactobacillus kefiranofaciens and Pichia kudriavzevii, which are present in kefir today.

They hypothesize that the lump could represent a kefir starter grain, a concentrated bacterial colony used to initiate cheese fermentation. These grains were likely regarded as valuable offerings for the afterlife in ancient times.

This article addresses the question, “What is the oldest cheese in the world?” posed by Scott Mills of Watford.

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Discovery of a Newly Preserved Specimen of Archeopteryx

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The latest fossil, named Chicago Archeopteryx, is the 14th known specimen of this remarkable Jurassic species.

Chicago Archeopteryx. Image credit: Delaney Drummond/Field Museum.

The Archeopteryx inhabited the Jurassic period around 150 million years ago.

The Chicago specimen is the smallest known, roughly the size of a pigeon. Its fragile hollow bones are embedded in exceptionally hard limestone.

As with other Archeopteryx fossils, this new find was located in limestone deposits near Solnhofen, Germany.

This particular fossil was uncovered by a private collector before 1990 and has remained privately held since then.

A coalition of supporters assisted the Field Museum in acquiring it, and it arrived there in August 2022.

“When we initially obtained the specimen of Archeopteryx,” remarked Dr. Jinmaio Connor, the Field Museum’s Associate Curator of Fossil Reptiles.

“Despite the fact that Archeopteryx has been known for over 160 years, we were uncertain about the new insights we might gain.”

“However, our specimens are exceptionally well preserved and prepared, so we are uncovering a wealth of new information, from the tip of the beak to the tip of the tail.”

Thanks to the outstanding preservation of the specimens, paleontologists conducted high-resolution CT scans and digital 3D reconstructions.

The findings reveal an almost entirely intact skull, featuring a well-preserved palate region.

“The bones in the roof of the mouth provide valuable insights into the evolution of what is known as a skull, a feature of modern birds that allows them to move their beaks independently from the braincase,” Dr. O’Connor explained.

“While it may not seem thrilling, for those studying bird evolution, it’s quite significant, as it is thought that specialized skulls may have evolved for varying ecological niches.”

“Additionally, the soft tissues preserved in Chicago Archeopteryx‘s hands and feet support the idea that Archeopteryx likely spent considerable time on the ground and may have even climbed trees.”

An illustration of Archeopteryx depicting its characteristic feathers that would have assisted flight. Image credit: Michael Rothman.

The wing feathers of the Chicago Archeopteryx raise an enduring scientific question regarding the origins of flight in dinosaurs.

“Archeopteryx is not the first dinosaur with wings, nor the first to possess ‘wings’,” Dr. O’Connor explained.

“However, it is considered the earliest known dinosaur that managed to achieve powered flight using its wings.”

“This section of the paper is particularly intriguing to me, as it provides evidence that Archeopteryx employed feathered wings for flight.”

Key to Archeopteryx‘s flight may be a set of feathers previously unrecognized in the species—a group of long upper arm feathers known as Tertials.

“In comparison to most modern birds, Archeopteryx has an exceptionally long upper arm bone,” noted Dr. O’Connor.

“If you are flying, having an elongated upper arm bone can create a gap between your long primary and secondary wings and the rest of your body.”

“If air flows through that gap, it can disturb the lift being generated, making flight impossible.”

Nevertheless, modern birds have developed solutions to this issue, employing a series of tertial feathers to bridge the gap between their bodies and wings.

“Our specimen is the first Archeopteryx to be preserved and studied for its long feather structure,” Dr. O’Connor said.

“These feathers share similarities with those of birds, yet are absent in non-avian feathered dinosaurs.”

“Their wing feathers terminate at their elbows, indicating that these non-bird dinosaurs could not fly, whereas Archeopteryx could.”

“This also supports the idea that flight in dinosaurs may have evolved multiple times, which I find very exciting.”

The team’s research findings were published in the journal Nature this week.

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J. O’Connor et al. Chicago Archeopteryx offers insights into early avian evolution. Nature Published online May 14, 2025. doi:10.1038/s41586-025-08912-4

Source: www.sci.news

Newly-discovered dirt species found preserved in Dominican amber

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Stained Ant (genus) Basiceros) Although widely distributed, they rarely encounter members of neotropical ecosystems. Their rarity is attributed to their cryptic lifestyle habits. These ants are common names because they have special hairs that help to adhere soil and garbage particles to their skin. Paleontologists have just discovered the first fossils of this genus group, Basiceros enanain Miocene Dominican Amber.

Illustration of the volume rendering and measurement process taken using volume rendering Basiceros enana. Image credit: Fiorentino et al. , doi: 10.1098/rspb.2024.2171.

Measurement of 5.13 mm length, Basiceros enana Caribbean species are the smallest in the entire lineage, as they are considerably smaller than modern relatives, which can reach approximately 9 mm in length.

“The fossil adult worker ants provide direct evidence that the sacred ant group of ants once lived on Caribbean islands. They then result in local extinction during the Miocene era (230,550,000 years ago)” Candidate New Jersey Institute of Technology.

“Dirty is a rare find in the wild. Finding something today is exciting considering how hidden they are, but being caught in amber and it’s like finding a diamond.”

“This fossil is different from all its modern relatives and changes the evolutionary history of Basiceros. ”

Until now, Basiceros The ants were only known in the neo-rainforest, which stretched from Costa Rica to southern Brazil.

The genus contains a total of nine living species today, but the unexpected fossil discovery raises new questions about how the ANT group reached its current habitat.

“In many cases, lineages seem like a rather simple biogeographic history. If you find a group of animals that lived in South America until today’s Costa Rica, there’s no reason to expect their early relatives to live in the Caribbean.”

“Such fossils highlight how the distribution of living species can believe in the complex evolutionary history of life on our planet.”

Using advanced imaging and 3D reconstruction techniques, researchers studied Basiceros enana detail.

They compared the physical properties of the specimen with the physical properties of all known modern stain ant species and conducted molecular dating analyses to track their evolutionary lineage.

“The use of Micro-CT scans allowed us to actually amplify this study and capture features that we could virtually not see what we didn’t,” Fiorentino says.

“Amber stores the entire organism in three dimensions, allowing you to extract a large amount of data even from small ants,” added Dr. Baden.

“Our results show that the embodied these ants was relatively rapid,” Fiorentino said.

“They have almost doubled over the course of 20 million years.”

“As previous hypotheses suggested that these ants were large and shrinking over time to their ancestors, this really shows how important fossils are to understand the evolution of the lineage.”

but, Basiceros enana It also suggests some of the same adaptations that were already introduced at least 16 million years ago for environmental predators and prey (a ability known as Crypsis).

These characteristics include two layers of special hair (or bristles) that allow the body to attach soil and leaf waste particles. Longer upright brush bristles and shorter, shorter, pressed retaining hairs that trap particles in the deformation or cuticle.

“What this shows is that being dead and hiding is rewarded,” Fiorentino said.

“The discovery of such unique fossils does not guarantee that the presence of these properties will necessarily act this way, but discovering such unique fossils helps us understand how long we have been using this strategy.”

Fossil ants also have other distinctive morphological properties like today’s dirt, including predatory features such as the elevated Perodal spine, trapezoidal-like head structure, and the mandible with 12 triangular teeth.

Despite these specialized adaptations, ancient Caribbean stains eventually disappeared from the region amid major Miocene ecological changes.

“The existence of Basiceros In Amber, Dominican, ancient land bridges suggest that these ants may have provided a route to travel from the mainland into the Caribbean,” Dr. Baden said.

“This fossil is part of a big puzzle that will help us understand why some groups of living things are extinct and others stick out for millions of years.”

“Their extinction could be accompanied by the loss of available niches and interspecies competition,” Fioretino said.

“These ants are predators, and the overall trend seen from the Caribbean is the loss of predator ants’ diversity.”

“More than a third of the Ants have been extinct on modern Dominican Republic Island since the formation of Dominican amber.”

“Understanding what has driven this pattern of local extinction is important to mitigate modern human-driven extinctions and protect biodiversity.”

Team’s paper It was published in Proceedings of the Royal Society b.

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Gianpiero Fiorentino et al. 2025. Increased fossil-based patterns of body size and local extinction Basiceros Stain ants (membrane: gumicidae). Proc. R. Soc. b 292 (2045): 20242171; doi: 10.1098/rspb.2024.2171

Source: www.sci.news

In Kachin amber, we discovered preserved odd parasitic wasp species

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in paper Published in the journal BMC Biologypaleontologists described an extinct species of the parasite hornet, found in the cretbone system in the Kachin region of Myanmar. It has been named Sirenobethylus charybdisthis species may have used abdomen like Venus’ flight laps to capture and immobilize prey.

Sirenobethylus charybdis. Scale bar – 0.5 mm in (a), 0.3 mm in (b), 0.2 mm in (c). Image credits: Woo et al. , doi: 10.1186/s12915-025-02190-2.

“Insects are the most diverse group of animals on the planet, with more than a million described species, and perhaps fewer than several times listed,” said Taipingao, a paleontologist at a regular university in the capital.

“Recent estimates suggest a total of about 5.5 million species.”

“Their highly adaptable exoskeletons have enabled them to radiate and colonize a wide range of habitats and develop highly efficient and innovative solutions to the various challenges posed by their surroundings.”

“Among other mechanisms, carnivorous insects have evolved a variety of prey capture mechanisms.”

“However, insect predation strategies in the fossil record are still poorly understood.”

In the new study, the author examined 16 adult women Sirenobethylus charybdis Found on Kachin Amber.

The new species lived in the mid-Cretaceous period, about 99 million years ago.

Form of Sirenobethylus charybdis It indicates that the insects were parasites – insects that cause larvae to live as parasites and ultimately kill their hosts.

“Modern parasitic wasps from Superfamily Chrysidoidea include cuckoo and vetirido hornets,” the researchers said.

“but, Sirenobethylus charybdis The specimen has a unique venous pattern in the hind wing suggesting that the species belongs within its own family, Sirenovetiridae. ”

Scientists also discovered that this species is likely to be Koinobion. This is a parasitic wasp that allows the host to continue to grow during the host’s diet.

“A hornet specimen has an abdominal device made up of three flaps, and its decay forms a paddle-shaped structure with dozens of hair-like hairs that are visually reminiscent of the Venus flight lap plant,” they explained.

“Abdominal device Sirenobethylus charybdis Unlike that of known insects, it may have served as a mechanism to temporarily suppress the host during egg sales. ”

“The wasps were unable to pursue their prey over long distances, so potential hosts would have opened their devices and waited to activate the capture response.”

“Easy grasping devices are permitted Sirenobethylus charybdis Target highly mobile prey such as small, winged or jumping insects. ”

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Q. Woo et al. 2025. Cretaceous flight lap? Remarkable abdominal modifications in fossil hornets. BMC Biol 23, 81; doi:10.1186/s12915-025-02190-2

Source: www.sci.news

A 99-million-year-old skink found preserved in Burmese amber is the oldest ever discovered

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Palaeontologists have discovered the fossil of a previously unknown species of lizard in mid-Cretaceous amber unearthed in northern Myanmar.

Reconstructing your life Electrosincus Zeddyparts of the lizard not represented in available sources have been blurred. Image courtesy of Stephanie Abramowicz.

The newly discovered species was a small lizard, estimated to be about 3 centimetres (1.2 inches) long from snout to anus.

Named Electrosincus ZeddyIt lived during the mid-Cretaceous period, about 99 million years ago.

Unlike other squamate animals (lizards and snakes) that lived during the Mesozoic era, they have a layered and complex structure. Cortical bone They are arranged alternately around the body, supporting its classification as a lizard. Gerbils.

“The family Pectiniidae is a highly diverse lineage of squamate animals that is now nearly universally distributed in temperate and tropical regions around the world,” said Dr. Juan Daza of Sam Houston State University and colleagues.

“This comprises more than 1,745 described extant species, about 15 percent of all extant lizards.”

“Typically, lizards have cylindrical bodies and relatively short limbs, and evolution towards shortening or loss of limbs has occurred in more than 50 lizard lineages.”

“Among the living syncoids (Xanthus, Gerphosauridae, Cordylidae, and Syncoidae), syncoid species have the greatest range in body length, ranging from tiny species just a few centimetres in length to extinct species. Tiliqua FrangensIt may have reached a height of more than 50 centimetres.”

“Skinks also vary greatly in the number of presacral vertebrae, ranging from 26 to 108, which, together with round scales and compound bone plates, may have facilitated the repeated evolution of depressed and limbless morphologies.”

“Most lizards have smooth, circular scales beneath which extend compound osteoderms, which are bony plates within the dermis made up of multiple articulating dermal fragments per scale.”

Electrosincus ZeddyVentral (a) and dorsal (b) views of the fossil. Detail of the right foot (c, e) and bone plate (d). X-ray of the entire specimen, showing skeletal remains and some articulated and scattered bone plates (f). Image courtesy of Daza. others., doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-66451-w.

One Burmese Amber (Burmit) Preservation Electrosincus Zeddy It was discovered in a Mid-Cretaceous outcrop about 100 km west of Myitkyina Township, Myitkyina District, Kachin State in northern Myanmar.

The specimen contains two separate parts of a lizard, including scales and mainly appendicular bones, but is clearly part of a single individual.

“To date, more than 100 squamate specimens have been discovered in Burmite,” the paleontologists said.

“Within this large sample, the new fossil is the only one that preserves this cortical bone morphology, which makes it diagnosable as a Snecidae and distinguishes it from all known fossil squamates from the Cretaceous.”

“Although the specimen is incomplete, it preserves both postcranial skeletal elements and integumentary structures, which, although less than ideal, provides a basis for comparison with putative synthid specimens that may be discovered in the future.”

“This specimen has a combination of compound bony plates and overlapping circular scales that are only seen in lizards.”

“We suggest that this type of osteoderm evolved as a response to increased scale overlap and reduced stiffness of the skin armour,” the researchers concluded.

Their paper Published in the journal Scientific Reports.

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JD Daza others2024. A compound osteoderm preserved in amber identifies it as the oldest known lizard. Scientific Reports 14, 15662; doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-66451-w

Source: www.sci.news

Study finds ancient genome structure preserved in 52,000-year-old mammoth skin

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Scientists from Baylor College of Medicine and other institutions have announced the discovery of ancient chromosome subfossils in a female mammoth fossil.Mammutus primigeniusThe mammoth, a species of mammoth known as the pygmy mammoth, died 52,000 years ago in what is now Siberia. The fossil preserves the structure of its ancient chromosomes down to the nanometer (billionth of a meter) scale. Researchers hypothesize that the cold of Siberia naturally freeze-dried the mammoth's skin, causing a glass transition that preserved the fossil.

Sandoval Velasco othersAssembled the genome and 3D chromosome structure of a 52,000-year-old woolly mammoth. Image courtesy of Sandoval Velasco. others., doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.06.002.

“This is a new type of fossil, one whose scale far exceeds that of individual ancient DNA fragments, with sequences a million times larger,” said Dr. Erez Lieberman Aiden, director of the Center for Genome Architecture at Baylor College of Medicine.

“This is also the first time that an ancient sample has been karyotyped.”

Knowing the three-dimensional structure of a genome gives us a lot of additional information beyond its sequence, but most ancient DNA specimens are made up of very small, jumbled up pieces of DNA.

Building on their work mapping the 3D structure of the human genome, Dr Aiden and his colleagues reasoned that the same strategy could be used to assemble ancient genomes, provided suitable ancient DNA samples were found.

The researchers tested dozens of samples over a five-year period, eventually locating an unusually well-preserved woolly mammoth that was unearthed in September 2018 near Belaya Gora, in the Sakha Republic in northeastern Siberia.

“We believe that the freeze-drying occurred naturally shortly after death, and the nuclear structures in the dried samples can remain viable for an incredibly long period of time,” said Dr. Olga Dudchenko of the Center for Genome Structure at Baylor College of Medicine.

To reconstruct the mammoth's genome structure, the authors extracted DNA from skin samples taken from behind the mammoth's ears.

They are, High C This allows them to detect which parts of DNA are in spatial proximity and likely to interact in their natural state within the nucleus.

“Imagine having a puzzle with 3 billion pieces, but not having the final puzzle picture at hand,” said Professor Marc-Marty-Renom, a structural genomicist at the National Center for Genome Analysis and Genomic Regulation.

“Hi-C allows me to get a rough idea of ​​what the picture looks like before I start putting the puzzle pieces together.”

They then combined the physical information from the Hi-C analysis with DNA sequences to identify interacting DNA sections and produced a neat map of the mammoth genome using the modern elephant genome as a template.

The analysis revealed that mammoths had 28 chromosomes, the same number as modern Asian and African elephants.

Remarkably, the fossilized mammoth chromosomes retained a great deal of physical integrity and detail, including the nanoscale loops that contact transcription factors with the genes they control.

By examining the compartmentalization of genes within the nucleus, the scientists were able to identify active and inactive genes in the mammoth skin cells, a proxy for epigenetics and transcriptomics.

Compared with skin cells from the mammoth's closest relative, the Asian elephant, the mammoth's skin cells showed different gene activation patterns, including genes that may be related to fur and cold tolerance.

“For the first time we have mammoth tissue where we can roughly tell which genes are on and which are off,” said Professor Martti Renom.

“This is a surprising new type of data, the first time we've measured cell-specific genetic activity of genes in ancient DNA samples.”

Team result Published in today's journal cell.

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Marcela Sandoval Velasco others2024. A 52,000-year-old mammoth skin sample contains 3D genome structure. cell 187(14):3541-3562; doi:10.1016/j.cell.2024.06.002

Source: www.sci.news

Discovery of ancient marine tapeworm preserved in 99-million-year-old amber

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Paleontologists from the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Paleontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and others have discovered a partial fossil of an ancient tapeworm preserved in Kachin amber from Myanmar from the mid-Cretaceous period.

A 99-million-year-old amber fragment containing a tapeworm fossil (long tentacles) and other inclusions: (AB) Overall view of the amber fragment. (C) Trichophytes of Gleichenidae. (D) Scale insect larva. (E) Sand grains. Scale bar – 2 mm inches (A, B), 0.1 mm inches (CE).Image credit: Luo other., doi:10.1130/G52071.1.

Parasites, especially parasitoids, are ubiquitous in extant ecosystems but poorly preserved in the geological record.

One such group is Sestoda (tapeworms), a special group of internal parasites flatworm.

These organisms have complex life cycles with at least two hosts and infect all major vertebrate groups.

However, due to its soft tissue and hidden habitat, the fossil record is very sparse, with the only widely accepted example of a pre-Quaternary period being a shark egg found in a Permian coprolite. be.

The lack of body fossils greatly hinders our understanding of early evolution.

Dr. Bo Wang, a researcher at the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Paleontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, said: “The fossil record of tapeworms is extremely poor due to its soft tissue and endoparasite habitat, which is a major hindrance in understanding its early evolution. ''. Science.

The new fossil exhibits unique external (armature pattern) and internal (partially invaginated tentacles and rootless hooks) features that are most consistent with extant tentacles. Trypanolhynch tapeworm Parasitic substances of marine life elasmobranch (mainly sharks and rays).

“This discovery is the most convincing platyzoan fossil ever discovered,” said Dr. Cihang Luo. candidate at Nanjing Institute of Geology and Paleontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

“Our study provides an exceptional example of a marine endoparasite trapped in amber and also sheds new light on amber taphonomy.”

“Specifically, we showed that amber can preserve the internal structure of helminths.”

“Using high-resolution micro-CT, we discovered that inside the modern fossil, a folded vertical structure extending spirally around the longitudinal axis extends to the very front. It matches the tentacle you entered.”

“On the other hand, rootless hooks are the same as trypanorhynch hooks.”

“Previous studies have shown that internal structures can be preserved intact, similar to modern forms, but all such studies have focused on arthropods.”

A hypothetical ecological recreation of the Trypanorhynch tapeworm fossil. Image credit: Dinghua Yang / Luo other., doi:10.1130/G52071.1.

“Our results show that amber can preserve the internal structure of helminths such as tapeworms over geological time scales,” Dr. Wang said.

“In addition to remarkable examples of marine endoparasites trapped in amber, several Gleichenia trichomes and scale insect larvae were also preserved in the same amber specimen along with partial insect remains. I did.”

“This clearly indicates that it was in a terrestrial or terrestrial environment at the time it was trapped in the resin.”

“Additionally, many sand grains are evenly distributed throughout the amber, suggesting that the fossil was buried in a sandy environment.”

“Furthermore, evidence so far indicates that Kachin amber was deposited in a near-shore environment.”

“One possible scenario for the tapeworm being deposited in the amber is that its elasmobranch host became stranded by tides or storms.”

“In such a scenario, the host would have been bitten by a high level of terrestrial predator or scavenger.”

“When the host was consumed by a predator, the tentacles were pulled apart, detached from the intestine, and attached to nearby resin.”

“Our study further supports the hypothesis that Kachin amber was probably deposited in a paleoenvironment in the Pala region, and also highlights the importance of amber studies in paleoparasitology.”

team's paper It was published in the magazine geology.

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Jikyoura other. Exceptional preservation of marine tapeworm tentacles preserved in Cretaceous amber. geology, published online March 22, 2024. doi: 10.1130/G52071.1

Source: www.sci.news

Pompeii in England: Remarkably Preserved Bronze Age Village Offers Glimpse into Ancient Life

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An intact ax with an intact handle was found under one of the burnt structures on the grounds of Mast Farm.

cambridge archaeological unit

The ruins of a Bronze Age settlement in eastern England have been beautifully preserved after being destroyed by fire 3000 years ago. Exploring the ruins provides an incredible snapshot of how the British lived at the time, from what people ate for breakfast to the tools they used to build their homes.

Archaeologists first discovered the ancient wooden pillars in 1999 at the Mast Farm quarry near the small town of Whittlesea. A subsequent small-scale study tried to figure out if there was anything interesting there, he said. chris wakefield at the University of York, UK. But it wasn’t until his 2015 that Wakefield and his colleagues conducted serious excavations at the site.

The research team discovered the structural remains of four large circular dwellings (usually wooden circular dwellings with conical thatched roofs) dating from 3,000 to 2,800 years ago. Tree stumps suggest that it was built on raised platforms connected by wooden walkways over a small river that flows through the area. Judging by the size of the waterway, there may have been about 10 roundhouses in the settlement, Wakefield said.

Tree-ring analysis of wood taken from the structure suggests that the settlement was destroyed a year after its construction, with the houses falling into the muddy waters below. Wakefield said the waterlogged, oxygen-depleted environment prevented the settlement from deteriorating, resulting in its unprecedented level of preservation. The charring of objects by fire also served as a protective layer against environmental decay. “Almost everything that was in these people’s homes at the time of the fire has been preserved and is still being discovered nearly 3,000 years later,” Wakefield said.

The way items fell into the mud provided clues as to the layout of each house. Stepping through the door, the kitchen area tended to be on the east side of the house, with the sleeping area to the northwest and the livestock pens to the southeast.

Chemical analysis of kitchen utensils such as pots, bowls, cups and jars suggests that the settlement’s prehistoric inhabitants probably ate porridge, cereals, honey and stews made from beef, mutton and fish. .

“This is the best evidence we have for understanding prehistoric diets and cooking methods,” he says. Rachel Pope At the University of Liverpool, UK. “This is the closest you will ever get to walking through the doorways of a 3,000-year-old roundhouse and finding out what life was like inside.”

Illustration depicting daily life at one of the mast farm structures

Judith Dobie/Historic England

A toolbox filled with axes, sickles, and razors was a staple in every household. “One of the most beautiful things one of my colleagues found was an amazing two-part axe,” Wakefield says. “What’s amazing about this particular design is that the ax head itself is inserted into an additional piece of wood that can be replaced.”

The clothes recovered at the scene had a lush, velvety feel and were made from the finest fibers produced in Europe at the time, Wakefield said. Decorative beads, which may have been used in necklaces, have also been found throughout the site, and likely came from elsewhere in Europe or the Middle East.

The settlement has been likened to the ancient Roman city of Pompeii, which was buried in ash after a volcanic eruption in 79 AD. “Archaeologists sometimes talk about Pompeii-like discoveries, moments where time stood still, and this is one of them. Burnt-out settlements offer evidence of the time just before and after the fire some 2,900 years ago. It gives us a detailed look into people’s lives in the months leading up to it.” michael parker pearson At University College London.

“Mast Farm is not a once-in-a-generation site. It is very likely that there will never be another site that tells more about Bronze Age Britain.” Richard Maggwick At Cardiff University, UK.

topic:

  • archeology/
  • ancient humans

Source: www.newscientist.com

Philadelphia Museum of Science under investigation after receiving package with two preserved fetuses

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Philadelphia police are investigating the origin of a package containing two preserved fetuses in glass bottles that was sent to the city’s Museum of Medical Sciences.

Museum staff reported receiving the package on Tuesday morning, according to a police statement.

The package was addressed to the museum curator, had no return address, and contained a letter from someone claiming to be a retired doctor, stating that the two specimens were a gift to the museum.

“There is no proper documentation, provenance or information that would allow us to accept it,” says Mütter Museum curator Anna Dodi. told NBC Philadelphia.. “Obviously they looked like human remains, so we had to call the authorities.”

of Mutter Museum It is part of the Philadelphia College of Physicians and features a collection of preserved anatomical specimens, models, and medical instruments.

The museum accepts donations, especially those involving human remains, but the process requires research and a detailed explanation of the object’s history.

Dody, who has been the museum’s curator for nearly 20 years, said the donation was “unusual, unusual and completely inappropriate procedure.” She told NBC News to discourage others from sending such “unsolicited anonymous remains.”

The fetus was handed over to the medical examiner’s office for further investigation. Philadelphia Police will provide additional information as it becomes available.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Oldest Fossilized Skin Preserved in 289-Million-Year-Old Cave System

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Fossilized skin fragments collected from the Richards Spur Cave system in Oklahoma, US, are at least 21 million years older than any previously reported skin fossil.

Fossilized skin is captorinus aguti.Image credit: Moony other., doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.12.008.

The newly described fossilized skin is captorinus agutia type of early reptile that lived during the Permian period about 289 million years ago.

This reptile specimen and associated skeleton were collected by long-time paleontology enthusiasts Bill and Julie May. Richards Spara limestone cave system in Oklahoma that is currently undergoing quarrying.

The skin fragments are smaller than fingernails and have a pebble-like surface, most similar to crocodile skin.

This is the earliest preserved example of the epidermis, the outermost layer of skin, in terrestrial reptiles, birds, and mammals, and was an important evolutionary adaptation in the transition to terrestrial life.

“Every once in a while, we have a unique opportunity to glimpse deep into time,” said Ethan Mooney, a graduate student at the University of Toronto.

“Discoveries of this kind can really enrich our understanding and appreciation of these pioneering animals.”

Skin and other soft tissue rarely fossilize, but Mooney and colleagues say that this is possible thanks to unique features of the Richards Spur Cave system, including fine clay deposits that slow decomposition, oil seepage, and a cave environment. We believe that in this case it was possible to save the skin. It was probably an environment without oxygen.”

“Animals would have fallen into this cave system during the early Permian period and become buried in very fine clay sediments, slowing down the process of decay,” Mooney said.

“What is surprising, however, is that this cave system was also the site of an active oil seepage during the Permian, and the interaction of the hydrocarbons in the oil with the tar is likely what enabled the preservation of this surface. is.”

Analysis of the specimens revealed epidermal tissue, a characteristic of the skin of amniotes, a group of terrestrial vertebrates that includes reptiles, birds and mammals that evolved from amphibian ancestors during the Carboniferous Period.

“What we saw was completely different from what we expected, so we were in complete shock,” Mooney said.

“Finding ancient skin fossils like this is a unique opportunity to peer into the past and learn what the skin of these early animals looked like.”

The skin shares features with ancient and extant reptiles, including a pebble surface similar to crocodile skin and hinge areas between epidermal scales similar to the skin structure of snakes and earthworm lizards.

However, because the skin fossils are not associated with skeletons or other artifacts, it is not possible to determine which species or body part the skin belonged to.

The fact that this ancient skin resembles the skin of reptiles living today shows how important these structures are for survival in terrestrial environments.

“The epidermis was an important feature for vertebrates to survive on land. It is an important barrier between internal processes and the harsh external environment,” Mooney said.

“This skin may represent the skin structure of an early amniote terrestrial vertebrate ancestor that allowed for the eventual evolution of feathers in birds and hair follicles in mammals.”

of findings appear in the diary current biology.

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Ethan D. Mooney other. Paleozoic cave systems preserve the earliest known evidence of amniote skin. current biology, published online on January 11, 2024. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.12.008

Source: www.sci.news