Tag Archives: Unearths

VLT Unearths Third Gas Cloud Near Milky Way’s Central Black Hole

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The newly discovered gas cloud, known as G2t, shares an almost identical orbit with two previously identified clouds, indicating that they may have originated from a pair of massive stars situated near the Milky Way’s core.

This VLT image illustrates the stars and gas surrounding Sagittarius A*, the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way. Image credit: ESO/D. Ribeiro, MPE GC Team.

“This is a dynamic environment where stars and gas clouds orbiting the black hole move at astonishing speeds,” remarked Dr. Stefan Gillessen from the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics.

“While the gas clouds G1 and G2 were previously known, their origins and compositions remained subjects of debate.”

“Specifically, questions arose about whether these clouds contained hidden stars or were purely gaseous.”

“With the identification of G2t, we are starting to unravel these mysteries.”

G2t was detected using the High-Resolution Imager and Spectrograph (ERIS) on the ESO’s Very Large Telescope (VLT).

“Thanks to the VLT, we successfully measured the 3D orbit of this gas cloud around the black hole,” the team explained.

“G2t traverses a remarkably small area within this expansive image of the center.”

“Interestingly, G1, G2, and G2t are found to have nearly identical orbits, albeit slightly tilted in relation to one another.”

“The odds of different stars maintaining such similar orbits are minimal, further suggesting that each cloud does not harbor a star at its core.”

“These orbital similarities indicate that all three clouds likely stem from the same source, most probably IRS16SW, a pair of massive stars that discharge substantial quantities of gas.”

“As IRS16SW moves around the black hole, each gas cloud is ejected on a slightly different trajectory, explaining the subtle variations observed among the ‘G-triplets.’

“This finding highlights that despite years of observing our galaxy’s center, fresh enigmas await discovery,” the researchers noted.

“What could be more thrilling than a mystery poised to be unraveled?”

For more about this discovery, refer to the paper published in the journal Astronomy and Astrophysics.

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S. Gillessen et al. 2026. Gas streamer G1-2-3 at the center of the galaxy. A&A 707, A79; doi: 10.1051/0004-6361/202555808

Source: www.sci.news

Massive Fossil Discovery Unearths 512-Million-Year-Old Ecosystem Treasures

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Artist’s Impression of the Huayuan Biota Ecosystem

Dinghua Yang

A remarkable fossil find has emerged in southern China, unveiling an ecosystem that dates back 512 million years, immediately postdating Earth’s first mass extinction event.

The fossils belong to the Cambrian period, initiated 541 million years ago, a time characterized by a significant increase in animal diversity which led to the emergence of most major animal groups.

This evolutionary flourishing faced a dramatic setback with the Shinsk event around 513.5 million years ago, when oceanic oxygen levels plummeted, resulting in the extinction of various animal groups.

Han Zeng and his team at China’s Nanjing Institute of Geology and Paleontology began unearthing these fossils in 2021 at a quarry in Huayuan County, Hunan Province.

So far, researchers have documented 8,681 fossils from 153 distinct species, approximately 60 percent of which are previously unknown to science. This ancient ecosystem has been dubbed the “Flower Garden Biota,” potentially surpassing Canada’s renowned Burgess Shale in significance.

This ecosystem comprises 16 major animal groups believed to have thrived in deep-sea environments, largely unaffected by the Shinsk event.

“Our understanding of the Shinsk extinction event was limited to skeletal fossils of certain animals, such as archaeal sponge reefs, trilobites, and small shelled fossils,” Zeng explains.

The Flower Garden Biota also includes various mollusks. Zeng noted, “The extinction predominantly affected shallow-sea habitats, while the deep-sea environments, where the Huazono biota thrived, remained largely stable.”

Arthropods of the Hanazono Biota Family

Han Zeng

The majority of fossils unearthed belong to arthropods akin to modern-day insects, spiders, and crustaceans. Other fossil types include mollusks, brachiopods, and cnidarians, relatives of jellyfish.

One notable specimen is Guangshancharis Kunmingensis, an 80 cm long arthropod recognized as the largest animal discovered at the site, likely a predatory species within the Huayuan ecosystem.

Another arthropod, Hermetia, was previously known only from Canada’s Burgess Shale but is now found in the Flower Garden Biota, indicating that these early animals were capable of long-distance dispersal via ocean currents, according to Zeng.

Zeng emphasized that the exceptional preservation of the fossils is due to rapid burial under fine sediment, capturing intricate details of soft anatomy including limbs, antennae, tentacles, gills, and even nervous tissues.

Aronia: A Cambrian Sea Creature Similar to Sponges

Han Zeng

Joe Moishuk from Canada’s Manitoba Museum reflects that the site ranks among top Cambrian fossil locations, celebrated for its biodiversity and preservation quality.

While some groups like sponges and trilobites are known to have declined significantly during the mid-Cambrian Shinsk event, many animal groups’ fates remain unclear.

“Findings like the Hanazono biota offer invaluable insights into the biodiversity of this period, helping to illuminate gaps in our understanding of Earth’s history,” notes Moisiuk.

Tetsuto Miyashita of the Canadian Museum of Nature mentions that two key Cambrian fossil sites are the 520-million-year-old Chengjiang Biota in China and the 508-million-year-old Burgess Shale in Canada.

“Comparing these sites is akin to contrasting Bach’s ensemble with The Beatles; understanding the variances is crucial before grasping the overarching narrative of these ecosystems,” Miyashita states. “New biota discoveries assist paleontologists in unraveling the influence of geographical features, mass extinctions, and oceanic conditions.”

A conspicuous absence in the Flower Garden Biota is any evidence of fish. “Where are the fish?” queries Miyashita. “Are they scarce, which is globally uncommon, or are other ecological factors at play?”

Zeng mentions that not all fossils have been thoroughly scrutinized yet, suggesting the possibility of undiscovered species, including fish, as further exploration continues.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Webb unearths proof of functioning supermassive black holes in Messier 83

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Space Telescope Sciences Scientists According to a team of astronomers led by science scientists at the Sciences, highly ionized neon gas detected in the center of the Spiral Galaxy Messier 83 by a mid-inphrase instrument (MIRI) mounted on the NASA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope.

This web image shows the Messier 83. Image credits: NASA/ESA/CSA/Webb/A. Adamo, Stockholm University/Feast JWST Team.

Messier 83 is a spiral galaxy, a magnificently designed rod 15 million light years away from the southern constellations of Hydra.

Also known as the Southern Pinwheel Galaxy, M83, NGC 5236, Leda 48082, and UGCA 366, the galaxy is about twice as small as the Milky Way.

Messier 83 was like that I discovered it By French astronomer Nicholas Louis des Lacaille on February 17, 1752.

Its apparent size is 7.5, and is one of the brightest spiral galaxies in the night sky. It is the easiest way to observe using binoculars in May.

This is a prominent member of the galaxy group known as the Centaurus A/M83 group, counting the Dusty NGC 5128 (Centaurus A) and the irregular Galaxy NGC 5253.

Messier 83 has been a mystery for a long time. Large spiral galaxies often host active galactic nuclei (AGN), but astronomers have struggled to see what Messier 83 has been the case for decades.

Previous observations suggested that if a super-large black hole exists there, it must be dormant or hidden behind thick dust. However, new Webb observations reveal signs that suggest that this is not the case.

“The discovery of highly ionized neon emissions in the nucleus of the M83 was unexpected,” said Dr. Svea Hernandez, an astronomer with an ESA aura at the Institute of Space Telescope Science.

“These signatures require a lot of energy to be produced, rather than what a normal star can produce.”

“This strongly suggests the existence of a previously elusive AGN.”

“Before Webb we didn’t have the tools to detect such faintly ionized gas signatures at the nucleus of the M83.”

“Now, with incredible mid-red sensitivity, we can finally explore these hidden depths of the galaxy and uncover what we once couldn’t be seen.”

Webb’s mid-infrared observation allowed astronomers to peer into the dust and detect signs of highly ionized gases in small masses near the galactic nucleus.

The energy required to create these signatures is significantly higher than what supernovae and other great processes can offer, making AGN the most likely explanation.

However, alternative scenarios such as extreme shock waves in interstellar media are still under investigation.

“Webb is revolutionizing understanding of galaxies,” says Dr. Linda Smith, an astronomer at The Space Telescope Science Institute.

“For years, astronomers have been searching for the M83 black hole without success. Now we have compelling clues that could finally exist.”

“This finding shows how Webb is making unexpected breakthroughs.”

“Astronomers thought they had ruled out AGN on the M83, but now there is fresh evidence that they will challenge past assumptions and open new paths for exploration.”

Survey results It will be displayed in Astrophysical Journal.

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Svea Hernandez et al. 2025. JWST/MIRI detection [Ne v] and [Ne vi] M83: Evidence of a long-required active galactic nucleus? APJ 983, 154; doi:10.3847/1538-4357/adba5d

Source: www.sci.news

Israel Unearths 12,000-Year-Old Spindle Whorl

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Archaeologists have investigated an exceptional assemblage of more than 100 perforated pebbles excavated from the 12,000-year-old Natufian village of Nahal Eingev II in Israel, and have discovered that these items may be used to make fibers. They concluded that it may have functioned as a whorl for the spinning spindle.

3D analysis of perforated pebbles and holes. Image credit: T. Yashuv & L. Grosman, doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0312007.

Donut-shaped objects connected to bars to form wheels and axles were an important invention that served as a starting point for technological development and are commonly associated with Bronze Age carts.

A spindle whorl is a round, weighted object attached to a spindle stick, forming a similar wheel-and-axle-like device, helping the spindle spin faster and longer, and allowing fibers such as wool or flax to spin You can collect and spin them efficiently. On the thread.

“A circular object with a hollow center connected to a rod is one of the most important inventions in history,” said archaeologists Talia Yashuv and Leore Grossman of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

“By moving parts of equipment, the wheel led to inventions that revolutionized human transportation, energy use, engineering, and the mechanical industry.”

“From wagons and automobiles to potter's wheels and power mills, oil and wine presses, lathes, spinning wheels, and many other applications, each invention has left its own mark on the history and evolution of technology.”

“At the heart of it all, the importance of 'wheels and axles' lies in the relatively simple rotational mechanisms that can convert linear motion to rotary motion and vice versa.”

Rotating technology: Evolution from “wheelless” to “wheel-based” rotating technology. Image credit: T. Yashuv & L. Grosman, doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0312007.

In the study, archaeologists examined a collection of more than 100 perforated, mostly limestone pebbles recovered from the Nahal Ein Geb II site in northern Israel.

These artifacts date back to around 12,000 years ago, long before the advent of Bronze Age handcarts, and during the important transition to agricultural life and the Neolithic period.

Researchers speculate that the stone was likely used as a spindle whorl. This hypothesis is supported by the success of spinning flax using stone replicas.

This collection of spindle whorls likely represents a very early example of human use of rotation in a wheel-shaped tool.

These may have paved the way for later spinning technologies, such as potter's wheels and carts, which were essential to the development of early human civilization.

“These Natufian perforated stones are actually the first wheels in form and function. A round object with a hole in the center connected to a rotating shaft, they were used for transportation purposes long before the advent of wheels. ,” Professor Grossman said.

a paper A description of the results was published in the online journal on November 13, 2024 PLoS ONE.

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T. Yashuv and L. Grossman. 2024. A 12,000 year old innovation in spindle volute and wheeled rotation technology. PLoS ONE 19 (11): e0312007;doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0312007

Source: www.sci.news

The Solomon Islands unearths the world’s biggest coral reef

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Coral polyps, tiny organisms, cluster together to form colonies that create vast coral reefs.

The researchers describe the giant coral as primarily brown with pops of yellow, blue, and red on its undulating surface resembling ocean waves.

This massive coral structure is essential as it serves as a habitat, sanctuary, and breeding ground for various species, from shrimp and crabs to different kinds of fish, Timmers highlighted.

Despite its significance, this coral is facing challenges both locally and globally.

Timmers emphasized the detrimental impact of overfishing on the ecosystem’s health by removing organisms crucial for balance. She suggested ways to protect coral reefs like using sea cucumbers for sediment cleaning and giant clams for water filtration, underscoring the importance of every living organism.

The rise in ocean temperatures due to climate change poses another threat, potentially causing the coral to bleach and perish, Timmers warned.

National Geographic diver Iñigo San Felix uses survey lines around giant corals.
Manu Saint Felix/National Geographic

David M. Baker, a coral reef expert at the University of Hong Kong, lauded the discovery, calling it “remarkable.”

Baker, who was not part of the expedition, mentioned that corals are essentially immortal, surviving environmental changes due to favorable conditions and adaptability.

However, Baker cautioned that even remote reefs are vulnerable to climate change impacts.

He expressed hope in the presence of large, old corals, indicating opportunities to safeguard, preserve, and restore oceans while combatting climate change.

Divers swim over spectacular coral reefs.
Manu Saint Felix/National Geographic

The Solomon Islands boast the world’s second highest coral diversity, housing over 490 species of hard and soft corals.

Currently, the world is experiencing the Fourth global coral bleaching event. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has confirmed large-scale bleaching in at least 62 countries and territories from 2023 to early 2024.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Colombia Unearths Fossil of Enormous Bird of Prey

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Paleontologists have unearthed and examined the fossilized foot bones of a Phorsulaceae bird that lived in South America 12 million years ago.

model of parafisolnis At the Vienna Natural History Museum. Image credit: Armin Reindl / CC BY-SA 4.0.

Terrorbird is a member of Forsulaceae a family of large carnivorous flightless birds in the order Calliamales.

These extinct birds were very large, weighing up to 70 kg and measuring 0.9 to 2 m (3 to 6.6 ft) in height.

They had slender bodies and unique motor adaptations for moving around.

Their huge beaks and mechanical adaptations of the skull suggest that they were efficient predators.

They lived in South America during the Cenozoic era, but are also known from the Pliocene-Pleistocene of North America and the Eocene of Africa.

Phorsuracidae includes nearly 20 species in 14 genera and 5 subfamilies (Brontornithidae, Mesembriornithidae, Patagornithidae, Phorsuracidae, and Psilopterinidae).

The closest living relative is believed to be Selimas, the only survivor of the family. Cariamydae.

Dr. Siobhan Cooke, a researcher at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, said: “Fearbirds lived on the ground, had limbs adapted for running, and fed primarily on other animals.”

The end of the left tibiotarsus of a fear bird found in Colombia's Tatacoa Desert. Image credit: Degrange others., doi: 10.1002/spp2.1601.

In the 2000s, fossilized leg bones of the feared bird were discovered in the fossil-rich area. Tatacoa desert In Colombia.

The fossil dates back to the Miocene epoch, about 12 million years ago, and is thought to be the northernmost evidence of a fear bird in South America to date.

“The size of the bones indicates that this fearsome bird may be the largest species identified to date, approximately 5-20% larger than any known Phorsulaceae.” said Dr. Cook.

“Previously discovered fossils indicate that the size of the feared bird species ranged from 0.9 to 2.7 meters (3 to 9 feet) tall.”

The fossil probably has tooth marks, such as: Purusaurusan extinct species of caiman thought to have been up to 9 meters (30 feet) long.

“Given the size of the crocodile 12 million years ago, we believe this fearsome bird may have died from its injuries,” Dr Cook said.

This fearsome bird also coexisted with primates, ungulate mammals, giant sloths, and glyptodonts, car-sized relatives of armadillos.

“This is a different kind of ecosystem than what we see today and what we saw in other parts of the world in the era before South and North America connected,” Dr. Cook said.

team's paper be published in a magazine paleontology papers.

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Federico Javier Desgrange others. 2024. A new species of gigantic fear bird (Caryamiformes, Phorsulaceae) from the mid-Miocene tropical environment of La Venta, northern South America. paleontology papers 10 (6): e1601;doi: 10.1002/spp2.1601

Source: www.sci.news

Israel Unearths Ancient Stone Seal Dating Back 2,700 Years

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Source: www.sci.news

Australia Unearths New Flying Reptile Fossil

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Australian paleontologists have discovered the fossilized skeleton of a previously unknown Anhangeria pterosaur, dating back 100 million years.

Reconstructing your life Haliskia petersenii Image courtesy of Gabriel N. Ugueto.

The newly identified pterosaur species lived in what is now northeastern Australia's state of Queensland during the Early Cretaceous period, about 100 million years ago.

Scientific Name Haliskia petersenii This flying reptile had a premaxillary crown and curved teeth.

It also had a long wingspan of about 4.6 metres (15.1 feet).

“Haliskia petersenii “About 100 million years ago, when much of central-west Queensland was underwater and covered by a vast inland sea, and on Earth where the southern Victoria coastline is now, it would have been a fearsome predator,” said Adele Pentland, a PhD student at Curtin University.

Fossilized remains Haliskia petersenii Kevin Petersen, curator of the Kronosaurus Corner Museum, in November 2021 Toule back formation Of the Eromanga Basin.

“Haliskia petersenii “The fossil is 22 per cent complete, more than twice as complete as the only other partial pterosaur skeleton found in Australia,” Mr Pentland said.

“The specimen includes a complete lower jaw, the tip of the upper jaw, 43 teeth, vertebrae, ribs, both wing bones and part of a leg.”

“There are also very thin and delicate throat bones present, indicating the presence of a muscular tongue, which would have been useful when eating fish and cephalopods.”

Pentland and colleagues Anhangeria is a group of pterosaurs known to have lived all over the world, including in what is now Brazil, Britain, Morocco, China, Spain, and the United States.

“The global nature of the Anhang-area pterosaurs, and in particular their success across Gondwana (e.g. in the Eromanga and Araripe basins), may have been made possible by niche partitioning within this clade,” the paleontologists said.

“However, rigorous testing of this hypothesis will require multiple locations and better time constraints.”

“Additional data on this clade are available Haliskia petersenii ” sheds light on the palaeoecology of Anhangeria pterosaurs and highlights the taxonomic diversity of these flying reptiles from the Cretaceous of Australia.”

Team paper Published in the journal Scientific Reports.

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A.H. Pentland others. 2024. Haliskia petersenii A new Anhangelian pterosaur that lived in the early Late Cretaceous of Australia. Scientific Reports 14, 11789; doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-60889-8

Source: www.sci.news

Argentina unearths new fossil of cephalopod resembling a nautilus

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Paleontologists have redescribed Epitornoceras bardisi Using new fossils from the Chigua Formation, researchers have uncovered a mysterious species of ammonite cephalopod that lived in the Devonian Period of Argentina.

Artistic Reproduction of an Ammonite Epitornoceras bardisi During the Middle Devonian. Image courtesy of H. Santiago Druetta / CICTERRA / National University of Córdoba.

Epitornoceras bardisi It lived in the marine environment of the supercontinent Gondwana during the Late Givetian Stage of the Middle Devonian, approximately 383 million years ago.

“During the Early to Middle Devonian, southwestern Gondwana was characterized by a circumpolar marine environment with a remarkable phase of increasing specificity and the near absence of typical Palaeozoic groups (mainly conodonts, graptolites and stromatoporoids),” Dr. Ninon Allaire By the National University of Córdoba and colleagues.

“One of these families is Ammonite They are extremely rare, with only a few reported finds in deposits from the Early Eifelian to Early Frasnian (393 to 383 million years ago) in Bolivia and Argentina.

Epitornoceras bardisi It was first described as a member of the cephalopod genus in 1968. Tornoceras.

The team's new findings suggest that the species should be reclassified into a separate genus. Epitornoceras.

The genus has been recorded from North America, North Africa and Europe, but this is its first record from South America.

“Epitornoceras “It inhabits North Africa, the Rhine-Bohemian basin and the Appalachian basin,” the paleontologists said.

“Their diversification and acquisition of a wide geographic range occurred after the Taganic biotic crisis in the mid-late Givetian.”

“therefore, Epitornoceras Its occurrence in the southernmost part of West Gondwana during the Late Givean is not surprising, given the well-documented pattern of tropical migration into the circumpolar basins following the Taganic biotic crisis.”

New specimens Epitornoceras bardisi From the type area of ​​the Chigua Formation, San Juan Province, Argentina. Image courtesy of Allaire others., doi: 10.5252/geodiversitas2024v46a7.

In this study, the authors examined 10 new specimens. Epitornoceras bardisi It was collected from the top of the Chigua Formation in San Juan Province, Argentina.

The study area is located in the Argentine Precordillera, an intraplate fold-fault zone at the southern edge of the Central Andean foreland basin.

“Epitornoceras “Records from Appalachia, Morocco and Europe indicate that the genus is distributed worldwide and diversified after the Taganic biotic crisis in the mid-late Givetian,” the researchers said.

“Its presence at the southernmost tip of western Gondwana suggests a late Givetian migration from the tropics into the cooler Malvinocossan realm.”

“Despite the presence of ammonites from all over the world in the Argentine Precordillera, the coexisting trilobites are Carmoniaceae Additional endemic genera include Bellenopigue“We confirm that the Malvinoxosan (Malvinocafric) realm is still identifiable as a major biogeographic unit during the Late Givettian of southernmost West Gondwana, based on its typical diagnostic elements.”

Team paper Published in the journal Geodiversitas.

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N. Alaïa others2024. Late Givetian (Middle Devonian) ammonoids Epitornoceras Flake, 1902, from Argentina (southwest Gondwana). Geodiversitas 46(7):327-341; doi: 10.5252/geodiversitas2024v46a7

Source: www.sci.news

Australia unearths remarkably intact fossil skull of extinct colossal bird

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Australian paleontologists Genyornis neutoni A species of giant flightless Mihirn that became extinct approximately 45,000 years ago.

This illustration is, Genyornis neutoni Waterside in a wetland or marsh-like environment. The scene itself was inspired by places that exist in southern South Australia today, such as the Coorong and the Narrindjeri region of the Lower Murray River. Genyornis neutoni If this type of environment were widespread across the country, many Genyornis The fossils were found in Lake Carabonna, more than a day’s drive north, which is now a dry salt lake. It was probably much wetter in the past. Image by Jacob C. Blokland.

Genyornis neutoni Belongs to Dromornithidae The Mihirung is a species of flightless bird from Australia that became extinct during the Oligocene and Pleistocene epochs.

Also known as Newton’s Mihirn, this species lived in Australia between 48,000 and 45,000 years ago.

The bird was over two metres tall, weighed 220-240 kilograms, had tiny wings and huge hind legs, and laid a melon-sized egg weighing around 1.5 kilograms.

The only previous known skull of this species was reported in 1913, and it was so badly damaged that very little of the original bone remained, meaning not much could be inferred about the skull.

The well-preserved new specimen was discovered in the dry, salty lake bed of Lake Carabonna, in a remote area of ​​inland South Australia.

As would be expected from such a large bird, its skull was far from ordinary, with an enormous cranium, large upper and lower jaws, and an unusual skull crown.

The upper beak in particular displays a remarkable morphology that distinguishes this bird even from its closest relatives, which are otherwise quite similar.

“Genyornis neutoni “It had a high, mobile upper jaw like a parrot, but was shaped more like a goose, with a wide mouth opening, powerful biting force and the roof of its mouth capable of crushing soft plants and fruit,” says American zoologist Dr Phoebe McInerney. Flinders University.

“Skull features also showed undeniable and complex affinities with early-diverging waterfowl lineages, the South American screamer and, more recently, the Australian magpie goose.”

” Genyornis “The mysteries within this group have been difficult to unravel, but with this new skull we begin to piece together the puzzle that shows this species is a giant goose.”

“we, Genyornis“For the first time we’ve been able to work out the face of this bird – it’s quite different to other birds but does resemble a goose,” said Dr Trevor Worthy, also from Flinders University.

skull Genyornis neutoniImage courtesy of McInerney others., doi: 10.1080/08912963.2024.2308212.

By assessing the morphology of the skull, the researchers were able to evaluate the muscles and movements of each joint, building a detailed picture of how the head functioned.

“Bone shape and bone structure are in part related to the soft tissues that interact with them, such as muscles and ligaments and their attachment sites and pathways,” said Flinders University researcher Jacob Blokland.

“By using modern birds as a comparison, we can put flesh on fossils and bring them back to life.”

Moreover, paleontologists Genyornis neutoni It has several unusual adaptations to adapt to its aquatic habitat, allowing it to protect its ears and throat from the influx of water when its head is submerged underwater.

These adaptations provide further support that the species was nothing more than a giant prehistoric goose, and may be linked to its extinction as the freshwater bodies of northern South Australia are now mainly salt lakes.

“Thanks to this skull, we Genyornis neutoni “We now have a much better understanding of these birds, which once roamed widely across the Australian outback, and the reasons for their eventual extinction,” the researchers concluded.

their paper Published in the journal Historical Biology.

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Phoebe L. McInerney othersMysterious skull shape Genyornis neutoni Stirling & Zeitz, 1896 (Aves, Dromornithidae), with implications for functional morphology, ecology and evolution in the Gallopodidae. Historical BiologyPublished online June 3, 2024; doi: 10.1080/08912963.2024.2308212

Source: www.sci.news

Illinois Unearths Remarkable 308-Million-Year-Old Fossil of Spiny Spider

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The forests of the Late Carboniferous Period (about 300-320 million years ago) were home to a wide variety of arachnids. In addition to the familiar spiders, harvestmen, and scorpions, there were other strange kinds of spider-like animals. new paper this month, paleontology journal a pair of paleontologists explained. douglas sarachne echinopod a large spider-like arachnid with highly spiny legs (presumably to deter predators) from the world-famous Mason Creek fossil site in Illinois, USA.

douglas sarachne echinopod. Image credit: Paul Selden and Jason Dunlop, doi: 10.1017/jpa.2024.13.

“douglas sarachne echinopod “It comes from Illinois' famous Mason Creek and is approximately 308 million years old,” said Dr. Paul Selden, a paleontologist at the University of Kansas and the Natural History Museum in London.

“This compact arachnid, about 1.5 cm long, has surprisingly strong, spiny legs, and is completely unlike any other known arachnid, living or extinct.”

“Coal measurements are an important source of information about fossil arachnids and represent the first time in Earth's history that most living groups of arachnids arose together. However, the fauna remains quite different from what it is today. It was different.”

Dr Jason Dunlop, a paleontologist at the Berlin Museum of Nature, said: 'Spiders are a fairly rare group, only known from primitive lineages at the time, and they are similar to a variety of long-extinct arachnids and these. They shared a shared ecosystem.”

“douglas sarachne echinopod is a particularly striking example of one of these extinct forms. ”

“Although this fossil's highly spiny legs are reminiscent of modern harvesters, its body structure is quite different from harvesters and other known arachnid groups.”

douglas sarachne echinopod The researchers discovered that it does not belong to any known order of Araneidae.

“Unfortunately, we can't see details such as the mouth parts, so it's difficult to say exactly which group of arachnids are our closest relatives,” Dr Selden said.

“It may belong to a broader group that includes spiders, whip spiders and whip scorpions.”

“Whatever their evolutionary similarities, these spiny arachnids likely come from a time when arachnids were experimenting with different body plans.”

“Some of these later became extinct, probably shortly after the Mason Creek era, during the so-called 'Carboniferous rainforest collapse,' when coal forests began to fragment and disappear. Or perhaps these strange arachnids are hanging on until the mass extinction at the end of the Permian?”

Specimen douglas sarachne echinopod It was discovered in clay and ironstone concretions by Bob Macek in the 1980s.

Macek introduced a common method of cracking stones by leaving them outdoors in water over the winter, allowing frost to penetrate the natural cracks in the stones along the fossil-containing surface.

A sharp hammer blow split the stone along a plane, exposing the fossil.

Around 1990, David Douglas acquired a specimen from Bob, at which point it became part of the David and Sandra Douglas Collection and was displayed in the Douglas Family Museum of Prehistoric Life.

In 2023, when it became clear that the specimen was a new species, David Douglas donated it to the Field Museum of Natural History for study.

“Genus name douglas sarachne We recognize the Douglas family,” Dr. Dunlop said.

“after that, echinopods “Refers to the animal's unique and distinctive spiny legs.”

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Paul A. Selden and Jason A. Dunlop. A remarkable spiny arachnid from Mason Creek Lagerstätte, Pennsylvania, Illinois. paleontology journal, published online on May 17, 2024. Doi: 10.1017/jpa.2024.13

Source: www.sci.news

Arkansas Unearths Fossil of Devonian Era Shark

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A team of paleontologists from California State Polytechnic University and others has described a new genus and species of shark-like fish from the Fayetteville Shale in late Mississippi, Arkansas.

Reconstruction by artist Cosmoserax meringii. Image credit: American Museum of Natural History.

The newly described species lived in the Devonian seas, about 326 million years ago.

named Cosmoserax meringii This is one of many well-preserved shark fossils discovered from oil-producing seas. fayetteville shale formation Stretching from southeastern Oklahoma to northwestern Arkansas, it has been studied for many years for its well-preserved invertebrate and plant fossils.

“These creatures are part of an ecosystem that recovered after the mass extinction of fish communities at the end of the Devonian period, so they're part of the cartilaginous fish family, which includes all sorts of strange anatomy not seen in modern sharks. We're at a point where the morphological diversity of the species is astonishing,” said Dr. Alison Bronson, a researcher at California State Polytechnic Institute.

fossil of Cosmoserax meringii It was collected by Professors Royal and Gene Mapes of Ohio University in the 1970s.

Dr. Bronson and his colleagues performed a CT scan of the specimen and digitally reconstructed it.

They spent months studying to describe its anatomy, which includes dozens of tiny pieces of cartilage.

Once the reconstruction is complete, they Cosmoserax meringii In the early cartilaginous fish tree of life.

Cosmoserax meringii It was photographed in the 1970s and positioned so that the throat, jaw, and underside of the pectoral fins are visible. Image credit: Royal Mapes.

The authors found that this new species plays an important role in understanding the evolution of a mysterious group called green sea turtles. Shinmori form.

“This group has been alternately associated with sharks and mousefish, and different researchers have reached different conclusions,” they said.

“Cosmoserax meringii Most have shark-like features, but with long pieces of cartilage forming gill operculae, which are only seen today in ratfish.”

of study It was published in the magazine geodiversity.

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AW Bronson other. 2024. A new gilllike simoliform chondrich from the Late Mississippian Fayetteville Shale (Arkansas, USA). geodiversity 46 (4): 101-117; doi: 10.5252/geodiversitas2024v46a4

Source: www.sci.news

Peru Unearths 4,750-Year-Old Monumental Stone Square

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A team of anthropologists from the University of Wyoming, the University of California, Santa Barbara, and the University of New Hampshire has discovered a 4,750-year-old megalithic rotunda measuring 18 meters (60 feet) in diameter at Calakpuma in America's Cajamarca Basin. Peru. It is one of the oldest known monuments and megalithic structures in the northern Andes of Peru, and one of the earliest examples in the Western Hemisphere.

It is centered around a 4,750-year-old rotunda, with the modern city of Cajamarca in the background. Image credit: Toohey other., doi: 10.1126/sciadv.adl0572.

Monumental architecture is central to many aspects of the development of human social organization and social complexity, but the drivers of its origin remain poorly understood.

This form of architecture is intentionally built to be larger and, in some cases, more elaborate than necessary given the desired functionality.

The world's oldest ceremonial monumental architecture, whether represented by megalithic arrangements, large platforms or buildings, or bounded plazas, were larger than immediate households and were often larger than the population of the local area. was the result of a collective or corporate activity by a larger group.

Early well-known examples of this type of ceremonial architecture include Göbekli Tepe in Turkey, Stonehenge in England, and the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt, which were built in 9,000 BC, 2,900 BC, and 2,900 BC, respectively. It was built by 2,650 AD.

Göbekli Tepe is of particular importance here, as it was built during the pre-Pottery Age, during the Neolithic period, by hunter-gatherer-forager tribes who were at the pinnacle of sedentary living and food production.

Early examples of monuments in the Western Hemisphere include Watson Brake and Poverty Point, which date to 3400 BC and 1700 BC, respectively.

The newly discovered megalithic square is Late preceramicIt dates back to 2850 BC.

The structure is located at the Calapuma archaeological site in the Cajamarca Basin in the northern Peruvian Andes and is built of large, free-standing, vertically placed megaliths.

This construction method has never been reported in the Andes and is different from other monumental rotunda in the region.

“This structure was built about 100 years before the Great Pyramids of Egypt, around the same time as Stonehenge,” said Dr. Jason Toohey, an anthropologist at the University of Wyoming.

“It was probably a meeting place and a ceremonial place for the early people who lived in this part of the Cajamarca Valley.”

“These people were primarily hunter-gatherers, and may have only recently begun growing crops and domesticating animals.”

Kalakpuma Square is formed by two concentric walls, approximately 18 meters in diameter.

“The Late Preceramic Period, during which Plaza Calapuma was constructed, was a period of socio-economic transition in the Andes,” the researchers said.

“On the central coast, the communities that came together to build giant mounds in places like Caral were not yet full-time farmers, but engaged in complex systems of exchange with coastal fishing villages.”

“Inland communities grew some food and industrial crops, but also relied on hunting and trading seafood.”

“In the northern highlands of Peru, the people who built the plazas of Calapuma may have begun experimenting with food production, but they were also probably still relatively mobile hunter-gatherers.”

“Like Nanchoc centuries earlier, groups in Cajamarca may have engaged in the construction of enterprises in Calapuma's plaza and subsequently repeatedly negotiated group identity there through the integration of events and perhaps feasts.”

“The construction of Late Pre-Peraque monumental ceremonial buildings in the coastal and highlands of the central Andes probably originated from small groups, as was the case with earlier monumental mass buildings outside the Andean region of South America, such as Göbekli Tepe. It represented a change in the social world with changes in the associated belief systems into more collective and locally focused beliefs and actions.”

of findings It was published in the magazine scientific progress.

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Jason L. Twohey other. 2024. A monumental stone plaza located at an altitude of 4750 meters in the Cajamarca Valley in Peru. scientific progress 10(7); doi: 10.1126/sciadv.adl0572

Source: www.sci.news

Argentina Unearths New Species of Titanosaurus from Cretaceous Era

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A genus and species of sauropod, a titanosaur mimicking rebachisaurid, measuring over 15 meters (50 feet) in length, has been unearthed in Patagonia, Argentina.

rebuilding the life of Inawentu Osratus. Image credit: Gabriel Rio.

The newly discovered dinosaur roamed the Earth during the late Cretaceous period, about 86 million years ago.

dubbing Inawentu Osratusthe animals were of the following types: titanosaurusa diverse group of long-necked sauropods that lived from the Late Jurassic period (163.5 million to 145 million years ago) to the end of the Cretaceous period (145 million to 66 million years ago).

They are known for their large body size, long necks, and wide stance, and include species ranging from the largest known land vertebrates to “dwarfs” as large as elephants. Some species had osteoderm (armor plate).

“During the late Mesozoic Era, sauropod dinosaurs constituted the main herbivores in all terrestrial ecosystems of polar Gondwana,” said paleontologist Leonardo Filippi of Argentina's Municipal Museum of Urquiza and his colleagues.

“Quadrupedal locomotion and a gravitational posture, a proportionately small cranio-body ratio, and a common bow plan consisting of a series of elongated necks and tails made sauropods capable of large size, locomotion, defense, physiology, and feeding. They have evolved a variety of notable adaptations related to food and behavior.”

“They represented, in terms of diversity and abundance, the major medium- to large-sized herbivore component of the fauna in most of these southern landmass.”

partially completed specimen Inawentu Osratus It was recovered from fluvial deposits at the La Invernada archaeological site, part of the Bajo de la Carpa Formation in the Neuquen Basin of Patagonia, Argentina.

“The recovered human bones were found interlocked within a horizon of massive reddish solidified mudstone covered by a thin layer of sand (30 cm thick) associated with flood deposits of the river bank. ' explained the researchers.

Inawentu Osratus It shows remarkable convergent properties of the skull anatomy. rebatisauridae sauropodaccording to the author.

“Inawentu Osratus “It belongs to the square-jawed titanosaur clade and was restricted to the final stages of the Late Cretaceous of South America,” the researchers said.

“The discovery of new materials and different datasets providing new morphological information allows us to provide better support in future phylogenies confirming the existence of this square-jawed titanosaur clade. Become.”

“Inawentu Osratus And perhaps other members of this clade have obvious nutritional adaptations seen in preceding rebatisaurid sauropods, such as broad snouts and relatively short necks. ”

“In this connection, a series of shortened cervix Inawentu Osratus This may be consistent with low browsing feed behavior. ”

“This could have paleoecological implications, such as a zoological alternation in the Gondwanan ecosystem since the Turonian period or a low-browsing diet in two distinct lineages of sauropod dinosaurs.”

team's findings It was published in the magazine Cretaceous research.

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Leonardo S. Filippi other. 2024. Rebachysaurid-mimic titanosaurs and evidence of faunal disturbance events in southwestern Gondwana during the Late Cretaceous. Cretaceous research 154: 105754; doi: 10.1016/j.cretres.2023.105754

Source: www.sci.news

Argentina Unearths New Species of Sauropod Dinosaur

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Paleontologists in Argentina have discovered fossil fragments of a new genus and species of Lebatisaurus, a sauropod dinosaur that walked the earth more than 90 million years ago.

Artist's impression Sidersaura Marae. Image credit: Gabriel Díaz Yanten.

The newly discovered dinosaur lived in what is now Argentina during the Cenomanian period of the late Cretaceous period, 96 to 93 million years ago.

with scientific name Sidersaura Maraethe ancient beast had a body length of 20 meters, an estimated mass of 15 tons, and a very long tail.

The animal belongs to Rebatisauridaea large family of sauropod dinosaurs known from fragmentary fossil remains in South America, Africa, North America, Europe, and Asia.

These dinosaurs are distinguished from other sauropods by their unique teeth. Some species had tooth batteries similar to hadrosaurid and ceratopsian dinosaurs.

“Rebachisaurs were extremely important dinosaurs in the Cretaceous ecosystem, and disappeared due to an extinction event that occurred in the middle of this period. was held 90 million years ago.'' Dr. Lucas Nicolas Lersopaleontologists and colleagues from Azara Foundation Maimonides University and CONICET.

“Sidersaura Marae is one of the last rebatisaurids, but it also belongs to an evolutionary ancient lineage. ”

“This suggests that these were the largest of their group, given that some of the earliest rebachisaurs survived to the end of their lifespans, and can reach nearly 20 meters in length. It shows that.”

Sidersaura Marae fossil.Image credit: Lerzo other., doi: 10.1080/08912963.2023.2297914.

Fossilized bones are Sidersaura Marae It was discovered in the rocks of the Finkle Formation in the province of Neuquén, Patagonia, Argentina.

“The remains found include a partially articulated tail with sacral vertebrae, hind leg bones, part of the skull, and a tail vertebrae,” Dr Lerzo said.

“Having several anatomically overlapping specimens allowed us to relate them and better understand the characteristics of this new sauropod dinosaur.”

According to the team, one of the distinguishing features is: Sidersaura Marae The difference from other dinosaurs is the star-shaped shape of the hemal arch (coccyx).

Additionally, its skull is sturdy, unlike other closely related species.

“Another feature of the cranium that distinguishes it from others Sidersaura Marae “What differentiates it from other rebatisaurids is the frontoparietal foramen, which is essentially a hole in the roof of the skull,” the paleontologists said.

“This characteristic brings us closer to the following state. dicraeosaursA family of sauropod dinosaurs known for having spines on their necks and backs. ”

“The presence of early species in the Cenomanian-Turonian period, very close to the group's extinction, suggests that the evolutionary history of rebbatisaurids was more complex than previously thought.” the researchers concluded.

their paper It was published in the magazine historical biology.

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Lucas Nicolas Lerso other. The last oldie: Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian-Turonian) early basal rebachisaurids (sauropods, Diplodocoidea) of Patagonia, Argentina. historical biology, published online on January 3, 2024. doi: 10.1080/08912963.2023.2297914

Source: www.sci.news