Distal regulation—the capacity to control genes across vast distances, spanning tens of thousands of DNA letters—emerged during the early stages of animal evolution, approximately 650-700 million years ago (the Kleigenian era).
Diagram of DNA molecules. Image credits: Christophe Bock, Max Planck Informatics Institute/CC BY-SA 3.0.
Distal adjustment relies on the physical folding of DNA and proteins, along with intricate loops.
This mechanism enables regions distant from a gene’s starting point to activate their functions.
This additional regulatory layer may have assisted the first multicellular organisms in developing specialized cell types and tissues without necessarily inventing new genes.
Key innovations likely originated from marine creatures or common ancestors shared by all existing animals.
Ancient organisms developed the ability to fold DNA in a controlled manner, forming 3D loops that facilitated direct contact between different segments of DNA.
“These organisms can utilize their genetic toolkit in various ways, akin to a Swiss Army knife, which allows them to fine-tune and explore innovative survival strategies,” explains Dr. Nacional Accidental Accidental Genmica, a postdoctoral researcher at the Center for Genome Regulation.
“I was surprised to find that this level of complexity dates back so far.”
Dr. Kim and his team discovered these insights by examining some of the oldest branches of the animal family tree, including species such as walnut-shaped comb jellies (Mnemiopsis leidyi), placozoans, cnidarians, and sponges.
They also investigated single-celled relatives that share a common ancestor with animals more recently.
“Studying unique sea creatures enables us to uncover much new biology,” states Professor Arnau Sebe-Pedrós, a researcher at the Center for Genome Regulation.
“Previously, we focused on comparing genomic sequences, but thanks to new techniques, we can now analyze the gene regulatory mechanisms that influence genomic function across species.”
A large individual of Mnemiopsis leidyi with two aboral ends and two apical organs. Image credit: Jokura et al., doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.07.084.
Researchers applied a method known as Micro-C to map the physical folding patterns in each of the 11 types of DNA analyzed. To provide context, each human cell nucleus contains approximately 2 meters of DNA.
Scientists sifted through 10 billion sequencing data points to create detailed various 3D genome maps.
Although no evidence of distal regulation was found in single-celled relatives of animals, early branches such as comb jellies, placozoans, and cnidarians exhibited numerous loops.
Over 4,000 loops were identified across the genome, particularly in the sea walnut.
This discovery is remarkable considering its genome consists of roughly 20 million DNA characters.
In contrast, the human genome contains 3.1 billion characters, with our cells housing tens of thousands of loops.
Previously, distal regulation was believed to have first emerged in the last bilateral ancestors, which appeared on Earth around 500 million years ago.
However, the comb jelly’s lineage branched off early from other animal lineages roughly 650-700 million years ago.
“The debate over whether the comb jelly predates the sponge in the tree of life has persisted in evolutionary biology, but this study suggests that distal regulation occurred at least 150 million years earlier than previously thought,” the authors concluded.
A paper detailing these findings was published today in the journal Nature.
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IV Kim et al. Chromatin loops are characteristic of the ancestors of animal regulatory genomes. Nature Published online on May 7, 2025. doi:10.1038/s41586-025-08960-W
Paleontologists have identified three new fossil species. Sivulliusalmo Alaskensis was found in a purine cream formation in northern Alaska, USA.
Chinook salmon (oncorhynchus tschawytscha). Image credit: US Geological Survey.
“Sivulliusalmo Alaskensis reveals significant insights,” remarked Dr. Patrick Druckenmiller, the director of the University of Alaska Museum in the North.
“Our research uncovers several additional species of ancient fish new to the Arctic, including two new pike species: Archaeosiilik Gilmulli and Nunikuluk Gracilis, as well as the oldest record within the group comprising carp and minnows.”
“Many fish we now consider unique to Alaska’s high-latitude environment existed alongside dinosaurs.”
The discovery of Sivulliusalmo Alaskensis adds an impressive 20 million years to the fossil history of the salmon family.
Previously, the oldest known salmonidae fossil was from British Columbia and Washington.
“It’s noteworthy that the Salmonidae, which typically thrives in cold water, adapted and flourished during the warm Cretaceous period, enduring for millions of years amidst significant geographical and climatic changes,” noted Andres Lopez, Fish Curator at the University of Alaska in the north.
“Even though the Arctic was warm during that era, there would still be substantial seasonal variations in temperature and sunlight, much like today.”
“Salmon were among the fish adept at navigating these dramatic shifts.”
“Despite the planet’s numerous geological and climatic transformations, the ancestors of the same species group persisted in dominating the region’s freshwater ecosystems.”
The new species is the latest finding from the Prin Creek Formation, renowned for its dinosaur fossils discovered along the Colville River in northern Alaska.
During the Cretaceous period, Alaska was significantly closer to the Arctic than it is today.
“Fish fossils are among the most abundant in the Purine Creek Formation, yet they are challenging to distinguish in the field,” stated Dr. Druckenmiller.
“Consequently, we transported the fine sand and gravel samples to our museum lab, where microscopic analysis revealed the bones and teeth.”
“Our new findings heavily rely on small, fossilized jaws, some of which are small enough to fit on the edge of a pencil eraser.”
For detailed examination, the researchers employed micro-computed tomography to digitally reconstruct the small jaws, teeth, and other bones.
“We identified very distinct jaws and other components of the salmon family, which were recognized as belonging to this lineage,” said Dr. Druckenmiller.
“The presence of salmonidae in the Cretaceous polar regions and their coexistence with common low-light fish from this period suggests that salmonidae likely thrived in northern climates.”
“The high latitudes of the northern regions may have been vibrant centers for their evolutionary development.”
This paper was published in the journal Paleontology papers.
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Donald B. Brinkman et al. 2025. Fish from the Purine Cream Formation in the northern slopes of Alaska: the pre-Cretaceous and their paleobiogeographic significance. Paleontology papers 11(3): E70014; doi: 10.1002/spp2.70014
The robotic Soviet spacecraft has been floating in space for 53 years. It will return to Earth later this week.
Launched in March 1972, the Kosmos-482 was meant to land on the dynamic surface of Venus, marking the ninth mission in the Soviet Venella program. However, a malfunction left it orbiting Earth, where it has been circling ever since.
“This artifact was slated for Venus 50 years ago, lost and forgotten for half a century,” stated Jonathan McDowell, an astronomer at the Harvard & Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. He pointed to the Public Catalog of space objects, adding, “Although it’s headed for the wrong planet, it will still create a moment of atmospheric entry.”
Having a protective heat shield, the spacecraft weighs roughly 1,050 pounds and is built to endure its descent through Venus’s harsh atmosphere, meaning it may survive the plunge and reach at least partway to the surface.
Nonetheless, the chance of ground impact is minimal.
“I’m not concerned—I’m not warning my friends to hide,” said Darren McKnight, Advanced Technology Fellow at Leo Labs, a company tracking orbital objects, which monitors Kosmos-482 six times daily. “We typically see a large object re-enter Earth’s atmosphere about once a week.”
When is Kosmos-482 expected to return to Earth?
The estimates are updated daily, but the current anticipated re-entry date is Friday or Saturday. The New York Times will provide updated estimates as they arise.
According to the Aerospace Corporation, which monitors space debris, there is a predicted re-entry window of 12:42 AM Eastern Time on May 10, with a margin of error of 19 hours. Window Calculation
Marco Langroek, a satellite tracker at Delft Institute of Technology, has been monitoring Cosmos-482 for several years and estimates a re-entry around 4:37 AM Eastern Time on May 10, with similar uncertainties.
Where will it land?
The exact landing spot remains unknown. “And we won’t know until after it happens,” Dr. McDowell noted.
The Kosmos-482 travels at over 17,000 mph, and atmospheric friction slows it down rapidly, making timing crucial; even a slight miscalculation could land it in a completely different location.
What is certain is that the orbit of Kosmos-482 encompasses latitudes between 52°N and 52°S, covering large sections of Africa, Australia, North America, and much of Europe and Asia.
“There are three outcomes when an object re-enters: splashing, destruction, or injury,” Dr. McKnight remarked.
“A splash is ideal,” he added, noting that much of the Earth is ocean, while the undesired outcomes would be “destruction” or “injury.”
Will the spacecraft withstand the impact?
If Kosmos-482 endures the re-entry, it will impact at approximately 150 miles per hour, provided its heat shield remains intact. “I doubt much will remain after that,” Dr. McDowell stated. “Imagine crashing a car into a wall at 150 mph; not much would be left.”
If it returns over a populated area during nighttime, observers may see Kosmos-482 as bright streaks racing across the sky.
Should any part of the spacecraft survive the descent, it will legally be owned by Russia.
“Under international law, any found object must be returned,” explained Michelle Hanlon, Executive Director of the Aerospace Law Center at the University of Mississippi. “Russia is recognized as the registered owner and retains jurisdiction over the objects.”
How can I identify this object?
Roughly 25 years ago, Dr. McDowell sifted through Norad’s catalog of some 25,000 orbital objects, attempting to identify each one. He often found the answer was, “this is debris from a rather dull rocket explosion.”
However, one object, 6073, stood out; launched from Kazakhstan in 1972, it traveled between 124 and 6,000 miles from Earth in a highly elliptical orbit.
Analyzing its trajectory and dimensions led Dr. McDowell to theorize it was likely the much-anticipated Kosmos-482 lander rather than merely debris from a failed launch, a hypothesis confirmed by multiple ground observations and recently declassified Soviet documents.
Fires typically consume fuel over hours, days, or even weeks. However, certain underground fossil fuel deposits can sustain a blaze for decades.
The gas crater in Darvaza, famously known as the “Gate of Hell,” has been burning for a remarkable 40 years within a 60-meter-wide (196 feet) pit located in Turkmenistan’s Karakham Desert.
The crater’s origin is a topic of debate. Some claim it resulted from an unauthorized Soviet gas drilling operation in the 1970s that inadvertently trapped an underground pocket of natural gas; others believe it was formed naturally in the 1960s.
Regardless of its origins, geologists detected methane leaking from the crater and attempted to ignite the gas to prevent environmental disasters. They expected it to extinguish within weeks, yet it has continued to burn for decades.
The Darvaza gas Crater is a 60m (196 feet) pit in the Karakham Desert in Turkmenistan. – Photo Credit: Getty Images
This crater sits atop extensive oil and gas fields that traverse Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, likely linked to a vast underground reservoir of methane, which fuels the fire almost indefinitely.
In 2013, Canadian explorer George Crunis embarked on an expedition to study the crater. Dressed in a heat-resistant suit, he descended to the crater’s depths to collect soil samples and found simple organisms capable of surviving in the extreme conditions at the bottom.
While the Gate of Hell may be the most famous fire, it is not the oldest. Underground coal seams can sustain fires for centuries.
One coal fire beneath Mount Wingen in Australia has been ablaze for over 5,000 years. Such fires might continue indefinitely until the vast underground fuel supply is depleted.
This article addresses the question posed by Dennis McCann of Derby: “What are the Gates of Hell, and why do they keep burning?”
Please email us your questions at Question@sciencefocus.com or message us onFacebook,Twitter, or Instagram (remember to include your name and location).
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A diverse group of neuroscientists evaluated two rival theories of consciousness: Integrated Information Theory (IIT) and Global Neuron Workspace Theory (GNWT). IIT posits that consciousness arises when information within a system is intricately connected and unified, provided it is consciously recognized and functions as a cohesive entity. In contrast, GNWT proposes that a network of brain regions emphasizes significant information, bringing it to the forefront of our awareness and broadly sharing it as it enters consciousness, thereby forming a conscious experience.
Various theories elucidate how subjective experiences emerge from neural activity. While these theories have independent support, they have not been directly compared. Ferrante et al. We present an open science adversarial collaboration that juxtaposes Integrated Information Theory (IIT) with Global Neuron Workspace Theory (GNWT) through a theoretical Chinese consortium. Image credit: NASA/ESA/JPL-CALTECH/STSCI/SCI.NEWS.
Both philosophers and scientists have engaged in the pursuit of understanding the subjective aspects of consciousness (like experiencing pain or seeing vivid rainbows) and their connection to brain’s physical processes.
This endeavor has led to the simultaneous development of various consciousness theories, offering conflicting interpretations of the neural foundations of consciousness.
Moreover, empirical support for any given theory often hinges on methodological choices, pointing to potential confirmation bias in testing these theories.
A convergence of consciousness theories into a broadly accepted neuroscience framework could have profound medical, social, and ethical repercussions.
To facilitate this aim, the authors examined both IIT and GNWT through expansive open science adversarial collaborations designed to foster progress in consciousness research based on constructive disagreements.
“IIT proposes that consciousness results from the cooperation of various brain regions, integrating information much like a cohesive team effort,” the researchers noted.
“It arises from how these regions are interconnected and how they communicate, extending beyond just individual brain parts.”
“However, this research did not uncover sufficient sustained connections in the brain’s posterior areas to substantiate this notion.”
“The GNWT posits that consciousness is localized in the brain’s frontal regions, but this study also found inadequate evidence to support this idea,” they added.
This study included 256 participants, marking a significant milestone for this kind of experimentation.
Researchers displayed various visual stimuli and monitored the brain’s activity while participants viewed these stimuli using three common neuroimaging methods that track blood flow and electrical/magnetic activity.
“Our findings indicate a functional link between neurons in the early visual areas and those in the frontal regions, helping illuminate how perceptions are intertwined with thoughts,” they remarked.
“These results underscore the prefrontal cortex’s significance in consciousness, suggesting that while it plays a vital role in reasoning and planning, consciousness itself may be tied to sensory processing and perception.”
“In essence, intelligence pertains to actions taken, while consciousness refers to mere existence.”
“This discovery could reshape our understanding of consciousness and inform issues related to loss of consciousness, such as in comas and nutrition.”
Understanding the origins of consciousness could aid in identifying “secret awareness” in patients who are severely injured yet unresponsive.
“It became evident that no theory could definitively refute the other,” commented Professor Anil Seth from the University of Sussex.
“The theories pursue fundamentally different objectives in their assumptions and explanations, and the available experimental methods are too coarse to allow one theory to conclusively prevail over the other.”
“Regardless, the findings from this collaboration remain invaluable. There’s a wealth of insights to gain about both theories, along with new understandings of when and where visual experiences can be discerned in the brain.”
Survey results this week will be featured in the journal Nature.
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O. Ferrante et al. (Cogged the consortium). An antagonistic examination of global neuronal workspace and integrated information theory. Nature Released on April 30th, 2025. doi:10.1038/s41586-025-0888-1
Pterosaurs often glide above dinosaurs, but recent analysis of fossilized footprints indicates that some of these flying reptiles were equally adept at traversing the ground.
Terrestrial migration and tracking morphology of vegetative eye type skeletal morphology: (a) Reconstruction of the ctenochasmatoid orbit Ctenochasma elegans walking with ipsilateral gait, where the fore and hind legs on the same side of the body move together. (b) Manual and pedal morphology of Ctenochasma elegans; PES is plant and pentadactyl, while Manus is digital grade, functionally triductyl as the large fourth digit supporting the outer wing is folded during terrestrial movement. (c) Height map of pterosaur manus and PES footprints in the holotype of Ichnotaxon Pteraichnus stokesi that matches Ctenochasma elegans; (d) height maps from the Pterosaur trackway; Pteraichnus ISP. From the Upper Jurassic Casal Formation of Claysac, France. An outline drawing of (e) interpretation Pteraichnus ISP. Scale bar – 20 mm in (c), 200 mm in (d) and (e). Image credit: Smith et al., doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2025.04.017.
“We have been diligently working to enhance our understanding of their lives,” stated Robert Smith, a doctoral researcher at the University of Leicester.
“These footprints offer insights into their habitat, movement, behaviors, and activities in ecosystems long gone.”
In this study, Smith and colleagues uncovered three distinct types of pterosaur footprints, each elucidating various lifestyles and behaviors.
Tying these footprints to specific groups presents a valuable new avenue for exploring how these flying reptiles lived, migrated, and adapted over time across different ecosystems.
“At last, 88 years after the initial discovery of Pterosaur tracks, we understand precisely who made them and the methods employed,” remarked Dr. David Unwin, Ph.D., from Leicester.
The most striking finding emerged from a group of pterosaurs known as Neoazdalci. Quetzalcoatlus, one of the largest flying creatures, boasts a wingspan of 10 meters.
Their footprints have been found in both coastal and inland regions worldwide, supporting the notion that these tall creatures not only ruled the skies but also cohabited the same environments as many dinosaur species.
Some of these tracks date back to an asteroid impact event 66 million years ago, alongside the extinction of both pterosaurs and dinosaurs.
Ctenochasmatoids, recognized for their elongated jaws and needle-like teeth, predominantly left tracks in coastal sediments.
These animals likely traversed muddy shores or shallow lagoons, employing specialized feeding techniques to capture small fish and floating prey.
The prevalence of these tracks indicates that these coastal pterosaurs were far more common in these habitats than the infrequent fossil remains suggest.
Another type of footprint was unearthed in rock formations, alongside the fossilized skeleton of the same pterosaur.
The close correlation between footprints and skeletons provides compelling evidence for identifying the print makers.
Known as Dsungaripterids, these pterosaurs featured robust limbs and jaws; the tips of their curved, toothless beaks were designed for grasping prey, while the large, rounded teeth at the rear of the jaw were ideal for crushing shellfish and other resilient foods.
“Footprints are frequently overlooked in Pterosaur studies, yet they yield a wealth of information regarding their behavior, interactions, and environmental relationships,” stated Smyth.
“A comprehensive analysis of the footprints enables us to uncover biological and ecological insights that cannot be obtained elsewhere.”
The team’s paper is published in the journal Current Biology.
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Robert S. Smith et al. Identifying Pterosaur track makers provides important insights into Mesozoic ground invasions. Current Biology Published online May 1, 2025. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2025.04.017
As Don Pike embarks on his daily stroll, he laces up his brown hiking boots, takes hold of his walking stick and bucket hat, and steps outside. A mere ten feet later, he skillfully navigates around barbed wire to enter the Tonto National Forest. Unlike the typical Tonto scenery, where the ground is strewn with dry grass between native plants and trees, this area feels stark, unfriendly, and barren.
The reason for this desolation is that Mr. Pike is engaged in weed removal.
“I’ve eliminated them so effectively that I can’t find any in this region,” remarked Pike, 84, a retired resident of Maine who has found great joy in his cherished desert and installed floor-to-ceiling windows in his living room.
Mr. Pike is in a battle against buffel grass and fountain grass, two invasive species that are spreading throughout the Sonoran desert. These plants suffocate native flora, elevate the risk and intensity of wildfires, and jeopardize a vibrant ecosystem.
His fight against this encroaching vegetation began nearly 15 years ago. Since then, he estimates he and his team of volunteers have cleared 550 acres of the approximately 14,000 acres they manage. In 2024, his efforts earned him the title of Arizona Weed Manager of the Year.
The work of volunteers like Pike has long been essential in supplementing federal land management, as government officials note that funding for their programs has been lacking for years. However, volunteers like Pike are becoming more crucial than ever given the reductions in federal workforce instigated by the Trump administration and its push for government efficiency.
“It will be vital for federal agencies to find innovative ways to attract individuals,” Pike stated from his back porch in March. “There are many who are eager to get involved, especially those with considerable skills.”
Pterosaurs often glide above dinosaurs, but recent examinations of fossilized footprints reveal that some of these flying reptiles were equally adept at terrestrial movement.
Terrestrial migration and tracking morphology of vegetative eye type skeletal morphology: (a) Reconstruction of the ctenochasmatoid orbit Ctenochasma elegans walking with an ipsilateral gait, where the fore and hind legs on the same side move together as a pair. (b) Manual and pedal morphology of Ctenochasma elegans; PES is plant and pentadactyl, while Manus is digital grade, functionally triductyl as the large fourth digit supporting the outer wing is folded during terrestrial movement. (c) Height map of pterosaur manus and PES footprints in the holotype of Ichnotaxon Pteraichnus stokesi, showing a form that matches Ctenochasma elegans; (d) height maps from part of the Pterosaur trackway; Pteraichnus ISP. From the Upper Jurassic Casal Formation of Claysac, France. An outline drawing of (e) interpretation of Pteraichnus ISP. Scale bar – 20 mm in (c), 200 mm in (d) and (e). Image credit: Smith et al, doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2025.04.017.
“We have been diligently working to enhance our understanding of these creatures,” stated Robert Smith, a doctoral researcher at the University of Leicester.
“These findings provide insights into their habitats, movement patterns, and daily activities in ecosystems long since vanished.”
In this research, Smith and his team identified three distinct types of pterosaur footprints, each offering insights into various lifestyles and behaviors.
By correlating footprints with specific groups, a robust new method emerges to study how these flying reptiles thrived, migrated, and adapted to diverse ecosystems over time.
“Finally, 88 years after the initial discovery of Pterosaur tracks, we have pinpointed precisely who created them and how,” remarked Dr. David Unwin, Ph.D., from Leicester.
Perhaps the most striking revelation comes from a group of pterosaurs known as Neoazdalci. Quetzalcoatlus, one of the largest flying creatures, boasts a wingspan of 10 meters.
Their footprints have been found in both coastal and inland areas worldwide, supporting the theory that these long-legged animals not only soared through the skies, but also inhabited the same environments as numerous dinosaur species.
Some of these tracks date back to an asteroid impact event 66 million years ago, coinciding with the extinction of both pterosaurs and dinosaurs.
Ctenochasmatoids, recognized for their elongated jaws and needle-like teeth, left footprints primarily found in coastal sediments.
These animals likely walked along muddy shores or shallow lagoons, employing unique feeding strategies to capture small fish and floating prey.
The prevalence of these tracks suggests that these coastal pterosaurs were far more common in these habitats than than the rare fossilized remains.
Another type of footprint was located in rock formations, where fossilized remains of the same pterosaur were also found.
The close association between footprints and skeletons offers compelling evidence for identifying the track makers.
These pterosaurs, known as Dsungaripterids, possessed robust limbs and jaws; their toothless, curved beaks were adept at securing prey, while their large, rounded teeth were ideal for crushing shellfish and other resilient foods.
“Footprints are often overlooked in Pterosaur studies, yet they yield a wealth of information about the behaviors and interactions of these creatures with their environment,” emphasized Smyth.
“A detailed analysis of these footprints allows us to uncover biological and ecological insights that other methods may not provide.”
The team’s paper was published in the journal Current Biology.
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Robert S. Smith et al. Identifying Pterosaur track makers provides crucial insights into Mesozoic terrestrial invasions. Current Biology, published online on May 1, 2025. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2025.04.017
Recent research by Curtin University reveals that an ancient influence, previously believed to have occurred 1.2 billion years ago, actually took place 990 million years ago, leading to the formation of the STAC FADA member. This discovery corrects the dating of some of the UK’s oldest non-marine microfossils and their significance in the timeline of eukaryotic colonization on land.
STAC FADA member. Image credit: Tony Prave.
“We utilized small zircon crystals as geological ‘time capsules’ to accurately date the impact at 990 million years ago,” stated Professor Chris Kirkland from Curtin University.
“These tiny crystals recorded precise moments of impact, some transforming into the rare mineral Reidite, which forms under extreme pressure.”
“This provided irrefutable evidence that the meteorite strike initiated the STAC FADA deposit.”
“When a meteorite strikes, it partially resets the atomic clocks within the zircon crystal. Although these ‘broken clocks’ can’t generate dates, they developed a model to reconstruct timing, affirming the impact’s occurrence 990 million years ago.”
The impact events coincided with the earliest emergence of freshwater eukaryotes, the ancient precursors to plants, animals, and fungi.
“The new date indicates that these life forms in Scotland appeared roughly at the same time as the meteorite impact,” Professor Kirkland remarked.
“This presents intriguing questions about whether significant impacts could have affected environmental conditions, potentially influencing early ecosystems.”
“The impact crater has yet to be located, but this study has gathered additional clues that may eventually uncover its position.
“Understanding the timeline of meteorite impacts will enable us to explore their potential effects on Earth’s environment and the diversification of life beyond the oceans.”
The team’s findings will be published in the journal Geological.
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CL Kirkland et al. The impact of Scottish meteors 100 million years ago. Geological Published online on April 28, 2025. doi: 10.1130/g53121.1
A recent study conducted by the Florida Museum of Natural History reveals that this apex predator is a type of Cebucid crocodile with origins in South America.
The Cebushid crocodile ruled the South American landscape after the dinosaurs vanished, remaining dominant until roughly 11 million years ago. Image credit: Jorge Mackey.
The sebecids were the last survivors of notosuchia, a large and varied group of extinct crocodiles with fossil records that trace back to the era of dinosaurs.
Notosuchians exhibited a wide range of sizes, diets, and habitats, distinguishing themselves from their alligator relatives, as most inhabited terrestrial environments.
The Sevecid behaved like a carnivorous dinosaur, sprinting with four long, agile limbs and tearing flesh with its notorious teeth.
Some species were equipped with protective armor made of bone plates embedded in the skin, reaching lengths of up to 6 m (20 feet).
The catastrophic mass extinction at the end of the Cretaceous period, which eradicated non-avian dinosaurs, also nearly led to the extinction of the notosuchians.
In South America, only the Sevecids survived post-dinosaurs, quickly ascending to the role of apex predators.
The open waters separating the Caribbean islands from the South American mainland posed significant challenges for the Sevensids when it came to swimming.
In a new research effort, paleontologist Jonathan Bloch and his colleagues from the Florida Museum of Natural History analyzed vertebrae from fossilized teeth and spinal vertebrae dating back six million years, collected from the Paleopoultry 1 site in Savanna Grande de Boya, Dominican Republic.
“Our first question upon discovering these teeth in the Dominican Republic and other Caribbean islands was: what could they be?” Dr. Bloch mentioned.
The team also examined 18 million-year-old teeth found in Cuba and 29 million-year-old specimens from Puerto Rico.
“The fossils suggested evidence supporting the Girllandia hypothesis,” they noted.
This theory posits that a temporary land bridge or chain of islands enabled the migration from South America to the Caribbean.
“If the serrated teeth found in other Caribbean islands also belong to the Sevecid, the history of these giant reptiles stretches beyond just the Dominican Republic.”
“They would have played a significant role in shaping the ecosystems of this region for millions of years. However, today, evidence of large terrestrial predators is scarce.”
“In their absence, smaller endemic predators like birds, snakes, and crocodiles have evolved to fill gaps in the food chain,” he added.
“We could not have predicted this just by studying modern ecosystems,” Dr. Bloch remarked.
“The presence of large predators greatly differs from our previous assumptions, and it’s thrilling to explore what further discoveries might await in the Caribbean fossil record.”
The team’s paper was published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
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Lázaro W. Viñola López et al. 2025. The South American Sevecid from the Miocene of Hispaniola documents the presence of apex predators in the ecosystems of the Early West Indies. Proc. R. Soc. B 292 (2045): 20242891; doi: 10.1098/rspb.2024.2891
New research led by astronomers at the University of Hawaii suggests that our universe could spin.
In the formation of the universe, gravity links galaxies with clusters of galaxies to construct vast co-nes-like structures that link hundreds of millions of light years along an invisible bridge. This is known as Cosmic Web. Image credit: Springel et al. / Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics.
“To paraphrase the Greek philosopher Heracritus of Ephesus, he famously said Pantarei – he thought everything would change, perhaps Panta Kaicurtai – he thought everything would change.”
According to current models, the universe expands evenly in all directions with no signs of rotation. This idea fits most of what astronomers observe.
But that doesn’t explain the so-called Hubble tension. It is a long-standing discrepancy between two ways of measuring how quickly the universe is expanding.
One method examines distant exploding stars or supernovas to measure distances to galaxies, providing the magnification of the universe over the past billions of years.
Another method uses artefact radiation from the Big Bang, providing a very early universe expansion rate, about 13 billion years ago. Each gives a different value for the expansion rate.
Dr. Szapudi and his colleagues developed a mathematical model of the universe.
First, the model followed standard rules. They then added a small amount of rotation. Those small changes made a huge difference.
“To my surprise, we found that our model solves paradoxes without conflicting with current astronomical measurements,” Dr. Szapudi said.
“What’s even better is that it’s compatible with other models that assume rotation.”
“So perhaps everything really changes.
The team’s models suggest that the universe could turn once every 500 billion years.
“This idea does not break known laws of physics,” the astronomer said.
“And maybe it explains why measurements of space growth are completely disagreeable.”
“The next step is to turn the theory into a complete computer model and find ways to find signs of this slow, universe spin.”
Survey results It will be displayed in Monthly Notices from the Royal Astronomical Society.
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Balázs Endre Szigeti et al. 2025. Can rotation solve the Hubble puzzle? mnras 538(4): 3038-3041; doi: 10.1093/mnras/staf446
The fossil record of freshwater crayfish is surprisingly sparse, mainly containing trace fossils, some body fossils, and rarely gastroscopy. Paleontologists from Flinders University, the University of New South Wales, the Canterbury Museum and the University of Canterbury have discovered that the small molars (jaws) of the lower jaw of Gondwannan freshwater crayfish have a stiff, robust apatite layer. They discovered eight jaw fragments of a fossil freshwater crayfish that lived in New Zealand during the early Miocene period.
Prehistoric freshwater crayfish grew to about 25 cm long compared to about 8 cm of today’s New Zealand species.
“Crayfish were important creatures in ancient settings,” says Dr. Paul Scofield, senior curator at the Canterbury Museum.
“The crayfish’s body does not fossil because it is made from the wrong chemical elements. However, the molars in the jaw are made of different materials, like mammalian teeth, so they do fossil because they are made from different materials.”
“This means that we can clearly say where freshwater crayfish lived in prehistoric times. It will speak more about prehistoric ecosystems and how they worked.”
Dr. Scofield and his colleagues sifted through hundreds of thousands of small fossil fragments found near St. Batan in central Otago and used microscopes to identify prehistoric crayfish to identify each piece.
Crayfish were identified from eight jaw fragments each, about 4 mm in length.
An exciting observation was to show that the three lower jaws showed that the three types lived together.
There are currently only two species in New Zealand and live in different parts of the country.
Fragments are very rare. One distance of the 100 kg fossil fragments recovered from St. Batan produced only one fragment.
“We also identified the first fossilized Yabby buttons, which are calcium deposits that form in the stomachs of crayfish,” said Dr. Trevor Worthy, a paleontologist at Flinders University.
“Historically, paleontologists have often misidentified Yabby buttons as fossilized fish teeth.”
“Several fragments like these are sitting in boxes of museum collections around the world and are marked with question marks. Now we can say what they are.”
“Small fossils can reveal a lot about prehistoric life,” said Dr Vanessa de Petri, a paleontologist at the University of Canterbury.
“It’s not just about big sexy bones, it’s about the little things. Every piece has a story to tell.”
Team’s result It was published in Alcheringa, Australian Journal of Palaeontology.
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Trevor H. Worthy et al. Decapoda, Parastacidae, of the fossil mandible from the early Miocene of New Zealand. AlcheringaPublished online on April 13th, 2025. doi:10.1080/03115518.2025.2488056
Magnetic field turbulence may have allowed aurora to occur more widely 41,000 years ago
evgeniyq/istockphoto/get ty image
About 41,000 years ago, Earth’s magnetic fields became weaker to only a few modern levels, with a significant increase in radiation impacting the planet’s surface. Some researchers suggest that while the Lasshamps event may have driven Neanderthals to extinction, as is known, modern humans may have protected themselves using tailored clothing and ochre sunscreen.
Earth’s magnetic field spreads out into space and acts as a protective shield against harmful radiation. Magnetic poles usually line up at the North and Antarctic, but sometimes wander due to changes in the planet’s liquid outer core.
“This system variation can lead to variations in the strength and direction of the Earth’s magnetic field, such as those observed during the Laschamps event,” he says. Agnit Mukhopadhyay At the University of Michigan.
By studying magnetic features preserved in volcanic rocks and sediments, Mukopadiyai and his colleagues created a detailed 3D reconstruction of the Earth’s magnetic field during the Raschamp event.
They found evidence that the magnetic pole shifted towards the equator, making the field strength weaker to 10% of today’s levels.
Auroras made by charged particles are usually only visible near the poles, but this will change during the Laschamp event. “The aurora can be seen in a much larger area, perhaps even near the equator,” says Mukopadhyai.
The weakened magnetic field could have allowed more sun and cosmic radiation to reach the Earth’s surface, changing the climate of the region. “These environmental changes may have encouraged adaptive behavior in human populations, including increased use of protective clothing for UV shields and ochre,” says Mukhopadhyay.
Researchers argue that the production of tailored clothing and the use of reddish mineral ochre as sunscreen may have been given Homo sapiens Benefits for Neanderthals who are thought to have become extinct during this period.
“There is definitely a rough overlap in terms of timing between the ancient modern invasion of Europe and the events of Las Shampus,” he says. Amy Mosig Way At the Australian Museum in Sydney. “But it is probably stretch to say that modern humans are better sunscreen in the form of tailored clothing than Neanderthals, and that’s probably what it is to say that this contributed to the ability to travel even further than the Neanderthals and subsequent Eurasian rule.”
Veronica Wowl Yale University says there is evidence of ancients who used ochre at this time. For example, the Ethiopian PORC-EPIC site records ochre use 45,000 years ago, which she says was enhanced 40,000 years ago. They may have used it for other reasons such as creating sunscreen and artwork and adhesives.
Ladis Laf Neyman JCMM in the Czech Republic says it is not known whether modern humans have used ochre as sunscreen. “If that were the case, it could have protected them more, but it didn’t necessarily save them,” he says. “Europeans were really piling up against them at the time.”
He points out that the Raschamp event coincided with a very cold period known as Heinrich Event 4 and a massive volcanic eruption in Italy called the Campania Ignimbrite Explosion.
“The big advantage Homo sapiens What they had as a species compared to Neanderthals was that they had a large population of other people living in Africa and elsewhere. Homo sapiens After these events, we may move to Europe,” says Neyman.
The Sakhallo-Arabian desert is one of the largest biogeographical barriers on Earth, hindering the dispersion between Africa and Eurasia, including human movements in the past. Recent research suggests that this barrier has been in place for at least 11 million years. However, a new Griffith University-led study shows that numerous humidity intervals have occurred in the Sakhallo-Arabian desert over the past 8 million years.
Marcouska et al. It shows wet intervals that have recurred inside Central Arabia over the past 8 million years. Image credit: Paul Breeze.
Arabia is at the heart of the largest near-continuous chain of arid lands on the planet. A harsh and often highly dry belt that stretches from the Sahara to the Tar Desert.
Sakhallo-Arabian desert barriers limit animal dispersion and divide Africa and Eurasia into areas of Afrotropic, palate, and Indomalaya biogeography, each characterized by a distinct assemblage of plants, animal species and communities.
While the persistence of this desert barrier serves as a major control over the depiction of these biogeographical regions, improvements in climate throughout the Sakhallo-Arabian region allow for dispersion among them.
As a result, the region is a “transition zone” and hosts a complex fauna mixture with characteristics of Africa, Eurasia and South Asia.
Recent research suggests that a dry beyond this desert barrier and that it has begun to be highly aridity and highly dry on the edge of northern Arabia 9 million years ago in the completely arid state of the Sahara at least 11 million years ago.
“However, fossil evidence from the late Miocene (marked by rising earth temperatures) and the Pleistocene (including multiple ice ages) suggests the existence of an episode within the interior of the water-dependent animal Sakhallo-Arabian desert.”
“It is possible that animals such as crocodiles, quids, cobopotamids, and absoscideans were supported by rivers and lakes that are almost nonexistent from today’s arid landscape.”
“These wet conditions could promote the dispersion of these mammals between Africa and Eurasia, and Arabia serves as an important crossroads in continental-scale biogeographic exchange.”
In the new study, Professor Petraglia and colleagues analyzed a set of osteoscopic electrons (mineral deposits such as bulls and stellates) from a series of caves from within Arabia.
It is one of the longest aleoclimatic records available in Arabia today, and represents one of the longest space paleoclimatic records in the world.
“Little was known about Arabian paleoclimate before this time,” said Dr. Monica Markowska of Northumbria University.
“The findings highlight that the effects of monsoons have been weakened and polar ice coverings in the Pleistocene during the Pleistocene have been strengthened, reducing precipitation during humidity intervals and changing over time.”
“Although Arabia has traditionally been overlooked in the dispersion of Africa and Yolasia, research like ours is increasingly revealing the central location of mammal and human migration,” added Dr Faisal Al-Jiblin, who led Saudi archaeologists on the Heritage Committee.
result It will be displayed in the journal Nature.
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M. Markouska et al. The recurrence of humidity in Arabia over the past 8 million years. NaturePublished online on April 9, 2025. doi:10.1038/s41586-025-08859-6
Approximately 6,500 years ago, hunting kits included spear throwers, boomerang fragments, wood and stone tipped darts. These were discovered in a cave in West Texas near remnants of a small fire and a well-preserved pile of human waste, suggesting past human habitation.
Recently, archaeologists from Surros State University and Kansas University uncovered one of the oldest almost complete wooden and stone hunting weapons in North America. The findings are still being studied, but initial assessments indicate that one weapon may be around 7,000 years old.
Brion Schroeder, director of the Big Bend Research Center, expressed surprise at the discoveries, highlighting the unique insights into ancient hunting methods and tool maintenance.
Recent discoveries in a cave near Malfa, Texas have revealed hunting kits containing weapons and antelope skins likely used for clothing. The excavation, funded by the University of Kansas, aims to uncover ancient human artifacts in North America.
Dr. Schroeder and his team faced challenges from looters but persisted in their search for ancient artifacts. The depths of the cave yielded valuable insights into the hunting practices of early humans.
During the excavation, researchers unearthed parts of a hunting kit, suggesting the cave was used by hunters to store and repair their weapons. This sheds light on how ancient hunters maintained their tools and equipment.
The discovery of various tools and their arrangement indicates a systematic approach to hunting and tool maintenance by the ancient inhabitants of the cave.
Among the artifacts found is an atlatl, or spear thrower, considered one of the oldest in North America. The well-preserved wooden components of the atlatl provide valuable insights into ancient hunting techniques.
In addition to the atlatl, researchers discovered fragments of boomerangs, wooden darts, and stone tips, indicating a sophisticated approach to hunting and tool usage by ancient humans.
The discoveries offer a rare glimpse into the daily lives and hunting practices of ancient people, showcasing their advanced technology and strategic planning.
The age and completeness of the artifacts suggest a well-maintained weapon kit used by ancient hunters, providing valuable insights into their behavior and technology.
The discoveries shed light on the skills and foresight of ancient hunters, highlighting their ability to adapt to their environment and plan for their hunting expeditions.
Anthropology experts emphasize the rarity of finding well-preserved organic materials in ancient tools, showcasing the complexity of ancient hunting equipment beyond stone tools.
Ongoing analyses of the artifacts aim to uncover not only insights into ancient human diet and DNA but also the advanced weaponry used by early hunters. Collaboration with Indigenous groups ensures respectful research practices and eventual public sharing of findings.
The discoveries challenge preconceived notions of ancient hunting methods and highlight the intelligence and adaptability of early human societies.
Archaeologists and researchers emphasize the importance of these findings in understanding the behavior and technology of ancient hunting communities.
Paleontologists have discovered 131 large theropods and sauropods in the formations of the central Jurassic Kirmalag at Prince Charles’s point, located on the northwest coast of the Troternas Peninsula in Sky.
A 167 million-year-old dinosaur trackway located at Prince Charles’s point on the Isle of Skye. Image credit: Blakesley et al. , doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0319862.
The rocks of Isle of Skye are rich in dinosaur footprints, providing insight into the distribution and behavior of dinosaurs at critical times of evolution.
The newly discovered footprint was left in the wavy sands of an ancient subtropical lagoon dating back to the mid-Jurassic period about 167 million years ago.
The footprint is 25-60 cm long and comes in two types. This is a round “Tyre-Size” track, made by three untidy trucks left by Bipedal: a carnivorous theropod, a tetrapod, and a long-necked sauropod.
Based on comparisons with previous fossil discoveries, the most likely truck maker is Megalosaurus Similar to early branching members of the Neosauropod group CethiosaurusBoth are known from British skeletal ruins.
According to paleontologists, many of these footprints occur together in successive steps.
The longest of these trackways is over 12m, among the longest known examples from the Isle of Skye.
The spacing and orientation of these trackways represent slow walking without consistent orientation or interaction with each other, and what is probably left by the dinosaurs is casually crushed at slightly different times.
The site at Prince Charles’s point supports previous evidence that the Jurassic Sauropod frequently visited Scottish lagoons.
However, this site contains a higher percentage of theropod tracks than similar locales, perhaps indicating differences in the environment between these ancient lagoons.
The site also does not have footprints from other dinosaurs such as Stegosaurus and Ornithopods, but it remains unclear whether these animals really do not exist in this environment or simply did not leave a mark on this site.
“Prince Charles’s footprint at points provides fascinating insight into the behavior and environmental distribution of meat-eating theropods and plant-eating long-necked sauropods during key periods of evolution.”
“In Sky, these dinosaurs obviously preferred shallow, submerged lagoon environments to muddy air exposed.”
“Interestingly, this site also has historical significance as a location for Skye, where Prince Bonnie landed and hidden while flying through Scotland following the Battle of Culloden.”
Discoveries are reported in a paper Published online in the journal PLOS 1.
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T. Blakely et al. 2025. A new central Jurassic Lagoon margin assembly of theropod and sauropod dinosaur trajectories from the Isle of Skye, Scotland. PLOS 1 20(4): E0319862; doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0319862
A team of paleontologists from Lake Forest College, Stellenbosch University, University of Minnesota, and North Carolina State University described a new population of fossil eggshells, members of the formation of cedar mountains, a well-known unit among scientists studying early lobular epochs.
A 100 million-year-old dinosaur eggshell fragment from a Mussantit member of Cedar Mountain Formation. Image credit: Lake Forest College.
The first fossil eggshells from Mussantit members of Cedar Mountain Formation were described over 50 years ago.
Since then, in half a century, the diversity of fossil eggshells in this rock unit has been limited to only one egg type.
However, Dr. Josh Hedge and his colleagues at Lake Forest College revealed another story.
“We found new dinosaur egg types here and here, which we didn’t see before,” Dr. Hedge said.
“When previous research explained one type, we found five types of eggshells in this area.”
“Three eggshell fragments belonging to the feathered bipedal dinosaur, two types of dinosaurs with dinosaurs with ornitopod ducks, and a truly funky discovery: some crocodile eggshells.”
These new discoveries challenge the traditional view of one of the different types of dinosaurs that live in ecosystems.
“You can see patterns of coexisting dinosaurs,” Dr. Hedge said.
“Just as multiple big cat-loving animals coexist in Africa’s savanna, we can see the co-occurrence of similar types of dinosaurs in one geographical area.”
Researchers hope to uncover information that will lead to a better understanding of ecosystems 100 million years ago.
They are currently researching ways to better understand these oviraptorosaur eggs.
“We found so many eggshells, so we hope that we can distinguish between individuals who share a single nest, not just the species, for example, because we have sample sizes large enough to interpret them at a higher resolution,” Dr. Hedge said.
Team’s paper Published online in the journal PLOS 1.
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J. Hedge et al. 2025. Diversity of fossil eggshells from Mussentuchit members of Cedar Mountain Formation, Utah. PLOS 1 20(2): E0314689; doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0314689
Skywatchers in the northeastern United States, eastern Canada, and parts of Europe are eagerly anticipating a rare astronomical event this spring. On the morning of Saturday, March 29th, 2025, a partial solar eclipse will grace the sky, coinciding with a spectacular “double sunrise.”
Here is all you need to know about the partial solar eclipse, including where to watch, what to expect, and how to safely observe it.
When is the Partial Solar Eclipse in 2025?
The first and only solar eclipse of 2025 will occur on March 29th, starting at 8:50am GMT (4:50am EDT) and ending at 12:43 PM GMT (8:43am EDT). The maximum solar eclipse will take place at 10:47 AM GMT (6:47AM EDT).
In the US, the solar eclipse will begin at 6:13 AM EDT and end at 7:17am EDT, with the exact times varying based on location. The most dramatic views and longest duration of the eclipse, with 85% of the sun obscured, will be experienced in some areas.
In England, the solar eclipse will begin in London at 9:56am GMT, reach its peak at 11:03 AM, and end at 12:00 PM GMT. The extent of the eclipse may vary slightly depending on location, with Scotland witnessing over 40% obscuration in cities like Glasgow.
Where to Watch the Partial Solar Eclipse?
This partial solar eclipse will be visible across a wide area of the Northern Hemisphere, including the Northeastern United States, Eastern Canada, most of Europe, and northwest Africa.
Fourteen US states, including Washington DC, will witness a partial solar eclipse, with Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia among them.
The point of greatest obscuration will occur in Nunavique, Quebec, where 94% of the sun will be hidden at the peak of the solar eclipse.
Global map of partial solar eclipse shadow paths for March 29, 2025. A yellow curve tracks the extent of the partial eclipse and the proportion of each of these curves, giving the maximum area of the moon-covered sun during the eclipse. -NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio
What is a Partial Solar Eclipse?
A partial solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the Earth and the Sun but does not fully block the Sun. Instead, it covers only a portion of the solar disk, creating the appearance of the moon taking a bite out of the sun.
This results in a deep but incomplete solar eclipse, with the sun taking on a crescent shape. Unlike a total solar eclipse, where the sky goes completely dark, daylight remains during a partial solar eclipse, albeit with a dim and eerie quality.
What is a Double Sunrise?
“Double Sunrise” is a rare and stunning visual effect that can occur when a solar eclipse coincides with the rising sun.
From parts of eastern Canada and northeastern United States, the sun may appear as a crescent on the horizon during a partial solar eclipse. The tip of the crescent moon, often called the “devil’s horn,” may also be visible, giving the illusion of two separate sunrises.
Maine and parts of Quebec, Canada, offer the best chance to witness this phenomenon.
After the double sunrise, the sun will continue to rise as a thin arc in the sky.
How to Safely Watch a Partial Solar Eclipse
Unlike a total solar eclipse, partial solar eclipses should never be viewed directly with the naked eye, even when most of the sun is covered. Even small slivers of the sun can cause permanent eye damage.
If possible, obtain eclipse glasses that are certified to ISO 12312-2 international safety standards.
Crowds gather around Bryant Park in New York City, wearing eclipse glasses to witness a partial solar eclipse on April 8, 2024.
If using binoculars, cameras, or telescopes, ensure they are equipped with a solar filter on the front end (not the eyepiece).
If you are unable to find glasses or filters, indirect viewing methods are still possible. By creating a small hole (1-2mm) in a card, you can project sunlight onto a flat surface to observe the solar eclipse safely.
Weather plays a significant role in eclipse visibility. A clear sky offers the best viewing conditions, but even in cloudy weather, you may still experience a dimming effect as the moon passes in front of the sun.
How to Watch the Solar Eclipse 2025 Online
If you are unable to witness the partial solar eclipse in person, don’t worry. You can watch it online. The Royal Observatory Greenwich in the UK will be live streaming the event starting at 10am GMT.
Amber is a slow specimen that holds ancient water, bubbles, plants, insects, and even more unusual specimens, coveted around the world as both a container of gems and prehistoric debris bird.
Usually, amber forms for millions of years as wood resins become fossilized, but paleontologists are energizing it, creating amber fossils from pine resin in 24 hours. This technique can help clarify as Amber’s biochemistry is formed. This is a process that remains hidden in prehistoric mist.
It was released on Monday JournalScientific Reportsthe results of the rapid experiment are similar to meals made in a pressure cooker. “It’s similar to Instapot,” said Evan Saitta, a researcher at the Field Museum in Chicago and co-author of the paper.
The synthetic amber recipe began with Chicago Botanical Garden Pine Resin. Dr. Saitta and his co-author, independent paleontologist Thomas Kaye, placed a half-inch sediment disc with Mr. Kaye embedded in which the resin was constructed using a medical tablet compressor, an air canister and other cleaned parts.
By heating the sample and applying pressure, researchers were trying to simulate the product. This was trying to limit the slow, wet physical and chemical transformations needed to the rock before sediments could be integrated into the rock.
“Making it is the ultimate hurdle you need to pass to become a fossil,” said Dr. Saita. “It’s kind of the last boss.”
Although some samples produced by the researchers were incomplete, the physical properties of some ambers include darker colours, fractures, dehydration, and increased gloss.
The two also realized that they started with the wrong family of pine trees. Amber, the most frequently studied in paleontology, is a scientist, and its group of trees isOnly living relatives are Japanese umbrella pine.
Maria McNamara, a paleontologist at University College Cork in Ireland, said future experiments should test additional plant types as they were not involved in the study.
“What we really want to handle is that the resin polymerizes faster,” she said. She also pointed out that accelerated chemical analysis of Amber is necessary to know how close it is to the real thing. “Wood resin survives, but requires proper and complete chemical properties,” she said.
Regarding the limitations of all research, Dr. McNamara said fossil simulation is an increasingly important area of research. Recreated by some paleontologists Bone or tissue collapse To explore the effects of microbial organisms. In her lab, the researcher said,Thermal mature specimen Investigate the conservation of biological molecules under heat.
Without such simulations, “we just trust the fossil records,” she said. “Experiments can help tell facts from fiction and determine the extent to which the fossil records are lying.”
Dr. Saita tried other simulations. In 2018 he buried him. Finch In wet deposits, see how it compresses. It was awkward and failed. However, after working with Kaye on a pressure cooker device, they managed to study the previous stages of fossilization. Leaf, feather, lizard feet. For example, in these specimens, keratin from the feathers leached out in feathers, leaving behind a dark, melanin-like engraving similar to fossilized feathers. (At the conference, Dr. Saitta said he likes to test other paleontologists and find the visual difference between analogues and real fossils.)
In future amber experiments, Dr. Saita aims to embed insects, wings, or plants in the resin. One reason why this can be proven useful is that the actual specimen is valuable, meaning it is a trade of thousands of dollars, making disruptive analysis unfeasible. “Preserved insects in synthetic amber would not be valuable because it is made in the laboratory,” Dr. Saita said.
Researchers also plan to apply pressure on decayed organic matter and adapt the technology to simulate geological weathering.This will capture more fossilization stages more realistically.
Looking further, experimental fossilization techniques allow scientists to even explore the fossils of the future, Dr. Saitta said. How does life in the Anthropocene become fossilized? What happens to tissue or bones that have been injected with microplastics or industrial heavy metals?
We are not here in millions of years from now. However, using devices like pressure aids can get you closer.
Fossil feathers are usually preserved or embedded in mber as impressions of carbonaceous membranes and lake sediments and marine sediments, but are rarely mineralized. In a new study, paleontologists have examined the mineralised feathers of 30,000 years old Griffon vultures preserved in ash-rich volcanic deposits of the Koli-Albani Volcanic Complex in Rome, Italy. Bird feathers were conserved in three dimensions, conserving tissue ultrastructures such as melanosomes. These ultrastructures are mineralized with nanocrystalline zeolites, a preservation mode that has not been previously reported in fossil soft tissue.
Fossil feathers from the 30,000-year-old Griffon vulture preserved in volcanic rocks at the Koli-Albani Volcanic Complex in Rome, Italy. Image credit: Edoardo Terranova.
The fossil vulture was discovered in 1889 near Rome by a local landowner who recognized its incredible preservation.
The entire body was preserved as a three-dimensional impression, with fine details such as the lid of the eye and wing wings.
The new study, led by University College Cork paleontologist Valentina Rossi, shows that feather preservation extends to the pigmented structure of small microscopic feathers.
“Fossil feathers are usually preserved in ancient mudstones laid in lakes and lagoons,” Dr. Rossi said.
“Fossil vultures are preserved in ash deposits, which is very unusual.”
“When analyzing the feathers of fossil vultures, we found ourselves in unknown territory.”
“These feathers are different from what we normally see in other fossils.”
The authors discovered that feathers are preserved in mineral zeolites by analyzing small samples of fossil feathers using electron microscopy and chemical testing.
“Zeolites are silicon and aluminum rich minerals and are common in volcanic and hydrothermal geological environments,” Dr. Rossi said.
“Zeolites can be formed as primary minerals (using clean crystals) or secondary during the natural changes in volcanic glass and ash, giving rocks a mudlock-like side.”
“The changes in ashes due to the passage of water induced precipitation of zeolite nanocrystals, replicating feathers to the details of the smallest cells.”
“Fine preservation of feather structures indicates that vulture corpses were buried in cold thermal clastic matter.”
“We are used to think that volcanic deposits are associated with high temperature, fast-moving thermal breaking flows that destroy soft tissue,” says Professor Dawid Iurino of the University of Milan.
“However, these geological environments are complex and can include cold deposits that can store soft tissue at the cellular level.”
“The fossil record is constantly amazed us with new fossil species, strange new body shapes, in this case a new style of fossil preservation,” said Professor Maria McNamara, a professor of Cork at the University.
“We never found any delicate tissues, such as feathers, preserved in volcanic rocks.”
“Discoveries like these broaden the range of potential rock types that can be found in fossils.
Read more. The findings were published in the journal Geological.
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Valentina Rossi et al. Fossil feathers from the Coralbani Volcanic Complex (central Italy, late Pleistocene) preserved in zeolites. GeologicalPublished online on March 18th, 2025. doi: 10.1130/g52971.1
Paleontologists discovered and described the new ctenochasmatid pterosaurian mandible from the late Jurassic Portland limestone formations in southern England.
Reconstruction of the life of ctenochasmatid pterosaur Gladocephaloideus jingangshanensis. Image credit: Zhao Chuang.
“In the Upper Jurassic Formation of England, poverty is rare and consists primarily of isolated bones and bone fragments,” said Roy Smith and David Martill, paleontologists at Portsmouth.
“Many records of the late Jurassic Palace in England are merely historical interests, and now contain species named. Nomina Dubeer. ”
“Nevertheless, some materials are diagnostic and some species stand the test of time.”
“Most of the Upper Jurassic palaces in England come from the Kimmeridge Clay Formation in southern England, with events from the Oxford portion of Oxford clay formation in southern and eastern England, and one event from the Kinmeridge Clay Formation in Scotland.”
“In spite of this lack of material, there was a near-complete skull with some of the associated materials. Cuspicephalus scarfi In areas of the Kimmeridgian stage type. ”
The new Pterosaurus specimen is the mandible with at least two, perhaps three teeth.
The fossils date back to the Titonian period, in the late Jurassic period, about 147 million years ago.
It represents the youngest geologically in the UK Jurassic palace.
“The specimen is an isolated mandible that lacks most of the post-Simfisil section of the lam,” the paleontologist said.
“Because of the mandible, which is very thin and compact and elongated, it has been identified as Pterosaurus.”
This represents the first pterocortic material documented, described and proposed from this layer.
“The specimens are likely first discovered when the stones were divided using a standard “feather and wedge” procedure,” the researchers said.
“This caused damage to the central part of the specimen, but the jaw split along its length also damaged the specimen. It appears that the counterpart has not been recovered.”
The lack of diagnostic function prevents introduction to known or new species of fossils, but it can be confidently assigned to the Pterosaur clade Ctenochasmatoidea.
“The ctenochasmatoids are a diverse group of pterosaurs with prominent, most genus, as they are prominent in long, sometimes dorsal curved jaws and elongated, thin teeth,” the scientist said.
“It’s true, one form, South America Pterodaustrois in the longest teeth in terms of the diameter length ratio of the tetrapod. ”
“Basal anthelminthus bacterium” Pterodactylus antiquus and ctenochasmatoid Ardeadactylus longicolumBoth have short conical teeth with wider alveolar spacing than the Titonian period. ”
“The elongated, thin mandible bone and numerous closely spaced alveoli suggest that it is a member of Ctenochasmatidae.”
“The faint central ridge of the occlusal surface between the two grooves converges to the anterior groove, and the lack of a distinct anterior chamber suggests that the specimen is part of the mandibular intermembranes.”
“This is the first documented record of the wing glands from the Portland group in England.”
Survey results It was released this month Proceedings of the Geologists Association.
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Roy E. Smith and David M. Martill. ctenochasmatid pterosaur from the Portland Limestone Formation (Late Jurassic, Titonian) in southern England. Proceedings of the Geologists Associationpublished online 20255l doi: 10.1016/j.pgeola.2025.101100
Fossil feathers are usually preserved or embedded in amber as impressions of carbonaceous membranes and lake sediments and marine sediments, but are rarely mineralized. In a new study, paleontologists have examined the mineralised feathers of 30,000 years old Griffon vultures preserved in ash-rich volcanic deposits of the Koli-Albani Volcanic Complex in Rome, Italy. Bird feathers were conserved in three dimensions, conserving tissue ultrastructures such as melanosomes. These ultrastructures are mineralized with nanocrystalline zeolites, a preservation mode that has not been previously reported in fossil soft tissue.
A 30,000-year-old fossil feather of a Griffon vulture preserved in volcanic rocks at the Koli-Albani Volcanic Complex in Rome, Italy. Image credit: Edoardo Terranova.
The fossil vulture was discovered in 1889 near Rome by a local landowner who recognized its incredible preservation.
The entire body was preserved as a three-dimensional impression, with fine details such as the lid of the eye and wing wings.
The new study, led by University College Cork paleontologist Valentina Rossi, shows that feather preservation extends to the pigmented structure of small microscopic feathers.
“Fossil feathers are usually preserved in ancient mudstones laid in lakes and lagoons,” Dr. Rossi said.
“Fossil vultures are preserved in ash deposits, which is very unusual.”
“When analyzing the feathers of fossil vultures, we found ourselves in unknown territory.”
“These feathers are different from what we normally see in other fossils.”
The authors discovered that feathers are preserved in mineral zeolites by analyzing small samples of fossil feathers using electron microscopy and chemical testing.
“Zeolites are silicon and aluminum rich minerals and are common in volcanic and hydrothermal geological environments,” Dr. Rossi said.
“Zeolites can be formed as primary minerals (using clean crystals) or secondary during the natural changes in volcanic glass and ash, giving rocks a mudlock-like side.”
“The changes in ashes due to the passage of water induced precipitation of zeolite nanocrystals, replicating feathers to the details of the smallest cells.”
“Fine preservation of feather structures indicates that vulture corpses were buried in cold thermal clastic matter.”
“We are used to think that volcanic deposits are associated with high temperature, fast-moving thermal breaking flows that destroy soft tissue,” says Professor Dawid Iurino of the University of Milan.
“However, these geological environments are complex and can include cold deposits that can store soft tissue at the cellular level.”
“The fossil record is constantly amazed us with new fossil species, strange new body shapes, in this case a new style of fossil preservation,” said Professor Maria McNamara, a professor of Cork at the University.
“We never found any delicate tissues, such as feathers, preserved in volcanic rocks.”
“Discoveries like these broaden the range of potential rock types that can be found in fossils.
a paper The findings were published in the journal Geological.
____
Valentina Rossi et al. Fossil feathers from the Coralbani Volcanic Complex (central Italy, late Pleistocene) preserved in zeolites. GeologicalPublished online on March 18th, 2025. doi: 10.1130/g52971.1
Who were the first inhabitants of Western Europe, what their physical characteristics were, and where they lived are some of the pending questions in the study of Eurasian settlements during the early Pleistocene epoch. Information on ancient humanity available from Western Europe is limited and limited to the Iberian Peninsula. Now, paleontologists have discovered a fragment of the midface of humanity at the site of the Sima del Elephante in Sierra de Atapuerc, Spain. Fossils, which were 1.4 million to 1.1 million years ago, represent the earliest human faces of Western Europe ever identified.
Archaeological excavations at the Sima del Elephante in Sierra de Atapuerc, Spain. Image credits: Maria D. Guillen/Iphes-Cerca.
“It is suggested that Eurasia was first settled by Hymonin at least 1.8 million years ago,” he said, institut Catetut Catetut Catetut Catetut de Paleoecologia Humana IEvolucióSocial, Rovira I Virgili, and Museo nacional de Ciencias natures, and colleagues
“Evidence of early human settlements in Western Europe is limited to highly fragmented fossil samples from the Iberian Peninsula, with few clues as to the appearance and classification of these human beings.”
“The fossils from the Spanish site, about 850,000 years ago, are Homo Alivisora species of early people with thin midfaces that resemble modern humans. ”
“In 2007, a Hominin Joborne (ATE9-1) was found at the Simadel Elephante site in northern Spain, between 12 and 1.1 million years ago, but it was not a definitive allocation. Homo Alivisor. ”
In the new study, the authors examined the fossil ruins of Hominin Midface from the Sima Del Elefante site.
The fragment labeled ATE7-1 consists of a substantial portion of the maxilla and zygote bone from the left side of an adult.
Using both physical evidence and 3D imaging techniques, the researchers reconstructed the fossil fragments, estimated to be between 1.4 million and 1.1 million.
They also discovered additional archaeological sites: stone tools and ruins of slaughtered animals.
“These practices demonstrate that the first Europeans had a close understanding of available animal resources and knew how to systematically utilize them,” Dr. Huguett said.
According to scientists, the ATE7-1 fossil does not display the “modern” midface features found in Homo Alivisor Fossils, but there are some similarities Homo Erectus system.
They tentatively allocated fossils Homo aff. Erectusshows affinity for Homo Erectuswithholding further evidence.
This finding may suggest that at least two people live in Western Europe Homo Early Pleistocene species: Homo aff. Erectusand later Homo Alivisor.
“The evidence is why it was assigned to the ''because it is still insufficient for a definitive classification. Homo aff. Erectus“Dr. Maria Martinon Torres, a researcher at the Centro Nacional de Investigation, said he is a researcher at Evolcion Humana in London and University College London.
“This designation recognizes the affinity of ATE7-1 Homo Erectus While it leaves the possibility that it belongs to another species open. ”
“Our findings demonstrate at least two different human invasions of Western Europe during the Pleistocene era, providing fascinating insights into the evolution of the genus. Homo. ”
“While their size is small, pioneering analysis of facial fragments greatly enriched our understanding of the origins and dynamics of the earliest Europeans on the continent.”
“More research and fossil samples are needed to investigate the relationships between these populations and further improve their classification,” the researchers concluded.
Their paper It was published in the journal this month Nature.
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R. Huguett et al. The oldest human face in Western Europe. NaturePublished online on March 12, 2025. doi:10.1038/s41586-025-08681-0
Paleontologists have studied and described three surfaces, including previously unknown dinosaur tracks, from an area near Biloella in Queensland, Australia.
Surface containing dinosaur tracks from the sandstone Duncreek mine area in the Kalido Basin, Queensland, Australia. Image credits: Romilio et al. , doi: 10.1080/08912963.2025.2472153.
University of Queensland researcher Dr. Anthony Romilio and his colleagues discovered footprints of early Jurassic dinosaurs preserved in three separate rocks in the Kalido Basin.
“One of the surfaces contains a single track, the other has a single trackway consisting of two tracks, and the third has a large concentration of 66 footprints,” they said.
“This is the highest concentration known from the area, with a density of 71 tracks per metre.2and only to specimens of the same age from the Carnarvon Valley, the second highest in Australia. ”
Each footprint has three toes, indicating that it belongs to the dinosaur Ichnospecy anomoepus scambus.
“The Ichnospecies, also discovered at the early Jurassic track sites in Carnarvon Valley and Mount Morgan, shows the prevalence of Ornishikian dinosaurs throughout the region,” the researchers said.
Small filled circular traces, possibly invertebrate burrows Scoritusthe surface is rich and, if correct, indicates that the tracks were formed under sub-light blue to medium energy conditions.
ICHNOSPECIES' Ornithischian Track Maker anomoepus scambus. Image credit: University of Queensland.
“The footprint comes from 47 individual dinosaurs that have passed through patches of wet white clay, and they probably walked or crossed the waterways,” Dr. Romilio said.
“These dinosaurs were small, with legs ranging from 15-50 cm long, and when they left these marks they were moving below 6 km/h.”
“Evidence from skeletal fossils abroad says that dinosaurs with legs like these were herbivores that had long legs, thick bodies, short arms and small heads with beaks.”
Scientists say the newly discovered footprint is about 200 million years old (early Jurassic epoch).
“These footprints provide valuable insight into the abundance and behavior of dinosaurs in an age where body fossils are not present in Australia,” they said.
Their paper It was published in the journal on March 10th, 2025 Historical Biology.
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Anthony Romillio et al. Dinosaur footprints from sandstones in the Lower Jurassic (Hetangian-Cinemurian), the Kalido Basin, Queensland, Australia. Historical BiologyPublished online on March 10th, 2025. doi:10.1080/08912963.2025.2472153
Searching for the land refugia is essential for human survival during the hypothetical sixth mass extinction. Studying comparable crises in the past can provide insights, but there is no evidence of fossils of diverse giant fluid ecosystems that survived the most severe biological crisis of the past 540 million years. In a new study, paleontologists have investigated plant and tetrapod fossils and various microfossils in the Permian-Triassic Nantaodonggou section in Xinjiang, China. Their fossil records reveal the presence of gymnasium forests and fern fields in a vibrant area, but marine life has experienced mass extinction.
Artistic reconstruction of the end of Permian mass extinctions based on fossil parinomorphs, plants, and tetrapods, and the end of Permian mass extinctions based on sedimentary data from the Southern Jiang section of China's New Jiang. Image credit: DH Yang.
The mass extinction of Permian, which occurred about 252 million years ago, is widely recognized as the most serious of the five major plant zoic extinctions.
This catastrophic event leads to the extinction of about 80% of known species and is a fact that is well supported by marine fossil records.
Some scientists suggest that volcanic eruptions in Siberia caused widespread terrestrial destruction through wildfires, acid rain and toxic gases.
This evidence includes the continuous extinction of properties. Gigantopteris Flora in southern China Grosso Pteris Flora crossing Gondwanaland around the mass extinction of the Endopermians.
However, other scientists argue that these devastating effects are limited by latitude and atmospheric circulation.
Several fossil discoveries suggest that certain Mesozoic plants exist before extinction events, referring to uninterrupted evolution.
Newly discovered fossils from the southern taodonggou section, located in the Tapan Hami Basin in Xinjiang Province, northwestern China, offer a unique perspective.
“We further confirm that the presence of intact tree trunks and fern stems represents local vegetation rather than transported remains,” said Professor Minli Wang, a researcher at the Institute of Geology and Paleontology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
Although some plant species have disappeared locally, researchers have found that the overall extinction rate for spores and pollen species is probably only about 21%.
This conclusion is based on the discovery of many “missing” species in the early Triassic formations elsewhere, indicating temporary migration rather than permanent extinction.
This stable vegetation base was essential for the rapid recovery of local ecosystems.
Fossil evidence shows that within just 75,000 years after the extinction ended, the region supported a diverse tetrapod, including herbivorous. lystrosaurus And carnivorous chronicers show that they can quickly return to complex food webs.
This finding contrasts with previous understanding that it took more than a million years for the ecological restoration of the Endopermians to follow the extinction.
New evidence suggests that local ecological diversity in this field has recovered more than 10 times faster than in other regions.
Scientists cited the region's stable, semi-humid climate as essential to its biological resilience. According to a Paleosol Matrix analysis, the area received consistent rainfall of approximately 1,000 mm per year during this period.
Its consistent precipitation has provided southern gu with more abundant vegetation and habitable environment than other regions following the mass extinction of Permians, providing important support for migrating migrant animals.
Despite its proximity to the volcanic activity that caused the extinction of the Endopermians, the Tarpanhami Basin provides safe shelter for terrestrial life, indicating that even seemingly dangerous places can harbor important biodiversity.
“This suggests that local climate and geographical factors create an incredible pocket of resilience and hope for conservation efforts in the face of changes in the global environment,” says Professor Feng Shui of Nanjing Geology Institute, the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
“In light of current concerns about a potential sixth large-scale extinction driven by human activity, this discovery of a “life oasis” underscores the importance of identifying and protecting such natural refsias. ”
study Published in the journal Advances in science.
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Huiping Peng et al. 2025. Refludium in the abandoned indid: Unearthing the lost flora that escaped the mass extinction of Permians. Advances in science 11 (11); doi:10.1126/sciadv.ads5614
When her school closed in March 2020, Baltimore English teacher Chimere Sweeney thought that once the US got the new SARS-COV-2 virus, she would return to her students. But “There was another plan in life,” she said when she quickly got Covid and never recovered.
Initially, Sweeney developed only muscle pain. By the second week she began having panic attacks, blurry vision, constipation and partial hearing loss. Half of her face freezes “like concrete.” She forgot her phone number and address and stuttered. Within a month of contracting, she lost 30 pounds.
“In two weeks, I was told I would be better,” said Sweeney, now 42. “But my two weeks didn't come.”
Almost five years later, she still suffers from severe whole body pain, insomnia, depression, painful rash and boiling, uncontrollable urination, short-term memory loss and irregular periods.
“I'm a healthy 37-year-old woman and I might have had to pop allergy pills many times, but I took 10-12 medications per day to control almost every system in my body,” Sweeney said.
The World Health Organization characterized Covid as a pandemic on March 11, 2020, so scientists don't fully understand why some people develop chronic diseases and disordered conditions after their first virus infection. The US may have come throughout the winter after the first pandemic without a massive surge in cases, but each infection is at risk of developing a long community. Some scientists are looking for a new type of clinical trial designed for the longest and most debilitating covid patients.
Long covid is known to be the cause Over 200 different symptoms There are no approved tests or recommended treatments in almost 12 organ systems, including those of the heart, lungs, kidneys, brain, eyes and skin. Research shows long covid It's more common for middle-aged people, especially women and those with weakened immune systems, but anyone who catches the virus can get it.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that there is one in every 20 adults in the United States, or about 14 million. Living with a long covid. Other data shows that 5.8 million children It may be affected by the condition as well. However, experts say these numbers are likely to be underestimated as there is no official surveillance system in place.
Billion Dollar Research Initiative Called Recover Started by the National Institutes of Health, finding the causes and potential treatments of covid, I've reached that promisesays scientists and patient advocates.
Meanwhile, experts fear that extreme cuts in federal spending by the Trump administration could be possible It undermines long Covid's research effortswhich could further delay the discovery of treatment. Last month, President Donald Trump ended his secretary as a health and welfare secretary Advisory Committee on Long Covid.
This indefinite dye microscope image, available to the US National Institutes of Health in February 2020, shows the novel coronavirus SARS-COV-2, shown in yellow, emerges from the cell surface and is cultured in laboratory culture.niaid-rml via AP file
W. Medical Director, UT Health Austin. Dr. Michael Broad Post-Covid-19 Program In Texas, “We build boats while we're at the sea and we're trying to understand together. [with patients] …But we need to build on the progress we have already made. ”
“We are not offering answers that are worthy of the public health crisis we are facing,” he said.
Causes of long covids
SARS-COV-2, which causes Covid, is not the only virus that causes prolonged symptoms. Another condition called myalgia encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) shares many similarities with the long community; Caused by infection Among other things, Epstein Barr, influenza, and water cell-zoster virus.
Brode said Covid is unique because it is more likely to cause chronic disease than other pathogens. It has not yet been determined why it could lead to long-term symptoms. Experts have come to several theories so far.
One idea is that Virus remains hidden in different tissues Broad said after the infection subsided. These viral particles continue to thrust and stimulate the immune system in ways that cause long covid symptoms.
Another potential cause is Reactivation of other virusessitting in a dormant state of people's bodies, such as EBV and HIV.
Dr. Igor Coralnik, co-director of Northwest Medicine's Comprehensive COVID-19 Centre, said Covid could also trick the immune system into producing antibodies that attack people's own healthy organs and tissues.
Some evidence shows covid It affects the inner layer of blood vesselswhich leads to the formation of small clots and helps explain the symptoms, such as irregular heartbeat and heart failure, that some long-term community patients experience, Koralnik said.
It is unclear whether one or a combination of these factors will cause long covid, experts say. But the evidence suggests that they are all linked to an increase in inflammation in the body, Coralnik said, it's yours The risk of long covid increases with each covid infection.
“It's like a river that's over a dam,” Coralnik said. “The more episodes of Covid, the higher the river levels will go to where it is overflowing, and there will be a long flood of COVID symptoms.”
Diagnosis of long covids can be complicated
There are diagnostic tools to check for long covid symptoms, such as MRI scans for heart abnormalities. There are no tests that can diagnose the condition Or distinguish it from similar diseases, the CDC says.
As a result, people need to stay away from work, school or other responsibilities and endure numerous clinical tests and scans that are not only expensive, but also stressful and time-consuming. This is a broad exclusion process that prevents people from getting the help they need, Broad said.
Eye, intestine, and immune system clue
The current challenge is to find one or more biomarkers of genes, proteins, or other substances associated with a particular condition that will help diagnose long covid.
a Recover your research Released last year, routine lab tests, including 25 standard blood and urine tests, showed little difference in biomarkers, with or without previous symbiotic infections. Researchers concluded that these tests may not be useful in the diagnosis of long-term COVID.
Koralnik and his team recently discovered that people with long covids are reducing blood flow in small blood vessels in the retina. This reduced flow is thought to reduce blood circulation in and around the brain, and the small organelles called mitochondria, which convert oxygen into energy, are described as “toxic.”
This theory can explain why many people with long covid experience cognitive problems, fatigue and exercise intolerance, Coralnik said. Overall, the findings published in the Journal of Imaging in February are The retina can become a long covid biomarker.
Other studies suggest that biomarkers may be present in the gut and immune system, but Brode noted that these early findings are based on small groups of people and should be considered in salt grains.
As useful as diagnostic tests, experts say that for those with prolonged symptoms, some experts should not slow scientists in searching for long covid treatments.
Julia Moore Vogel, senior program director at Scripps Research, and Patient-led research cooperation Regarding long covid, he said that other conditions like migraines do not have reliable biomarkers or tests to confirm the diagnosis. Several drugs have been approved To handle it.
“I think we'll get there,” said Vogel, a long-distance runner before developing the long-time Covid in 2020. “But I personally don't think it should contain anything.”
Unfortunate advances in long covid treatments
The Food and Drug Administration has not approved treatments, particularly for long covids. Experts are not sure if they'll get it anytime soon.
“When I first got sick, I was OK, I had to survive for just three to five years. At least, I think I have options as I have decent symptom management trial data. But we've made little progress in treatment,” Vogel said. “There are currently promising research beginning, but it's not close to the amount that should be burdened by the disease.”
Most clinical trials test whether medications used to treat other conditions are useful for long-term COVID. For example, researchers at the University of British Columbia Low-dose naltrexone – Approved drugs for opioid and alcohol use disorders. The drug is thought to have anti-inflammatory and pain relief properties and is used off-label in people with fibromyalgia and ME/CFS, making it potential as a long-term symbiotic treatment.
Other drugs Barishinibapproved for treating rheumatoid arthritis and acute charlation, and Temelimabuexperimental drugs often administered to people with multiple sclerosis have also been investigated as potential long covid treatments.
Instead of a particular treatment, people with long covids must balance rest and activity in a strategy called pacing and undergo physical and cognitive behavioral therapy for further support. Many people will often rely on several drugs, including antiviral Paxlovid, to treat symptoms.
But realistically, “we may not actually have one silver bullet treatment,” says Alison Cohen, an epidemiologist at the University of California, San Francisco, who coexisted for three years for a long time. Cohen said that long covid will take a “multi-faceted approach” to take a “multi-faceted approach” in a very diverse way.
What will you do in the future for recovery?
As long as SARS-COV-2 continues to spread, everyone is at risk of a long Covid, Cohen said. And now, evidence shows that recovery from the condition is rare. A survey released last month found it Only about 6% of people with long covid recover According to Cohen, two years later. Covid vaccinations were associated with better long-term recovery, especially among those who won booster shots.
People who improve are experiencing many “ups and downs,” Coralnik said. “You need to expect a lot of collisions on the road.”
“Living with a long Covid is tiring,” Cohen said. “So for everyone who doesn't live with it, it's important to think about what we can do to support those who have them.”
In the meantime, clinical trials must be designed to accommodate and include the patients they intend, Vogel said. Many people are tied to their homes and beds and cannot travel due to the risk of multiple in-person visits or flare-ups of symptoms, she added. “There are too many things you can't know until you put them on the table,” she said.
Although we don't know when a long community community finally gets the answers and security they need, Vogel keeps her head high.
“We know we can do that. We are confident that a well-designed and well-tested exam will at least improve the quality of life. “But I can't think of any other way. I can't accept that this is for my life.”
It is explained in the paper published today journal Natural Astronomy the discovery means that habitable deplanets may have begun to form much earlier, before they were formed billions of years ago.
This artist's impression shows the evolution of the universe, beginning with the Big Bang on the left. After that, you will see the microwave background of the universe. The formation of the first stars ends the dark ages of the universe, followed by the formation of galaxies. Image credit: M. Weiss/Harvard – Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics.
“We had no oxygen before the first star exploded, so there was no water in space,” said Daniel Warren, an astronomer at the University of Portsmouth.
“Only a very simple nucleus survived the Big Bang: hydrogen, helium, lithium, trace amounts of barium and boron.”
According to Dr. Whalen and his colleagues, water molecules began to form shortly after the first supernova explosion known as the Population III Supernova.
These cosmic events that occurred on first generation stars were essential to creating the heavy elements (such as oxygen) needed for water to exist.
“The oxygen forged in the hearts of these supernovas combines with hydrogen to form water, paving the way for the creation of the essential elements needed for life,” Dr. Whalen said.
In their study, researchers looked at two types of supernovae. This produces corecrolaps supernovae, which produces a modest amount of heavy elements, and more energetic POP III supernovae.
They discovered that both types of supernovae form dense masses of rich gas in water.
The overall amount of water produced by these early supernovae was modest, but was highly concentrated in a gas-dense area called the cloud core, which is thought to be the birthplace of stars and planets.
These early, water-rich regions may have sown planetary formations at the dawn of space long before the first galaxy took shape.
“A significant discovery is that the primitive supernova formed water in the universe ahead of the first galaxy,” Dr. Hualen said.
“So water was already an important component of the first galaxy.”
“This means that the conditions necessary for the formation of life were in place faster than we could have imagined, meaning it was an important step in our early understanding of the universe.”
“The total water mass was modest, but it was very concentrated on the only structures that could form stars and planets.”
“And that suggests that before the first galaxy, a water-rich planetary disc could form at the dawn of space.”
Paleontologists have documented a collection of bone tools from one horizon, 1.5 million years ago, in Tanzania’s All-Bai Valley. These bone tools preceded more than a million years ago other evidence of systematic bone tool production, shedding new light on the almost unknown world of early human bone technology.
The elephant’s humerus, which was 1.5 million years ago, has soaked into the tool. Image credit: CSIC.
Early humans had already made stone tools with some capacity for at least a million years, but there was little evidence of widespread adoption from bones about 500,000 years ago.
Humanity, who shaped the newly discovered bone tools, did it in the same way they created stone tools by shaving small flakes and creating sharp edges.
The transfer of this technology from one medium to another shows that the human race who made bone tools had a high understanding of tool creation, and that they can adapt their technology to different materials, important intellectual leaps.
It could be that human ancestors at the time had higher levels of cognitive skills and brain development than scientists thought.
“The discovery envisages that early humans will greatly expand their technical options, previously limited to stone tools production, and now allow new raw materials to be incorporated into a repertoire of potential artifacts.”
“At the same time, this expansion of technological potential demonstrates the advances in the cognitive and mental structures of these humans, who knew how to incorporate innovation by adapting knowledge of stone work to manipulation of bones.”
“The tool provides evidence that their creators work carefully on the bones, shatter the flakes and create useful shapes,” says Dr. Renata Peters, a researcher at the University of London.
“We were excited to find these bone tools from these early time frames.”
“It means that human ancestors were able to transfer skills from stones to bones, a level of complex cognition that we have not seen elsewhere in a million years.”
The 1.5 million-year-old bone tool was discovered at the T69 complex site in Friedalie Ki Collongo West Gully in the All-By Valley in northern Tanzania.
The research authors discovered a collection of 27 bones shaped into the site’s tools. The bones mostly came from large mammals, mostly elephants and hippopotamus.
The tool is made only from the bones of the animal’s limbs. These are because they are the most dense and strong.
Very early stone tools have come from the All Old One era, which grew from about 2.7 million to 1.5 million years ago. It employs a simple method of making stone tools by shaving one or several flakes from the stone core using hammer stones.
The bone tool reported in the current study was a time when ancient human ancestors began in the Akeirian era, when they began around 1.7 million years ago.
Acheulean technology is best characterized by using more complex hand axes carefully shaped by napping.
Bone tools show that these more advanced techniques have been carried over and adopted for use in bone.
Prior to this discovery, bones shaped into tools were only sporadically identified in rare and isolated cases of the fossil record, not a way to imply that human ancestors systematically produced them.
Due to the overall shape, size and sharp edges, exactly what the tool was used is unknown, but it may have been used to deal with animal corpses in food.
It is also unknown that human ancestor species created the tool.
Alongside the collection of bone artifacts, no relics of humanity were found, but they are known at the time, Homo Erectus and Paranthropus Boisei He was a resident of this area.
“These tools were such an unexpected discovery, so we hope that our findings will encourage archaeologists to reconsider bone discoveries around the world in case other evidence of bone tools is missed,” the researchers said.
Their paper Today I’ll be appearing in the journal Nature.
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I. de la Torr et al. Systematic bone tool production 1.5 million years ago. NaturePublished online on March 5th, 2025. doi:10.1038/s41586-025-08652-5
A team of geologists from Curtin University discovered clear evidence of a high-speed impact that occurred 3.47 billion years ago (Archean EON) in the heart of the Pilbara region of Western Australia. This discovery makes it the oldest impact crater found on Earth, surpassing the previous record of 2.2 billion years.
Grind cones from the Arctic Dome in the heart of Australia’s Pilbara region. Image credit: Curtin University.
“When more than a million craters with diameters exceeding 1 km and over 40 km, more than 100 km, the moon holds an exquisite record of the intense artillery fire that the body of the inner solar system has endured during the first billion years of its history.”
“On Earth, this early impact record appears to reflect the destructive efficiency of erosion and subduction, bringing the primary skin back to the convection mantle.”
“Nevertheless, the oldest part of many cratons, the ancient (4-2.5 billion years ago) nuclei of the continent formed 3.5 billion years ago, must maintain evidence of impact fluxes beyond similar regions of the moon of comparable age.”
“However, the oldest recognized terrestrial impact structure in Yarabuba, Western Australia dates 2.23 billion years ago. Where are Archean Craters?”
Professor Johnson and his co-authors investigated the Archiunlock Formation at the Arctic Dome in the Pilbara region and discovered evidence affecting major metstones 3.5 billion years ago.
“This discovery has challenged our previous assumptions about the ancient history of our planet,” Professor Johnson said.
Researchers discovered Archean Crater thanks to crushed cones. This is a unique rock formation that has only formed under the intense pressure of the Metstone strike.
The crushed cone at the site, about 40 km west of the marble bar, was formed when metstones over 36,000 km/h were pounded into the area.
This was a major planetary event, with craters over 100 km wide sending fragments flying around the world.
“We know that in the early solar systems, seeing the moon is common,” Professor Johnson said.
“To date, the absence of truly ancient craters means they are largely ignored by geologists.
“This study provides an important part of the puzzle of Earth’s impact history and suggests that there may be many other ancient craters that can be discovered over time.”
“The discovery shed new light on the way metstones formed the early environment of the Earth,” said Chris Kirkland, a professor at Curtin University.
“Discovering this impact and finding more from the same period can explain a lot about how life began, as impact craters created an environment that is friendly to microbial life, such as heated pools.”
“It also fundamentally refines our understanding of the formation of the earth’s crust. The enormous amount of energy from this impact may have played a role in shaping the early Earth’s crust by pushing part of the Earth’s crust underneath another or rising from deeper into the Earth’s mantle towards the surface.
“It may have contributed to the formation of the craton, the large, stable land that formed the foundation of the continent.”
Discoveries are reported in a paper In the journal Natural Communication.
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CL Kirkland et al. 2025. The Old Archian Impact Crater in Pyrabara Craton, Western Australia. Nut commune 16, 2224; doi:10.1038/s41467-025-57558-3
Washington – Early Man utilized animal bones to create cutting tools 1.5 million years ago on a regular basis.
A recent discovery of 27 sculptures and sharp bones from elephants and hippos in Tanzania’s All-Bai Valley site has extended the timeline for the use of ancient bones by around a million years. Researchers already knew that early individuals crafted simple tools from stones as long ago as 3.3 million years.
New discoveries of ancient humans published in Nature on Wednesday have shown that they had a more sophisticated toolkit, incorporating various materials, according to William Harcourt Smith, a paleontologist at the American Museum of Natural History. He was not involved in the study.
A well-preserved bone tool measuring up to 16 inches (40 cm) may have been created by fracturing the bulky ends of leg bones and chipping off the flakes from the remaining bone shaft using stones. Research co-author Ignacio de la Torre, a researcher at the Spanish National Research Council, explained that this technique was used to produce one sharp edge and one tip.
The bone tools were likely used as hand axes, handheld blades not attached to a handle, for the purpose of butchering animal carcasses.
These blades were ideal for removing flesh from elephant and hippo carcasses but were not utilized as spears or projectiles. “I don’t believe they were hunting these animals. They were likely scavenging,” he stated.
Numerous artifacts exhibit signs of being struck in order to remove more than dozens of flakes, indicating a sustained level of craftsmanship.
The consistent choice of bones – specifically large, heavy leg bones from a particular animal – and a pattern of uniform modifications suggest that early humans deliberately selected and crafted these bones, as noted by paleobiologist Milia Pacheco from the Federal University of San Carlos in Brazil, who was not part of the study.
The bones show minimal signs of erosion, trampling, or gnawing by other animals, ruling out the possibility of natural factors shaping the tools.
These bone tools date back over a million years, predating the emergence of our species, Homo Sapiens, by approximately 300,000 years.
According to Brianna Poviner, a paleontologist with the Smithsonian Human Origins program, when the tools were created, three types of human ancestors coexisted in the same East African region.
This tool could have been created and used by Homo Erectus, Homo Habilis, or Paranthropus Boisei. “It could have been any of these three, but it’s nearly impossible to determine which one,” Poviner mentioned.
A new study led by scientists at the Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology challenges traditional ideas about the habitability of ancient tropical forests and suggests that West Africa may be an important center of the evolution of our species. Homo sapiens.
The Bete I site in Ivory Coast and other African sites from around 130,000-190,000 years ago. Image credits: Awakening et al. , doi: 10.1038/s41586-025-08613-y.
Homo sapiens It is believed that it appeared in Africa about 300,000 years ago before it was dispersed around the world.
Humans lived in the rainforests in Asia and Oceania 45,000 years ago, but there was the earliest evidence to connect people to the rainforests in Africa about 18,000 years ago.
“Our species are thought to have emerged in Africa 300,000 years ago before they were dispersed to occupy all the biomes of the world, from deserts to densely populated rainforests,” says Dr. Eslem Ben Araus, a researcher at the National Center for Human Evolution and a geographer at the Max Planck Institute.
“While grasslands and coasts are usually given advantages in studying the cultural and environmental contexts of human emergence and spread, recent evidence relates several regions and ecosystems during the early prehistoric periods of our species.”
“The tropical rainforest settlements in Asia and Oceania have been well documented as early as 45,000 years ago, and perhaps 73,000 years ago.”
“However, despite evidence that central Stone Age assembly is widespread in modern African rainforest regions, the oldest safe and close human associations with such damp tropical forests in Africa are not more than about 18,000.”
In their study, in the Agnama region of Côte de Iboir in West Africa, Dr. Auros and co-authors focused on the archaeological site of Bethe I.
The site is 150,000 years old and contains signs of human occupation, such as stone tools such as picks and small objects.
“Several recent climate models suggest that even during the arid season of forest fragmentation, the area may have been a refuge for rainforests,” said Professor Eleanor Serli, a researcher at the Max Planck Institute.
“We knew this site offered the best possible opportunity to know how much it has returned to past rainforest settlements.”
Researchers investigated sediment samples of precipitated plants called pollen, silicid plant plants, and investigated wax isotopes in the leaves.
Their analysis shows that the area is rich in woodland and has pollen and leaf wax typical of wet West African rainforests.
Low levels of grass pollen showed that this site was not in narrow forest strips and not in dense forests.
“This exciting discovery is the first in a long list, as there are other Koiboria sites waiting to be investigated to study the human presence associated with rainforests.”
“Convergent evidence shows that there is no doubt that ecological diversity is at the heart of our species,” added Professor Scerri.
“This reflects the complex history of the population plots in which different populations lived in different regions and habitat types.”
“We now need to ask how these early human niche expansions affected the flora and fauna that shared the same niche space with humans.”
“In other words, how much will human changes in human nature's habitat return?”
study Today I'll be appearing in the journal Nature.
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E. Ben Aurus et al. A man from a wet tropical forest in Africa 150,000 years ago. NaturePublished online on February 26th, 2025. doi:10.1038/s41586-025-08613-y
kEnjikanno, director of Sega’s legendary driving game Crazy Taxi, recalls the pivotal moment when he realized the game had made an earthquake-like impression. “I was heading to Las Vegas for promotional work,” he recounts. “I got into a taxi, the driver sped me off quickly and promptly reached my destination. Finally, he chuckled and said, ‘I’m a truly crazy taxi!’. It was a bizarre experience.”
Originally launched in arcades, The Zany, Pop-Punk Drive-Em’ -Up, is commemorating its 25th anniversary this month. Crazy Taxi was an addictive coin-operated thrill ride. The quirky nature of the game consistently exclaimed, “Are you ready to have some fun?” and “Crazy time is money!” with a plain, ordinary face amidst the chaos of just wanting to drive to Pizza Hut. Racing a green-haired Axel Yellow 1960 Cadillac El Dorado so swiftly that the front bumper crashed into a concrete hill in Sunny San Francisco. (My mom’s favorite character was Jenna, who drove the Ford Mustang.)
I can still recall spending the entire summer trying to master the “crazy dash” technique instead of playing outside with my friends. The subsequent ports on PlayStation 2, GameCube, and Xbox 360 were a hit, drawing millions of Crazy Taxi sales, proving that creating a hit wasn’t a walk in the park back then.
A memorable experience for everyone who played… a crazy taxi. Photo: Sega
The rock band The Offspring contributed a turbo-charged guitar riff to the Crazy Taxi soundtrack, a time capsule from the turn of the millennium. The game captured the carefree hyperactivity of America pre 9/11 in the late ’90s/early ’00s. The era when the biggest concern for many youngsters was whether Stone Cold Steve Austin would retain the WWE World title.
Despite its successful cross-over, Crazy Taxi faced opposition from many early critics, as recalled by Kanno. “During the initial stages of development, more than half of the project team vehemently opposed the idea of a game centered around taxi drivers,” he reminisces.
“What I wanted to express most about the craziest taxi was the dynamism of the movie car chase.” Photo: Sega
Yet, Kanno was intrigued by the challenge of transforming the ominous taxi driver stereotype, prevalent in the 1998 Luc Besson action comedy film Taxi, into a more endearing figure. The crazy taxi driver is clearly not sinister. Kanno aimed to do for the taxi driver what Paperboy did for paperboys. “I told the team: ‘I believe it’s the responsibility of game creators to make mundane work appear cooler! We might be envisioning something unprecedented, but we have to do it.’
Recounting his childhood, Kanno describes taxis as somewhat magical. “In Japan, taxi doors open automatically. As a child, I pondered why the taxi doors opened upon approach while our family car doors remained shut. This intrigued me so much that I began to view taxis as these enchanting entities.” As he matured, Kanno delved into old Hollywood films, aspiring to capture the same thrill and glamour showcased in iconic driving sequences like the Italian Job and French Connection. Locations such as San Francisco were ideal. “What I most wanted to convey about Crazy Taxi was the dynamic feel of a movie car chase, as San Francisco, with its numerous undulations, always allows for such action to be expressed.”
Unlike most racing games, Crazy Taxi demands quick decision-making on your feet rather than memorizing the track. (This ethos of a chaotic approach can be seen in Simpsons: Road Rage, which essentially adopted the crazy taxi concept in the Springfield setting.) “It’s a game that constantly challenges players to make split-second decisions in evolving scenarios,” Kanno explains. “Therefore, I made other vehicles obstacles. The design isn’t about mastering all the routes and finding the perfect line, but about maneuvering through ever-changing traffic.”
Technical limitations at the time curtailed the planned multiplayer mode. Nonetheless, the leaderboard enabled competitive battles among friends. For those struggling to surpass the 2-minute mark while playing Crazy Taxi (FYI: One rooftop shortcut is a game-changer), is there a possibility of a modern multiplayer-enabled sequel? “I can’t divulge much,” Kanno responds. “But Crazy Taxi will soon have you grinning ear to ear once again!”
Tribal palm trees Trachycarpeae Fossilization analysis shows that it once flourished in Axiang Canada Phytris – Microscopic siliceous structures produced in specific tissues in many plant families – from the territory of the northwestern Canada.
Palm plant stones from the Eocene Giraffe Region (AQ) and modern plant stones extracted from Coryphoid Palm leaves Trachycarpus Fortunei. Image credit: Siver et al. , doi: 10.1093/aob/mcaf021.
“The palm is a monocot flowering plant of the Arecaceae family distributed primarily to tropical and subtropical regions around the world,” the University of Connecticut said. Professor Peter Siver And his colleague.
“It's a large family, with a particularly high variety of species, especially in Central and South America and Southeast Asia.”
“In general, the palms thrive in warm, wet conditions, so the majority of the species are found in rainforests.”
“There are significantly fewer species found in both Southern Europe and the southern regions of the United States, and families are completely lacking in more north latitudes.”
“In the southeastern US subtropical area, the palm is largely restricted to state coastal areas along the Gulf of Mexico, and some inland along the Atlantic coast that stretches north along Florida. It's growing to Tennessee.”
“The majority of the palms are found in climates marked with both high average annual temperatures and high average annual rainfall, but several species can be found under cool, dry conditions.”
Professor Siver and co-authors discovered fossilized plant matter from a tree in Trachycarpeae in ancient lakebed sediments extracted from the area of the Giraffin Balite Pipe in Canada's northwest territory.
Four aquatic organisms, largely restricted to today's warm subtropical and tropical regions, were also found in the same sediments.
These 48 million years ago (early Eocene) fossils exhibit much warmer climates than previously thought, challenging the challenge of ice that first formed in the Northern Hemisphere.
“This discovery of palm fossils in the north provides clear evidence that the Arctic Circle was once iceless and has a climate similar to today's subtropical climate,” Professor Shiver said.
“These findings provide a window into past greenhouse conditions and help refine models to predict future climate change.”
In addition to confirming records of the northernmost palms during this period, the authors established that this evolutionary characteristic appeared in the early Eocene: linear arrays of plant matter in palm leaves., Fossilized Stegmata – Fossilized Stegmata were also recorded.
The presence of multiple warm, adaptive aquatic species further strengthens the support of this prehistoric Arctic region's lush, temperate ecosystem.
“Our research contributes to a broader understanding of the extent and timing of ice formation in the Earth's climate history, particularly during the Cenozoic era,” the researchers said.
“Restructuring these past environments will give scientists valuable insight into how ecosystems respond to long-term climate change.”
Survey results It will be displayed in the journal The Anniversary of Botany.
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Peter A. Shiver et al. Palmphytris in sub-Western Canada means ice-free winter in the late Eocene period 48 million years ago. The Anniversary of BotanyPublished online on February 10th, 2025. doi:10.1093/aob/mcaf021
This supernova event may have occurred at the Upper Centaurus Lupus Society. This is a group of giant stars about 457 light years away from Earth.
Illustration of an exoplanet like Earth after X-ray radiation exposure. Image credit: NASA/CXC/M. Weiss.
Life on Earth is constantly evolving under continuous exposure to ionizing radiation from both terrestrial and cosmic origins.
The radioactivity in the bedrock gradually decreases over timescales of billions of years, but the level of cosmic radiation fluctuates as the solar system moves through the Milky Way.
Nearby supernova activity could increase the level of radiation on the Earth’s surface by several orders of magnitude, which is expected to have a major impact on the evolution of life.
In particular, radiation levels improve as the solar system passes near a large group of stars known as the OB Association.
The winds associated with these large star factories are expected to inflate the super bubbles of high temperature plasma first. This could be the birthplace of most of the Core Collapse explosions taking place within the AB Association.
The solar system entered such a super bubble, commonly known as the local bubble, about 6 million years ago, and is now close to its centre.
“The Earth entered the local bubble and passed its stardust-rich appearance about 6.5 million years ago, sowing the planet with old iron 60, the radioactive iron of iron produced by the exploding stars. did it,” astronomer Santa Cruz, and colleagues at the University of California.
“Then, 20-3 million years ago, one of our neighboring stars exploded with incredible force, providing another cohort of radioactive iron to the planet.”
When Nojiri and her co-authors simulated what the supernova looked like, they discovered that it hammered the Earth with cosmic rays for 100,000 years of explosion.
This model perfectly described previously recorded spikes of radiation that shocked the Earth around that time.
“We’ve seen from other papers that radiation can damage DNA,” Nojiri said.
“It could be an evolutionary change in the cell or an accelerated mutation.”
Meanwhile, the author came across research into viral diversity in one of the Rift Valley Lakes in Africa.
“I can’t say they’re connected, but there are similar time frames,” Nojiri said.
“We found it interesting that the virus’s diversification is increasing.”
study It was published in Astrophysics Journal Letter.
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Caitlyn Nojiri et al. 2025. Bubble Life: How nearby supernova left short-lived marks on the cosmic ray spectrum, leaving an indelible trace of life. apjl 979, L18; doi: 10.3847/2041-8213/ADA27A
Paleontologists at American universities in Cairo and elsewhere say they found the almost perfect skull of Hyaenodont Bust Don Siltos in the lower part of the Ebel Catrani Formation in Egypt.
Bust Don Siltos. Image credit: Ahmad Morsi.
Bust Don Siltos lived in Egypt’s lush forests around 30 million years ago during the Oligocene era. Egypt is now home to the desert.
It is also known as Pterodon syrtos, the ancient species had the weight of hyenas or leopards (27 kg).
The animal had sharp teeth and strong jaw muscles, suggesting a strong bite.
It had a highly carnivorous diet that likely preyed on primates, early hippos, early elephants, and other large mammals.
“Bust Don Siltos belongs to a species of extinct group of carnivorous mammals known as hyaenodonts,” Dr. Shoruk al Ashkar, a paleontologist at Mansora University, American University in Cairo and colleagues, said.
“Hyenodons evolved before modern carnivorous animals such as cats, dogs and hyenas.”
“After the extinction of dinosaurs, these predators with hyena-like teeth hunted in African ecosystems.”
The skull of Bust Don Siltos was excavated in the Jebel Catlany Formation in the Faium depression.
“For several days, our team excavated a densely packed layer of rock dating back about 30 million years,” said Dr. Al Ashkar.
“As we were about to wrap up, our team members found something amazing. A large set of teeth sticking out from the ground.”
“His excited cry united the team and marked the beginning of an extraordinary discovery. The almost complete skull of an ancient apex carnivorous animal – a dream for a vertebrate paleontologist.”
“Faium is one of Africa’s most important fossil regions,” added Dr. Matt Bose, fossil curator at the Duke University Museum of Natural History.
“Without it, we would know little about the origins of African ecosystems and the evolution of African mammals like elephants, primates, and hyenodon.”
“Discovering Bustodon is an important achievement in understanding the diversity and evolution of Hyaenodonts and its global distribution,” said Dr. Al-Ashqar.
“We want to continue our research to unravel the complex relationships between these ancient predators and their environments across time and the continent.”
In their study, the authors also reevaluated a group of lion-sized hyanodons discovered in the rocks of Faium over 120 years ago.
They established a new genus of hyaenodont, sekhmetops, and reanalyzed materials from 33.8 million years ago.
They demonstrated that both Bustodon and sekhmetops actually belonged to the Hyaenodont group, which originated in Africa.
“Relatives of Bustodon and sekhmetops spread across multiple waves from Africa and eventually reached Asia, Europe, India, and North America,” they said.
“18 million years ago, some relatives of these Hyaenodonts were among the largest mammalian meat eaters to walk the planet.”
“However, radical changes in Africa’s global climate and geological shifts opened the continent to modern cats, dogs, and hyena ancestors.”
“As the environment and prey changed, the specialized and carnivorous hyaenodonts became less diverse and eventually became extinct, bringing primate relatives face to face with new adversaries.”
Survey results will be published in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology.
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Shorouq F. al-ashqar et al. Cranial anatomy of hypercarnivore Bust Don Siltos Gen. November. (hyaenodonta, hyainailourinae) and reevaluation of Pterodon in Africa. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology Published online on February 16th, 2025. doi:10.1080/02724634.2024.2442472
American and Australian paleontologists have discovered and explained the new, almost complete skull of Vegavis Iaai, a diver bird species in Footpro, which lived in Antarctica during the latest Cretaceous period between 69.2 and 68.4 million years ago. New fossils provide insight into bird feeding ecology and show morphology that supports placement among waterfowls in Crown Group (modern) birds.
Vegavis Iaai. Image credit: Mark Whitton.
Vegavis Iaai was first discovered 20 years ago by a research team led by Austin paleontologists, led by the University of Texas.
At the time, the species was proposed as an early member of the crown bird, which evolved into nests among waterfowls.
However, crown birds are very rare before end extinction, and more recent research has raised questions about the evolutionary position of Vegavis Iaai.
“There are few birds who are likely to start as many arguments as paleontologists do. Vegavis,” said Professor Christopher Torres of the University of the Pacific.
“This new fossil will help resolve many of these debates. Chief among them: Where are you? Vegavis Iaai Are you sitting on the bird of life tree?”
Professor Torres and his colleagues produced an almost complete three-dimensional reconstruction of the new specimen.
Team analysis reveals typical bird brain shapes and supports the placement of Vegavis Iaai among the waterfowl family, and as relatives of ducks and geese.
However, in this study, the birds had elongated, pointed beaks that drive the strengthened jaw muscles.
“The fossil highlights that Antarctica has a lot to say to us about the early stages of modern bird evolution,” said Professor Patrick O’Connor of Ohio University.
“A bird known almost simultaneously from other parts of the globe is barely recognizable by modern bird standards.”
Furthermore, most of the few sites that have even preserved delicate bird fossils produce incomplete specimens that are so incomplete that they don’t only give hints to their identities. Vegavis until now.
“And some places with substantial fossil records of late Cretaceous birds like Madagascar and Argentina are the strange birds with teeth and long bone tails that are only associated with modern birds. It reveals birds.”
“It seems that something very different is happening in the distance in the Southern Hemisphere, especially in the Antarctic.”
Cr Torres et al. 2025. The skulls of Cretaceous Antarctic birds elucidate the ecological diversity of early birds. Nature 638, 146-151; doi:10.1038/s41586-024-08390-0
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Masachusetts Men agree to be guilty of a seven-year cyberstalking campaign, including using artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots to pose as a professor at a university and invite men online to their home address.
36-year-old James Florence used platforms such as Crushon.ai and Janitorai. This allowed users to design their chatbot and engage with other users during chats. The victim’s identity was kept secret by law enforcement officials.
According to the court, Florence utilized chatbots to share personal information, engage in sexual dialogue, and even steal underwear from the victims. He admitted to these actions and was charged with cyberstalking and child pornography possession.
The case, filed in the Massachusetts Federal Court, marked the first instance of a stalker being charged for using chatbots to commit crimes. This new method of targeting victims using AI has raised concerns about online safety.
Stefan Turkheimer of Rainn, a non-profit anti-abuse organization, described this case as “incredible” and emphasized the potential dangers of using AI for predatory purposes.
Florence’s use of chatbots, especially on Janitorai, to harass and humiliate the victims has shocked many. The court documents reveal the extent of his actions and the methods he used to target his victims.
The stalking and harassment lasted from 2017 to 2024, causing fear and distress to the victims and their families. Measures like installing surveillance cameras and altering daily routines were taken to ensure safety.
Florence’s actions extended beyond one victim, targeting multiple women and girls and sharing explicit content online. The use of AI for harassment and abuse is a growing concern, as it enables perpetrators to cause more harm.
The August report by the non-profit THORN emphasized the increasing use of AI for sexual harassment and exploitation, particularly involving children. It highlighted the urgent need to address this issue to protect vulnerable individuals.
Turkheimer warned about the potential dangers of AI technology being misused for abuse and called for stricter measures to prevent such malicious activities.
In 1836, European scientists discovered a unique animal in the Amazon River. It resembled an eel, was a few feet long, and had lungs filled with air, leading anatomists to believe it was a reptile.
A year later, another specimen was found in Africa and initially declared an amphibian based on its heart structure. After 30 years of debate, scientific consensus concluded that they were fish, breathing air through lungs rather than gills. Thus, the lung fish was identified.
In situations where they cannot access the water’s surface to breathe, West African lung fish (Protopterus Annectens) have the ability to do so. Their tiny eggs do not provide enough oxygen, but these lung fish have adapted to survive in swamp and river environments, enduring seasonal changes.
Lung fish create burrows in mud, forming mucus-filled chambers where they remain motionless without eating until the rains return, entering a dormant state. This survival tactic can last for several months in the wild, with some lung fish reported to have stayed dormant for up to four years.
The evolution of lung fish dates back over 400 million years, yet many mysteries still surround these creatures, particularly regarding their lung connections to other fish-like features.
Various fish species, such as Bitile and Bow Fin, possess lungs but lack swim bladders. The question of which organ evolved first remains unresolved, highlighting the complexities of evolutionary biology.
Pulmonary fish are often considered the closest living relatives of amphibians -Credit: Albert Guerello
In fish embryos, both swim bladders and lungs develop from intestinal pockets, suggesting a shared evolutionary link. Research indicating a blood system connection further supports the theory that lungs may be older organs than swim bladders, which likely developed later and underwent revisions.
Scholars have long debated whether lung fish, as some of the oldest living fish species, represent a common ancestor linking all vertebrates, including mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians.
Another enigmatic group, the coelacanths, are closely related to lung fish in recent studies, but share a closer link to bony fish like tuna and herring than to terrestrial vertebrates such as humans.
There are currently six species of lung fish in existence, with four originating from Africa. The Australian lung fish, known as Metosera, holds the title of the oldest living fish in captivity, with individuals like Grandad in Chicago’s aquarium reaching ages of over 100 years.
For more fascinating science facts, visit our ultimate fun fact page.
During the Stone Age, the operation of stone tools provides evidence that it was not exclusive to humans, despite the popular image of early humans sitting around campfires or hunting. Even wild chimpanzees ( Pantosloid ) have been observed using stones to open nuts. They place a nut on a flat rock (called an anvil) and strike it with another stone (a hammer), or sometimes with a thick branch.
Research from Africa’s Tai National Park shows that chimpanzees have been using these tools for over 4,000 years. This suggests that the use of stone tools may be a trait inherited from common ancestors, although it’s also possible that different species learned this independently.
Other primates, like capuchin monkeys in Brazil and long-tailed macaques in Thailand, have also been observed using hammer and anvil technology. The capuchin monkeys take up to eight years to master the skill, using stones weighing up to 1 kg (2.2 pounds) to crack nuts, with evidence of this behavior dating back at least 3000 years.
While humans are known for using more advanced stone tools, animals also have their own versions – Credit: Mikroman6
Stone tools are not exclusive to primates either. Otters use stones to crack open shellfish and extract sea snails, while crows in New Caledonia drop hard nuts from heights onto anvils to open and access the contents.
Although stone tool use was once thought to be unique to Homo sapiens, archaeologists have found evidence of stone tool use by earlier human species like Homo habilis. Stone tool manufacturing remains a key aspect of human evolution, connecting ancient actions with the use of these tools. The discovery of other primates using stone tools challenges some of the oldest archaeological sites.
In 2022, archaeologists in Argentina proposed the idea that stone tools found in Brazil 50,000 years ago might have been created by capuchin monkeys, not humans. The quartz tools are similar to those created by present-day capuchin monkeys.
The use of stone tools by monkeys raises questions regarding the origins of tool use between humans and monkeys – CREDIT: chain45154
If these ancient tools were indeed made by monkeys, it would extend the timeline of their stone tool use by thousands of years and raise questions about when Homo sapiens arrived in South America.
Archeologists have also noted similarities between monkey-made stone fragments and human cutting tools, suggesting that early humans may have been influenced by accidental creations to develop their own tools. The discovery raises questions about the origins of the oldest stone tool artifacts.
This article answers the question, “Are we the only species to have passed the Stone Age?” posed by Juanita Andrade via email.
To submit your own question, please email questions@sciencefocus.com or reach out via the Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram page (don’t forget to include your name and location).
For more fascinating science, check out our ultimate fun fact page.
Understanding food chains in ancient ecosystems is one of the goals of paleoecology. Direct evidence of these interactions is rare and includes fossils with stomach contents and bite/teeth marks. A rare occurrence of bite marks on the neck vertebrae of a giant azhdarchyd goat larval vertebral column specimen from the Greater Sublineage of Alberta, Canada. was recorded. Approximately 76 million years ago. Based on the size and shape of the tooth marks and comparisons with modern animals, the authors suggest that crocodiles bite pterosaurs, but it is unclear whether this is active predation or scavenging. I couldn’t do it. Signs of giant pterosaurs are rare, so this provides novel details about how they fit into this ancient ecosystem.
Fossilized neck bones of a young boy Cryodrakon Boreas It shows signs (right part of specimens 2 and 8) that do not indicate that it was bitten by a crocodile-like creature 76 million years ago. Image credit: Brown et al. , doi:10.1017/jpa.2024.12.
The 76-million-year-old neck vertebrae were excavated in July 2023 in the Dinosaur Park Formation in Alberta, Canada.
The preserved (i.e. incomplete) length of the specimen is 5.8 cm. The estimated total length of the vertebrae is 9.4 cm.
The specimen has a circular puncture mark 4 mm wide from a crocodile tooth.
“Peterosaurus bones are very delicate, so it's very unusual to find fossils that were clearly chewed by another animal,” said Dr Caleb Brown, a palaeontologist at the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology. states.
“This specimen is even rarer because it is a juvenile.”
The punctured vertebrae belong to a larva (estimated wingspan 2 m) Cryodrakon Boreasa species of giant azhdarchid pterosaur that lived during the Late Cretaceous in what is now Canada.
Adults of this species will be as tall as a giraffe with a wingspan in an area of 10 m.
“With an estimated wingspan comparable to some of the largest azhdarchids, creedracon And other large azhdarchids were probably significant terrestrial foragers,” said the paleontologist.
“Bite marks, implanted teeth, and stomach contents indicate that the azhdarchid pterosaurs were fed by velociraptrines and crocodiles.”
Cryodrakon Boreas. Image credit: David Maas.
In this study, they used micro-CT scans and comparisons with other pterygoid bones to confirm that they were the result of an actual crocodile bite, rather than fossilization or damage during excavation. I did.
“It helps document species interactions from this time,” said Dr. Brian Pickles, a paleontologist at Reading College.
“While we can't say whether the palace was alive or dead when it was bitten, the specimen is a juvenile that crocodiles sometimes preyed on in prehistoric Alberta more than 700 million years ago, or removed.” It shows that it shows a pterosaur.”
study Published online today Journal of Paleontology.
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Caleb M. Brown et al. Larval vertebral vertebrae with putative crocodile bites from a Campanian in Alberta, Canada. Journal of Paleontologypublished online on January 23, 2025. doi:10.1017/jpa.2024.12
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