New pterosaur species discovered in western Queensland

Curtin University-led research has unveiled a groundbreaking discovery in paleontology: fossilized bones unearthed in western Queensland, Australia, have been identified as belonging to a newly recognized species of pterosaur, a formidable flying reptile that coexisted with dinosaurs. The detailed study, titled “Haliskia peterseni, a new anhanguerian pterosaur from the late Early Cretaceous of Australia,” has … Read more

Fish brains from 290 million years ago found in Brazil

Recent discoveries in Brazil have significantly advanced our understanding of the evolutionary history of ray-finned fish brains. Research led by Rodrigo Tinoco Figueroa, a doctoral student at the University of Michigan, has unearthed remarkably well-preserved brains in late Paleozoic ray-finned fishes. These findings, which include other rare soft tissues like fragments of the heart, eyes, … Read more

Researchers discover skull of Australia’s megafauna bird

After 128 years of exploration, fossil excavation and investigation, Flinders University researchers have finally uncovered the skull of Australia’s own giant and charismatic megafauna bird—Genyornis newtoni. The only previously known skull for this species, reported in 1913, was heavily damaged and with little of the original bone remaining, not much could be deduced about the … Read more

Comparative Anatomy: Comparing Anatomy Across Species

Comparative anatomy is a branch of biology that involves the study of anatomical structures and systems across different species to understand evolutionary relationships, adaptations, functional morphology, and biological diversity. By comparing the anatomy of organisms from various taxonomic groups, researchers can gain insights into evolutionary patterns, developmental processes, physiological functions, and ecological adaptations that have … Read more

Human Evolution: Origins and Evolutionary History of Homo sapiens

Human evolution is the process by which Homo sapiens, the modern human species, emerged and diversified from earlier hominin ancestors over millions of years. It is a complex and fascinating journey that spans millions of years and involves numerous species, environmental changes, adaptations, and migrations. Understanding human evolution requires interdisciplinary approaches, drawing insights from paleontology, … Read more

Study suggests baby canines stabilized saber teeth in smilodon during growth

California’s state fossil—are familiar to anyone who has ever visited Los Angeles’ La Brea Tar Pits, a sticky trap from which more than 2,000 saber-toothed cat skulls have been excavated over more than a century. Though few of the recovered skulls had sabers attached, a handful exhibited a peculiar feature: the tooth socket for the … Read more

Human Anatomy: Understanding the Body’s Structure

Human anatomy, the study of the body’s structure and organization, provides a foundational framework for understanding the complex organization and functions of the human body. From the microscopic level of cells and tissues to the macroscopic level of organs and organ systems, human anatomy elucidates the anatomical structures, physiological processes, and interconnected systems that sustain … Read more

Discovery of Massive Snake Fossil in India

A groundbreaking discovery in the realm of paleontology has unveiled a fascinating ancient creature from the depths of India’s history. Meet Vasuki Indicus, a newly identified species of snake that roamed the earth approximately 47 million years ago during the Middle Eocene period. This remarkable serpent, with estimated lengths ranging from a staggering 11 to … Read more

Giant pterosaur unearthed in Canada

A newly identified species of pterosaur is among the largest ever flying animals, according to a new study from Queen Mary University of London. Cryodrakon boreas, from the Azhdarchid group of pterosaurs (often incorrectly called ‘pterodactyls’), was a flying reptile with a wingspan of up to 10 metres which lived during the Cretaceous period around … Read more

Four dinosaur discoveries in Montana

A team of paleontologists from the University of Washington and its Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture excavated four dinosaurs in northeastern Montana this summer. All fossils will be brought back to the Burke Museum where the public can watch paleontologists remove the surrounding rock in the fossil preparation laboratory. The four dinosaur fossils … Read more

New spinosaurid dinosaur discovered in Spain

The first dinosaur to be described in La Rioja, Spain, is a spinosaurid about 7–8 meters long with an estimated body mass of 1.5 metric tons. It is bipedal and had mainly piscivorous habits, although, as a good predator, it would also have been capable of chasing and feeding on terrestrial prey. Named Riojavenatrix, the … Read more

Dinosaurs walked through ancient Alaskan forest 100 million years ago

A large find of dinosaur tracks and fossilized plants and tree stumps in far northwestern Alaska provides new information about the climate and movement of animals near the time when they began traveling between the Asian and North American continents roughly 100 million years ago. The findings by an international team of scientists led by … Read more

Study uncovers previously unknown abelisaurid and noasaurid dinosaurs in Morocco

An international team of paleontologists from The Netherlands, the UK, Argentina, Germany and Belgium applied recently developed methods to measure theropod (carnivorous) dinosaur species diversity. The newly applied method uses both traditional phylogenetic analysis, discriminant analysis as well as machine learning. This new combination of analyses was performed on the teeth of carnivorous dinosaurs, named … Read more

Ancient North Eurasian ancestry found in early Tarim Basin mummies

As part of the Silk Road and located at the geographical intersection of Eastern and Western cultures, the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region has long served as a major crossroads for trans-Eurasian exchanges of people, cultures, agriculture, and languages. Since the late 1990s, the discovery of hundreds of naturally mummified human remains dating to circa 2,000 … Read more

Tiny tooth marks reveal big dietary secrets of ancient elephants

How can we ever know what ancient animals ate? For the first time, the changing diets of elephants in the last two million years in China have been reconstructed, using a technique based on analysis of the surface textures of their teeth. The work was carried out by a University of Bristol student, working with … Read more

Complex dental traits found in Chinese fossils challenge theories of human evolution

Although a relatively large number of late Middle Pleistocene hominins have been found in East Asia, these fossils have not been consistently included in current debates about the origin of anatomically modern humans (AMHS), and little is known about their phylogenetic place in relation to contemporary hominins from Africa and Europe as well as to … Read more

Study reveals advanced hominin toolmaking technology in East Asia 1.1 million years ago

A new study from the Nihewan basin of China has revealed that hominins who possessed advanced knapping abilities equivalent to Mode 2 technological features occupied East Asia as early as 1.1 million years ago (Ma), which is 0.3 Ma earlier than the date associated with the first handaxes found in East Asia. This suggests that … Read more

Exceptionally preserved caddisfly fossils offer insights into miocene environment and inspire new technologies

Around 11 to 16 million years ago, during the middle of the Miocene period, McGraths Flat in central New South Wales became the final resting place for over 100 caddisflies, among other creatures, in a remarkable fossil site known as a Konservat-Lagerstätte. These fossilized caddisflies, small moth-like insects belonging to the Trichoptera order, offer a … Read more

Complete skeleton of marine reptile Dinocephalosaurus unveiled

An international team of scientists from China, the U.S. and Europe has studied new fossils of the marine reptile Dinocephalosaurus orientalis. This research has made it possible to fully describe the bizarre, very impressive animal for the first time. Dinocephalosaurus orientalis had an unusually long neck and reminded the researchers of the snake-like representation of … Read more

20-million-year-old bat fossil challenges theory of South American origins

Most bats patrol the night sky in search of insects. New World leaf-nosed bats take a different approach. Among the more than 200 species of leaf-nosed bats, there are those that hunt insects; drink nectar; eat fruit; munch pollen; suck blood; and prey on frogs, birds, lizards and even other bats. They’re among the world’s … Read more