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Fossil kangaroo teeth reveal mosaic of Pliocene ecosystems in Queensland

The teeth of a kangaroo and other extinct marsupials reveal that southeastern Queensland 2.5-5-million-years ago was a mosaic of tropical forests, wetlands and grasslands and much less arid than previously thought. The chemical analysis of tooth enamel that suggests this...

Smithsonian scientists confirm theory regarding the origins of the sucking disc of remoras

This is the head of a young remora (<i>Remora osteochir</i>) 26.7 millimeter long as seen from the (A) side, (B) top and (C) front.Remora fish, with a sucking disc on top of their heads, have been the stuff of legend. They often attach themselves to the hulls of boats and in ancient times...

Scientists discover oldest primate skeleton

This is an artist's illustration of the skeleton of <i>Archicebus achilles</i>. The darkened bones represent the known bony elements of the skeleton found in China.An international team of paleontologists that includes Northern Illinois University anthropologist Dan Gebo is announcing the discovery of a nearly complete, articulated skeleton of a new tiny, tree-dwelling primate dating...

'Lizard King' fossil shows giant reptiles coexisted with mammals during globally warm past

<i>Barbaturex morrisoni</i> -- "Morrison's Bearded King" -- lived in an ecosystem with a diversity of both herbivorous and carnivorous mammals during a warm age in the earth's history 36 to 40 million years ago. It was larger than most of the mammals with which it lived, suggesting that competition with mammals did not restrict its evolution into a giant.Some 40 million years before rock singer Jim Morrison's lyrics earned him the moniker "the Lizard King," an actual king lizard roamed the hot tropical forests of Southeast Asia, competing...

New biomolecular archaeological evidence points to the beginnings of viniculture in France

This is an ancient pressing platform from Lattara, seen from above. Note the spout for drawing off a liquid. It was raised off the courtyard floor by four stones. Masses of grape remains were found nearby.France is renowned the world over as a leader in the crafts of viticulture and winemaking -- but the beginnings of French viniculture have been largely unknown, until now.

A new species of marine fish from 408 million years ago discovered in Teruel

This is <i>Machaeracanthus goujeti</i>.Researchers from the University of Valencia and the Natural History Museum of Berlin have studied the fossilised remains of scales and bones found in Teruel and the south of Zaragoza,...

Scientists find possible solution to an ancient enigma

Stromatolites, once widespread in coastal areas, now thrive in just a few locations in the tropical Atlantic and Indian Oceans and in some very salty lakes. The formations seen here are near Shark Bay on the western coast of Australia. The cyanobacteria in stromatolites live very near the surface of the rock, where they can receive the sunlight they need to photosynthesize.The widespread disappearance of stromatolites, the earliest visible manifestation of life on Earth, may have been driven by single-celled organisms called foraminifera.

Monkey teeth help reveal Neanderthal weaning

Studies on rhesus macaques at the California National Primate Research Center contributed to a new technique allowing researchers to pinpoint the end of exclusive breast-feeding in Neanderthals.Most modern human mothers wean their babies much earlier than our closest primate relatives. But what about our extinct relatives, the Neanderthals?

Allosaurus fed more like a falcon than a crocodile, new study finds

This illustration shows skeleton and soft tissues of the head and neck of the late Jurassic predatory dinosaur <i>Allosaurus</i>.The mighty T. rex may have thrashed its massive head from side to side to dismember prey, but a new study shows that its smaller cousin Allosaurus was a more...

Fossil brain teaser

A new study conducted at the University of Bristol and published online today in the Journal of Evolutionary Biology sheds light on how the brain and inner ear developed in...

Light cast on lifestyle and diet of first New Zealanders

A University of Otago-led multidisciplinary team of scientists have shed new light on the diet, lifestyles and movements of the first New Zealanders by analysing isotopes from their bones and...

Bridge species drive tropical engine of biodiversity

The University of Chicago's David Jablonski is presenting new evidence that most evolutionary lineages started in the tropics and expanded outward in a process driven by what he and his colleagues call "bridge species."

A new scorpion species adds to the remarkable biodiversity of the Ecuadorian Andes

This image shows the male holotype of the newly discovered large tail scorpion species <i>Tityus (Atreus) crassicauda</i>.A new species of scorpion Tityus (Atreus) crassicauda has been discovered from the extraordinarily biodiversity rich region of the Ecuadorian Andes. The intriguing new species is classed as medium sized,...

USF researchers: Life-producing phosphorus carried to Earth by meteorites

This is Matthew Pasek, University of South Florida.Scientists may not know for certain whether life exists in outer space, but new research from a team of scientists led by a University of South Florida astrobiologist now shows...

An 'extinct' frog makes a comeback in Israel

The first amphibian to have been officially declared extinct by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has been rediscovered in the north of Israel after some 60 years...

A grassy trend in human ancestors' diets

A set of new studies from the University of Utah and elsewhere found that human ancestors and relatives started eating an increasingly grassy diet 3.5 million years ago. The studies included analysis of tooth enamel from fossils of several early African humans, their ancestors and extinct relatives, some of which are shown here. Top left: <i>Paranthropus bosei</i>, 1.7 million years ago. Top right: <i>Homo sapiens</i>, 10,000 years ago. Center left: <i>Paranthropus aethiopicus</i>, 2.3 million years ago. Center right: <i>Homo ergaster</i>, 1.6 million years ago. Bottom left: <i>Kenyanthropus platyops</i>, 3.3 million years ago. Bottom center: lower jaw from <i>Australopithecus anamensis</i>, 4 million years ago. Bottom right: <i>Homo rudolfensis</i>, 1.9 million years ago.Most apes eat leaves and fruits from trees and shrubs. New studies spearheaded by the University of Utah show that human ancestors expanded their menu 3.5 million years ago, adding...

Re-creating the original colors of treasured ivory carvings from the ancient past

The fabled ivory carvings from the ancient Phoenician city of Arslan Tash -- literally meaning "Stone Lion" -- may appear a dull monochrome in museums today, but they glittered with...

King Richard III found in 'untidy lozenge-shaped grave'

This image shows human remains found in a trench on one of the Grey Friars digs.An academic paper on the archaeology of the Search for Richard III reveals for the first time specific details of the grave dug for King Richard III and discovered under...

Small, speedy plant-eater extends knowledge of dinosaur ecosystems

This is a life reconstruction of the new small-bodied, plant-eating dinosaur <i>Albertadromeus syntarsus</i>.Dinosaurs are often thought of as large, fierce animals, but new research highlights a previously overlooked diversity of small dinosaurs. In the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, a team of paleontologists...

14 closely related crocodiles existed around 5 million years ago

<i>Crocodylus falconensis</i> is a crocodile that assumably grew up to well over four meters long.Today, the most diverse species of crocodile are found in northern South America and Southeast Asia: As many as six species of alligator and four true crocodiles exist, although no...

Archaeological genetics: It's not all as old as it at first seems

Genomic analyses suggest that patterns of genetic diversity which indicate population movement may not be as ancient as previously believed, but may be attributable to recent events. This study published...

Scientists discover oldest evidence of split between Old World monkeys and apes

Two fossil discoveries from the East African Rift reveal new information about the evolution of primates, according to a study published online in Nature this week led by Ohio University...

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