3D reconstruction of Cretaceous beetle preserved in amber for 99 million years finally reveals its ‘mysterious’ shape Mysteriomorphidae beetles were first identified around a year ago, experts said However, as their given name hints, their body shape had been quite unclear New specimens from the Kachin amber mines in northern Myanmar were found Experts used a … Read more
Newborn Neanderthals already had the barrel-shaped ribs characteristic of their seniors — a trait that allowed them to have more bodyweight — a study has found. Researchers led from France made the first ever three dimensional reconstructions of four of the archaic human’s infants by scanning fossilised remains. The team found that Neanderthal ‘nippers’ were … Read more
Manatees usually call the warm coastal waters of Mexico, Belize, Florida and the Caribbean home. But new fossil evidence puts these gentle, slow-moving sea cows in Texas during the most recent ice age. The discovery has researchers wondering if an ancient population of manatees once called the Lone Star State home between 11,000 and 240,000 … Read more
Doctor Who actor Tom Baker honoured by scientists who name a 450 million-year-old trilobite after him Australian experts named the newly-discovered species ‘Gravicalymene bakeri’ The specimen was found preserved within the shale rocks of Northern Tasmania Both experts said they were inspired to study science by watching Doctor Who Mr Baker said that he was ‘delighted’ … Read more
World’s oldest sperm is discovered inside a female crustacean that mated and was then trapped in amber 100 million years ago By Ian Randall For Mailonline Published: 09:15 BST, 16 September 2020 | Updated: 09:21 BST, 16 September 2020 Scientists have discovered what they believe to be the oldest fossilised animal sperm from around 100 … Read more
Primitive horse the size of a small dog that looked like a badger is reconstructed after a skeleton of the 48-million-year-old species is found in a German oil pit The horse specimen was recovered from the Messel Pit near Frankfurt in 2015 This UNESCO World Heritage site is famous for its stunningly preserved fossils Propalaeotherium voigti … Read more
Scientists reveal how 34.5 million-year-old fish fossils help build up rare earth mineral deposits used to make LED TVs, wind turbines, and rechargeable batteries Researchers in Japan studied rare-earth mineral deposits off the coast of Japan They found ancient fossilized fish played a key role in forming the deposits The mineral deposits are commonly mined … Read more
Cartilage cells, chromosomes and DNA have been found preserved in the 75-million-year-old fossils of a baby duck-billed dinosaur, a study has claimed. Researchers analysed the skull fragments of young, nest-bound Hypacrosaurus specimens unearthed from the ‘Two Medicine Formation’ in Montana in the US. Experts have conventionally believed that such organic material should not be able to … Read more