Scientists find a new titanosaur dinosaur species in Patagonia
In Northern Patagonia, paleontologists have unearthed an ancient lagoon ecosystem surrounded by sand dunes and palm trees where prehistoric creatures thrived. Excavations of 78 million year-old rocks, from a quarry just outside General Roca city in Argentina, yielded a treasure trove of 432 fossils belonging to over a hundred animal groups.
The majority of the fossils belonged to turtles, but other residents were fish, crocodile relatives, slugs—including the first fossil record of the Neocyclotidae, a family of tropical land snails, and the first record of Leptinaria, a genus of small tropical air-breathing land snails—and dinosaurs.
The most important find among them all: a new titanosaur called Chadititan calvoi.
0:19
Though researchers have known the Anacleto rock formation where the fossils were discovered for decades, there had never been a finding with such diversity in a single place in Northern Patagonia, says coauthor Diego Pol, a paleontologist at the Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales Bernardino Rivadavia in Buenos Aires and a National Geographic Explorer. Today, the team of Argentinian and Uruguayan researchers published their findings on the new titanosaur and the site in Revista del Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales.
'The fossil fauna there is diverse, and our understanding of Southern Hemisphere ecosystems from near the end of the Age of Dinosaurs is still very incomplete,' says paleontologist Matthew Lamanna of the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh who was not involved in the research.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
_16x9.jpg%3Fw%3D1200&w=3840&q=100)
National Geographic
4 hours ago
- National Geographic
Anya Brown is investigating microbes' critical role in coral reefs
'So the clue was, 'This temperate coral undergoes quiescence in the winter. Another word for this is … ?'' Anya Brown has spent most of her adult life around coral reef systems. Her brother, meanwhile, has cultivated a career as a writer on the American quiz show, 'Jeopardy!' He once consulted her for a marine science question idea, which aired on season 39 (episode 8924) of the series. 'The word was 'hibernation,'' Brown reveals, and it had formed the basis of her post-doctoral research assessing how corals go dormant, and what happens to their microbial communities when they do. She's devoted her career to investigating how microbes influence ecology and the evolution of macroscopic species. 'So, I go from the teeny tiny, to the large,' says Brown, a marine biologist, ecologist, National Geographic Explorer and assistant professor at the University of California, Davis. Since 2022, Brown has been a lead scientist on the National Geographic and Rolex Perpetual Planet Ocean Expedition in Rarotonga, the most populous of the Cook Islands. In close collaboration with the Cook Rarotonga nonprofit organization Kōrero O Te 'Ōrau , local partners Teina Rongo, Jackie Rongo and Siana Whatarau, and fellow UC Davis professor Dr. Rachael Bay, Brown has planted and monitored a coral nursery to better understand the nuances of coral bleaching — the loss of the coral's nutrient supply via two important types of microbes: symbiotic bacteria and algae (also called zooxanthellae), which live in coral tissues. The team is examining the role of microbes and coral genetics in heat tolerance and bleaching resistance . 'It turns out some coral species are far more resistant to bleaching, meaning they don't respond to the heat stress, than others,' explains Brown. The team's findings could hold promising implications for the recovery of dwindling marine life as rising ocean temperatures have caused more frequent, longer-lasting bleaching events in recent years. Moreover, 'It's possible that some species that don't bleach under heat stress, are rescuing coral types that do.' This would be consistent with Brown's research in Little Cayman, Cayman Islands, which found that nursery corals organized with different genotypes decreased disease. But to say with more certainty whether this is the case in Rarotonga, the team needs to start by examining coral DNA.
New York Post
09-05-2025
- New York Post
Over 99% of the deep ocean seafloor remains a mystery, study finds
Explorers know that the Earth's oceans are vast, covering about 71% of the surface of the globe. According to a new study, just 0.001% of the deep seafloor has been visually observed. The deep ocean seafloor is defined as depths of 200 meters or more below Earth's surface, where oxygen levels are low and sunlight is virtually nonexistent. The study, published in Science Advances, equates the area seen by human eyes to being even smaller than the state of Rhode Island. 'As we face accelerated threats to the deep ocean—from climate change to potential mining and resource exploitation—this limited exploration of such a vast region becomes a critical problem for both science and policy,' Katy Croff Bell, Ph.D., president of Ocean Discovery League, National Geographic Explorer and lead author of the study, said in a statement. Researchers said they arrived at the surprising figure based on a review of data from approximately 44,000 deep-sea dives conducted since 1958. 7 According to a new study, just 0.001% of the deep seafloor has been visually observed. Ocean Discovery League 7 The study, published in Science Advances, equates the area seen by human eyes to being even smaller than the state of Rhode Island. Ocean Discovery League While scientists note that not all dive records are publicly accessible, even if their estimates were off by a factor of ten, it would still mean that less than one-hundredth of 1% of the deep ocean floor has ever been visually documented. Due to the costs and the technology needed to explore at vast depths, only a few countries are equipped to scan the ocean floor. These countries include the United States, Japan, New Zealand, France, and Germany. 7 Due to the costs and the technology needed to explore at vast depths, only a few countries are equipped to scan the ocean floor. NOAA Ocean Exploration What's it like down there? In the deepest trenches, it is void of life, according to scientists. Organisms such as sea spiders and some crustaceans can be found among hydrothermal vents. Water pressure is so immense that animals unsuited to the punishing environment would be killed. Because of the lack of sunlight, organisms must rely on senses other than sight to get around. 7 In the deepest trenches, it is void of life, according to scientists. NOAA Ocean Exploration 7 Because of the lack of sunlight, organisms must rely on senses other than sight to get around. NOAA Ocean Exploration The limited knowledge of the oceans means entire ecosystems may remain undiscovered, and countless species are not well understood. 'There is so much of our ocean that remains a mystery,' said Ian Miller, Ph.D., chief science and innovation officer at the National Geographic Society. 'Deep-sea exploration led by scientists and local communities is crucial to better understanding the planet's largest ecosystem. Dr. Bell's goals to equip global coastal communities with cutting-edge research and technology will ensure a more representative analysis of the deep sea. If we have a better understanding of our ocean, we are better able to conserve and protect it.' 7 Previous studies have suggested that potentially millions of plants and animals remain undiscovered simply due to the sheer size and inaccessibility of the oceans. NOAA Ocean Exploration 7 The limited knowledge of the oceans means entire ecosystems may remain undiscovered, and countless species are not well understood. NOAA Ocean Exploration Previous studies have suggested that potentially millions of plants and animals remain undiscovered simply due to the sheer size and inaccessibility of the oceans. The study's authors argue that as technology advances and becomes more cost-effective, expanding efforts to explore the vast ecosystem become increasingly feasible and necessary. By investing in emerging tools and strategies, researchers believe the world can gain a much deeper understanding of Earth's most critical and least known ecosystem.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Yahoo
Deep ocean mystery: Just 0.001% of deep ocean seafloor has been visually explored
Explorers all well know that the Earth's oceans are vast – covering about 71% of the surface of the globe – but according to a new study, just 0.001% of the deep seafloor has been visually observed. The deep ocean seafloor is defined as depths of 200 meters or more below Earth's surface, where oxygen levels are low and sunlight is virtually nonexistent. The study, published in Science Advances, equates the area seen by human eyes to measuring in size to being even smaller than the state of Rhode Island. "As we face accelerated threats to the deep ocean—from climate change to potential mining and resource exploitation—this limited exploration of such a vast region becomes a critical problem for both science and policy," Dr. Katy Croff Bell, president of Ocean Discovery League, National Geographic Explorer and lead author of the study, said in a statement. Noaa Mission Finds Unexpected Discovery At Site Of Sunken Uss Yorktown Researchers said they arrived at the surprising figure based on a review of data from approximately 44,000 deep-sea dives conducted since 1958. While scientists note that not all dive records are publicly accessible, even if their estimates were off by a factor of ten, it would still mean that less than one-hundredth of 1% of the deep ocean floor has ever been visually documented. Due to the costs and the technology needed to explore at vast depths, only a few countries are equipped to scan the ocean floor, which primarily includes the United States, Japan, New Zealand, France and Germany. So, what's life like on the ocean floor? In the deepest trenches, it is void of life, with organisms such as seaspiders and some crustaceans found among the hydrothermal vents. The water pressure is so immense that a non-suited organism would be crushed and, because of the lack of sunlight, organisms must rely on senses other than sight to get around. The limited knowledge of the oceans means entire ecosystems may remain undiscovered, and countless species are not well understood. "There is so much of our ocean that remains a mystery," said Dr. Ian Miller, chief science and innovation officer at the National Geographic Society. "Deep-sea exploration led by scientists and local communities is crucial to better understanding the planet's largest ecosystem. Dr. Bell's goals to equip global coastal communities with cutting-edge research and technology will ensure a more representative analysis of the deep sea. If we have a better understanding of our ocean, we are better able to conserve and protect it." Previous studies have suggested that potentially millions of plants and animals remain undiscovered simply due to the sheer size and inaccessibility of the oceans. War Trophy From George Washington's Army Discovered Amid British Shipwreck The study's authors argue that as technology advances and becomes more cost-effective, expanding efforts to explore the vast ecosystem become increasingly feasible and necessary. By investing in emerging tools and strategies, researchers believe the world can gain a much deeper understanding of Earth's most critical and least known article source: Deep ocean mystery: Just 0.001% of deep ocean seafloor has been visually explored
