
Scientists discover 200-million-year-old flying reptile species
The reptile species has been named as Eotephradactylus mcintireae which means 'ash-winged dawn goddess'. The volcanic ash is said to have preserved the reptile's bones on the ancient riverbed. The creature was named by a team of researchers from the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC.
Experts predict that the fossil of the pterosaur is 209 million years old and currently believe it to be the oldest pterosaur to be discovered in North America. The jaw of the pterosaur is just one part of the collection of fossils found in the archaeological site; the fossils include bones, teeth, fish scales, and even fossilised dung (which is known as coprolites).
'The bones of Triassic pterosaurs are small, thin, and often hollow, so they get destroyed before they get fossilised,' Dr Kligman told the BBC. The site area was a riverbed more than 200 million years ago; scales, bones, and other signs of life were progressively trapped and preserved by layers of sediment.
To understand more about the creature, experts studied its teeth to narrow down what the seagull-sized reptile would have eaten during its existence. Dr Kligman told the publication that they have an unusually high degree of wear at their tips. This evidence shows that the creature was feeding on something with hard body parts. Their most likely prey were primitive fish that would have had hard scale armour covering them.
The Triassic pterosaur was discovered in the desert landscape amid ancient rocks in the present day Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona. Scientists say that the site where they found the creature's fossils had preserved the 'snapshot' of the ecosystem. They also found groups of animals that now are extinct. The other ancient creatures that they found include ancient armoured crocodile relatives and amphibians. And some creatures that can be recognised today, like frogs and turtles.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Indian Express
10 hours ago
- Indian Express
How much ISRO spent on Shubhanshu Shukla for his Axion-4 mission on Dragon spacecraft?
Culminating a 20-day landmark space programme, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, first Indian to visit the International Space Station (ISS), touched down on Earth on Tuesday. Shukla was among the four crew members on board SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft on Axiom-4 mission and gathered hands-on experience of a space journey that would be help in India's first-ever human spaceflight mission, Gaganyaan. Shukla is among four Indian air force officers shortlisted to travel on Gaganyaan in 2027. According to BBC, the Space Research Organisation (ISRO) spent Rs 5 billion or Rs 500 crore ($59m; £43m) on Shukla's trip on Axiom-4 — a commercial flight operated by Houston-based private company Axiom Space and a joint effort by NASA, ISRO and European Space Agency. The expenditure by ISRO includes cost of Shukla's training for the mission as well as that of a seat on SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft for the 20-day trip that launched Shukla, and three others — Peggy Whitson from the US, Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski of Poland and Tibor Kapu of Hungary — to space. Speaking to BBC, ISRO project director Sudeesh Balan stated that Shukla started rigourous training in August last year. His training included physical and psychological assessments to prepare for the journey. The mission is likely to benefit ISRO in terms of relevant trainings, exposure to the facilities and the experience of conducting collaborative experiments in space.


Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
NASA warns! 280-foot asteroid 2025 MA90 to make close Earth flyby today at 20,263 mph; here's what you must know
Source: BBC An asteroid the size of a building, officially named asteroid 2025 MA90 , is making a close approach to Earth, drawing global attention from scientists and space agencies. Though the flyby poses no threat, it offers a valuable opportunity to study how such near-Earth objects (NEOs) behave. With NASA confirming the asteroid's safe distance and trajectory, and ISRO expressing renewed interest in planetary defence strategies, the event highlights the importance of early detection and international cooperation. As space agencies track and prepare for future events like Apophis 2029, the flyby of 2025 MA90 reminds us that cosmic vigilance is essential. NASA's asteroid 2025 MA90 to flyby today: Date, speed and distance An asteroid nearly the size of a city building is heading toward Earth, sparking interest but not alarm among scientists. Known as asteroid 2025 MA90, this space rock is being closely monitored as it prepares for a safe flyby on July 15. Measuring approximately 280 feet across and traveling at an impressive 20,263 miles per hour, MA90 is expected to pass by Earth at a distance of about 4 million kilometers. Though the approach is relatively close in cosmic terms, NASA confirms there is no risk of impact. The event serves as a reminder of our planet's vulnerability—and our increasing readiness. According to NASA, asteroid 2025 MA90 is classified as a member of the Aten group of asteroids—a class of near-Earth objects that orbit the Sun and sometimes cross Earth's orbit. However, this particular asteroid does not meet the criteria to be considered potentially hazardous. For an object to qualify as hazardous, it must be at least 85 meters wide and come within 7.4 million kilometers of Earth. While MA90 meets the size threshold, its projected flyby distance of approximately 4,020,000 kilometers places it safely outside the danger zone. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Get ₹2Cr life cover@ ₹700 p.m. ICICI Pru Life Insurance Plan Get Quote Undo Why tracking close approaches of asteroids still matters NASA's scientists continue to track the asteroid's trajectory for any changes, as even minor orbital shifts can affect long-term calculations. Nevertheless, this flyby offers a valuable opportunity for astronomers to study its movement, composition, and behavior in more detail using ground-based and radar observations. Though 2025 MA90 is not a threat, the incident reflects why tracking near-Earth objects (NEOs) is crucial for planetary defence. Even objects that miss Earth can reveal critical data about asteroid orbits, spin rates, and composition. These insights are vital for preparing for potential future threats. NASA and other space agencies around the world maintain extensive monitoring systems to catalog thousands of such asteroids, identifying any that may warrant further observation or mitigation strategies. This proactive approach aims to ensure that humanity is never caught off guard by a surprise impact. ISRO eyes Apophis 2029 and global planetary defence efforts While the focus now is on MA90, India's space agency ISRO has its eyes on a much larger and more complex challenge—the anticipated 2029 flyby of asteroid Apophis. This massive near-Earth object, measuring over 1,200 feet in diameter, will pass alarmingly close to Earth, within a distance of about 32,000 kilometers—closer than many satellites. ISRO Chairman S. Somanath has stressed the importance of collaborative global action to address such cosmic threats. He advocates for deeper cooperation between ISRO, NASA, ESA (European Space Agency), and JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency). Together, these agencies can lead planetary defence missions that include impact deflection tests and potentially even asteroid landings. ISRO is reportedly developing missions that could involve landing on an asteroid, a bold step that would allow scientists to study their surfaces and structure directly. Asteroid MA90 flyby underscores the urgency of global planetary defence The peaceful flyby of asteroid 2025 MA90 should not overshadow the growing urgency in space science to build robust defence strategies. With the increasing detection of NEOs, the global community recognizes that Earth is not immune to cosmic hazards. Events like the Chelyabinsk meteor in 2013 have shown how even small asteroids can cause significant damage. Thus, every close encounter becomes both a warning and a learning opportunity. Also Read| Shubhanshu Shukla to return Earth after historic ISS mission; know what he achieved through space experiments


NDTV
4 days ago
- NDTV
This New Interstellar Object Could Possibly Be The Oldest Comet Ever Seen
A mysterious object, first observed hurtling across the solar system on July 1, has now been identified as "very likely to be the oldest comet ever." The interstellar object 3I/ATLAS could be around 7 billion years old - 3 billion years older than our solar system, according to the University of Oxford researchers. The hyperbolic course of 3I/ATLAS, compared to other comets that originated in the solar system, proves it is not from our solar vicinity. Astronomer Matthew Hopkins of the University of Oxford stated that "all non-interstellar comets, such as Halley's comet, formed at the same time as the solar system, so they are up to 4.5 billion years old." But this potentially "water ice-rich" visitor could be much older, and their statistical approach indicates that "3I/ATLAS is very likely to be the oldest comet we have ever seen" out of those that are now known, per 3I/ATLAS was initially observed by the Atlas survey telescope in Chile on July 1 at a distance of roughly 670 million kilometres from the Sun. It is approximately the distance between Earth and Jupiter and can only be seen at this time with very large telescopes, the BBC reported. This is the third known visitor from space, after 1I/'Oumuamua in 2017 and the comet 2I/Borisov in 2019. However, 3I/ATLAS appears to have retained a large amount of its volatile material, such as dust and ice, compared to its predecessors, allowing scientists to see its coma and tail more vividly. The secret behind 3I/ATLAS's advanced age is that it comes from a totally different region of the Milky Way than earlier interstellar visitors. The object was most likely generated in the Milky Way's "thick disk," an area of old stars that circles both above and below the thin plane where most stars are found, given its extremely steep trajectory. "This is an object from a part of the galaxy we have never seen up close before," Chris Lintott, an astrophysicist at the University of Oxford, said. Since then, the comet has been floating across interstellar space, with a "two-thirds chance this comet is older than the solar system," he added.