Latest news with #ARU
Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
Dinosaurs Had Cancer, Too, According to a Staggering New Study
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." Here's what you'll learn when you read this story: Over the years, scientists have found examples of cancerous tumors within the fossilized bones of ancient dinosaurs. A new study analyzes the fossil of the duck-billed hadrosaurid Telmatosaurus transsylvanicus and found proteins that help pinpoint molecular marks of disease in ancient species. This animal's particular cancer—a benign tumor of the jaw called ameloblastoma—also impacts humans, so scientists are exploring whether understanding the disease in its ancient context could lead to novel therapies in our current epoch. Whether depicted in textbooks or Hollywood films, dinosaurs are often portrayed as powerful beings with sharp jaws, thick hides, and indomitable strength. But just like us, it turns out, dinosaurs were susceptible to a variety of illnesses, diseases, and cancers. Over the years, scientists have actually discovered cancerous tumors clinging to fossilized bone, giving us insight into the ancient life of this deadly malady. In 2016, a team of U.S. and Romanian scientists announced the discovery of a tumorous fossil belonging to a 70-million-year-old duck-billed hadrosaurid (Telmatosaurus transsylvanicus) that once roamed the Hateg Basin in present-day Romania. Finding tumors along with dinosaur fossils is relatively rare, and cancer specialists at Imperial College London and Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) in the U.K. had different interests in this particular specimen. 'We wanted to see if this tumor in the dinosaur could give us any information about any parallel with human cancers,' Biancastella Cereser, a co-author of the study from Imperial College London, told The Independent, 'because the tumor that this dinosaur had was an ameloblastoma, a benign tumor in the jaw, which humans have as well.' The results of their inquiry, published in the journal Biology, found that using advanced techniques like scanning electron microscopy (SEM) could recover structures resembling red blood cells, proving that soft tissues and cellular components are more common in fossils than previously believed. And before any Jurassic Park fans ask, that does not include DNA. 'Jurassic Park isn't right, because what they said is dinosaur DNA could be recovered and cloned to resurrect dinosaurs, but we can't get DNA out of this because it's broken down by weathering and time,' Justin Stebbing from ARU told The Independent. Luckily, proteins found in calcified tissues are much more stable, and provide the perfect opportunity for studying the ancient history of cancers that inflict us today. By analyzing how cancers impacted extinct species, the authors hypothesize that they might be able to uncover new methods of cancer suppression. 'Dinosaurs, as long-lived, large-bodied organisms, present a compelling case for investigating how species managed cancer susceptibility and resistance over millions of years,' the authors wrote. 'The identification of tumors, such as the ameloblastoma in Telmatosaurus transsylvanicus, suggests that cancer was not an anomaly but a recurring biological challenge in prehistoric ecosystems.' The researchers are also stressing the importance of preserving specimens for molecular investigations like this. They hope that the information hidden in the fossils of these long-dead animals can now help protect the lifeforms that inherited the planet these dinos once called home. 'Our research, using relatively underused methods, invites further exploration that could hold the key to future discoveries that could benefit humans,' Stebbing said in a press statement. 'It is crucial that long-term fossil conservation efforts are co-ordinated to ensure that future researchers have access to specimens suitable for cutting-edge molecular investigations.' You Might Also Like The Do's and Don'ts of Using Painter's Tape The Best Portable BBQ Grills for Cooking Anywhere Can a Smart Watch Prolong Your Life?
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Can dinosaur fossils unlock the future of cancer treatment? Scientists say yes
A dinosaur's jaw might just open a new chapter in cancer research. In a study spanning a decade, scientists from Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) and Imperial College London used advanced paleoproteomic techniques — a method that holds promise for uncovering molecular data from ancient specimens — to discover red blood cell-like structures preserved in a dinosaur fossil. The fossil belongs to Telmatosaurus transsylvanicus, a duck-billed herbivore 'marsh lizard' that roamed what is now Romania some 66–70 million years ago. The findings raise the possibility that ancient tumours could help unravel cancer's molecular origins and potentially inform future treatments. The idea for the research began in 2016 when Professor Justin Stebbing, an oncologist at ARU, read about a dinosaur fossil with a tumor in its jaw. This tumor, known as an ameloblastoma, is a benign growth that also occurs in humans, sparking curiosity about the molecular similarities between ancient and modern cancers. By 2017, a multidisciplinary team—including Dr. Biancastella Cereser from Imperial and Professor Pramodh Chandrasinghe from Sri Lanka—secured the fossil and began meticulous analysis. 'We brought it back and basically drilled into it with a very, very, very fine drill,' said Dr Cereser. An image of fossilised erythrocyte-like structures. Anglia Ruskin University Using high-resolution Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), a very sophisticated microscope, the team identified structures that resembled erythrocytes (red blood cells) in the fossilised bone. 'Until recently, fossils were mostly useful for examining hard structures like shells and bones, noted Stebbing. 'But if we're trying to look at the building blocks of life or cancer, we now know we can actually see soft tissues too. We could actually see the flesh of the cancer.' This ancient evidence offers a rare opportunity to study the long-term environmental factors that may have shaped cancer across millions of years. The findings raise the possibility that soft tissue and cellular components are more commonly preserved in ancient remains than previously thought. By identifying preserved proteins and biomarkers, scientists believe they can gain insights into the diseases that affected prehistoric creatures, including cancer, potentially influencing future treatments for humans. 'Proteins, particularly those found in calcified tissues like bone, are more stable than DNA and are less susceptible to degradation and contamination. This makes them ideal candidates for studying ancient diseases, including cancer, in paleontological specimens,' Stebbing said. While popular culture often imagines recovering dinosaur DNA to bring these creatures back to life, Stebbing was clear: 'Jurassic Park isn't right... we can't get DNA out of this because it's broken down by time and weathering. But what we have found is that we've actually found proteins in soft tissues that can survive over time.' The team believes that studying cancer in such ancient organisms could 'help us understand the role of environment on cancer,' and ultimately inform better treatments for humans. The researchers also emphasize the importance of fossil conservation, urging that 'long-term fossil conservation efforts are coordinated to ensure that future researchers have access to specimens suitable for cutting-edge molecular investigations.'The study has been published in the journal Biology.
Sinar Daily
6 days ago
- Health
- Sinar Daily
Dinosaurs could hold key to cancer discoveries, UK scientists say
Researchers identified preserved red blood cell-like structures in a dinosaur fossil. 29 May 2025 06:33pm Dinosaur fossils could hold the key to new cancer discoveries and influence future treatments for humans, scientists have said. Photo for illustrative purposes only - Canva. LONDON - Dinosaur fossils could hold the key to new cancer discoveries and influence future treatments for humans, scientists have said, PA Media/dpa reported. In a new study published in the journal Biology, which was almost a decade in the making, researchers from Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) and Imperial College London identified preserved red blood cell-like structures in a dinosaur fossil. The findings raised the possibility that prehistoric creatures could be used to study ancient tumours, helping to fill in the "jigsaw' of cancer's molecular building blocks, and potentially influencing future treatments for humans. Dinosaur fossils could hold the key to new cancer discoveries and influence future treatments for humans, scientists have said. Photo for illustrative purposes only - Canva. The idea for the study began when Professor Justin Stebbing, an oncologist at ARU, was reading the news in 2016 and came across an article about the discovery of a new fossil in Romania with a tumour in its jaw. The remains were those of a Telmatosaurus transsylvanicus, a duck-billed, plant-eating "marsh lizard', a specimen that had lived between 66-70 million years ago in the Hateg Basin in present-day Romania. - BERNAMA-PA Media/dpa More Like This
Irish Examiner
7 days ago
- Health
- Irish Examiner
Dinosaurs could hold key to cancer discoveries, scientists say
Dinosaur fossils could hold the key to new cancer discoveries and influence future treatments for humans, scientists have said. In a new study published in the journal Biology, which was almost a decade in the making, researchers from Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) and Imperial College London identified preserved red blood cell-like structures in a dinosaur fossil. The findings raised the possibility that prehistoric creatures could be used to study ancient tumours, helping to fill in the 'jigsaw' of cancer's molecular building blocks, and potentially influencing future treatments for humans. The idea for the study began when Professor Justin Stebbing, an oncologist at ARU, was reading the news in 2016 and came across an article about the discovery of a new fossil in Romania with a tumour in its jaw. The remains were those of a Telmatosaurus transsylvanicus, a duck-billed, plant eating 'marsh lizard', a specimen that had lived between 66-70 million years ago in the Hateg Basin in present-day Romania. 'Justin said, guys, I want to go and get this tumour and see what we can get out of it,' Dr Biancastella Cereser, a cancer specialist at Imperial, told the PA news agency. 'We wanted to see if this tumour in the dinosaur could give us any information about any parallel with human cancers, because the tumour that this dinosaur had was an ameloblastoma, a benign tumour in the jaw, which humans have as well.' From 2017, a team was put together, including three scientists who traditionally work on human cancers — Professor Stebbing, Dr Cereser, and Professor Pramodh Chandrasinghe from the University of Kelaniya in Sri Lanka. 'We contacted the town in Romania which was very excited to loan us the fossil,' Dr Cereser said. 'We went to Romania and collected the specimen. We brought it back, and we basically drilled into it with a very, very, very fine drill. 'Then we mounted it into this very sophisticated microscope and imaged it. What we saw inside – there were some structures, some forms, that looked like blood cells.' This Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) technique enabled the researchers to identify low-density structures resembling erythrocytes, or red blood cells, in the fossilised bone. 'Up until recently, the fossil record and finding ancient things was really interesting for finding hard things like shells or skeletons to assess tissues,' Professor Stebbing said. 'But if we're trying to look at the building blocks of life or the building blocks of cancer, to understand cancer better, what we found was you can actually as well as seeing the skeleton we can actually see soft tissue as well. We could actually see like the flesh of the cancer. This means we can look at cancer not only occurring in human or in animal models, but we can look at it tens and tens of millions of years ago. 'It helps us understand the role of environments on cancer.' He continued: 'Jurassic Park isn't right, because what they said is dinosaur DNA could be recovered and cloned to resurrect dinosaurs, but we can't get DNA out of this because it's broken down by weathering and time. 'But what we have found is we've actually found proteins in soft tissues can survive over time. 'All we're trying to understand is the molecular building blocks of cancer from a very, very ancient perspective,' he said. 'If we can understand cancer better, we can come up with better treatments. I do a lot of research in cancer, so, you know, it all comes together. It's just part of a jigsaw that you are trying to build.'
Yahoo
20-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Experts stunned by bizarre reaction from birds exposed to unusual disturbance: 'Significant impact'
In a new study published in the journal Animal Behaviour, scientists observed a worrisome behavioral change in the Galápagos yellow warbler, a bright yellow songbird native to the Galápagos Islands. Researchers found the birds are behaving more aggressively — and it appears to be linked to human-induced noise in their habitat. As Anglia Ruskin University reported via researchers conducted a study in the Galápagos Islands, where they played recorded traffic noise at 38 locations home to the yellow warblers. What they discovered was that the more traffic the warblers had been exposed to, the more aggressively they responded to the sounds. The behavior was even observed in birds on Floreana Island, which has only 10 cars — showing that it doesn't take much noise pollution to seriously affect wildlife. "Our study shows the importance of considering behavioral plasticity in conservation efforts and developing strategies to mitigate the effects of noise pollution on wildlife," said co-author Caglar Akcay, a senior lecturer in behavioral ecology at ARU. "It also highlights the significant impact of human activities on wildlife behavior, even in relatively remote locations such as the Galápagos Islands." Noise pollution can stress animals, alter their behavior, and disrupt their communication methods — one reason researchers believe these yellow warblers become more physically aggressive. When this happens, the negative consequences can ripple across ecosystems. Not only does noise pollution affect wildlife, but it's also unhealthy for humans. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, studies have found direct links between noise pollution and health issues such as high blood pressure, sleep loss, loss of productivity, and stress-related illnesses. Protecting wildlife from noise may also mean creating healthier spaces for ourselves. Researchers say we should proactively address noise pollution to better protect ourselves and the environment. Some strategies include creating buffer zones, regulating traffic near wildlife areas, and raising public awareness. Government regulation helps on a broader scale — for example, the European Commission included minimizing noise pollution in its Zero Pollution Action Plan. Also, nonprofits, including the Noise Pollution Clearinghouse, raise awareness and work for stronger laws to control noise pollution. Individuals can also help. Supporting policies that prioritize green spaces, buffer zones, and quieter transportation; walking or biking instead of driving; and practicing a quieter version of "leave no trace" while in nature are all meaningful steps. Investing in cleaner, quieter technologies such as electric vehicles and sustainable public transit can make a big difference — not just for people but for wildlife too. Do you worry about air pollution in and around your home? Yes — always Yes — often Yes — sometimes No — never Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
