Latest news with #Brocks
Yahoo
22-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Amazing 15-Million-Year-Old Fish Fossil Found in The Australian Desert
An extraordinary fossil bed in the arid grasslands of the Australian continent, called McGraths Flat, really is the Lagerstätte that keeps on giving. Just a few years after uncovering a trove of exceptionally preserved fossils, paleontologists have now described a brand new fish species that lived and died during the Miocene, 15 million years ago. So perfectly intact is this animal that a team of paleontologists led by Matthew McCurry of the Australian Museum Research Institute could determine its coloration. They could even see what at least one specimen devoured for its last meal – the contents of which were still in its stomach after millions of years trapped in the iron-rich rocks of the fossil bed. The fish has been named Ferruaspis brocksi, after paleontologist Jochen Brocks of the Australian National University, who discovered several specimens of the fossilized fish at McGraths Flat. "This little fish is one of the most beautiful fossils I've found at McGraths Flat, and finding the first vertebrate among the abundant plant and insect fossils was a real surprise," Brocks says. "This discovery opens new avenues for understanding the evolutionary history of Australia's freshwater fish species and ancient ecosystems." Fossilization is an intense process that often involves pressure and heat – it's not kind on bone, never mind soft tissue. For an organism to be fossilized after it dies is rare. For soft tissue to survive is rarer still. Fossil beds in which the preservation level is so exquisite that soft tissue and fine details remain are known as Lagerstätten. McGraths Flat is one such Lagerstätte, a formation of an iron-rich rock called goethite in which fossils were so intricately captured that structures smaller than a cell can be discerned. It was in this bed that Brocks found several beautiful fish of a species never seen before, and a family never found fossilized in Australia, freshwater smelt. "The discovery of the 15 million-year-old freshwater fish fossil offers us an unprecedented opportunity to understand Australia's ancient ecosystems and the evolution of its fish species," McCurry explains. "This fossil is part of the Osmeriforms fish family – a diverse group of fish species within Australia that includes species like the Australian grayling and the Australian smelt. But, without fossils it has been hard for us to tell exactly when the group arrived in Australia and whether they changed at all through time." Because the fish specimens were so well preserved, the researchers were able to make observations about their lifestyle. F. brocksi was an opportunistic feeder that mostly dined on invertebrates; stomach contents included insect wings and a partial bivalve shell. However, the most abundant ingredient was the larvae of midges – tiny flying insects that lay their eggs in water, where the larvae grow until they are ready to enter their adult life stage. "One of the fossils even shows a parasite attached to the tail of the fish," McCurry says. "It's a juvenile freshwater mussel called a glochidium. These juvenile mussels attach themselves to the gills or tails of fish to hitch rides up and down streams." Using a powerful microscope, the researchers were even able to make out tiny, subcellular structures in the skin of the fish, called melanosomes, which give tissues their pigment. These revealed that the fish were darker on their backs, or dorsal sides, and paler on their tummies, or ventral sides. They even had two dark stripes running down the length of their bodies, near the spinal column. "Fossilized melanosomes have previously enabled paleontologists to reconstruct the color of feathers," marvels paleontologist Michael Frese of the University of Canberra and CSIRO, "but melanosomes have never been used to reconstruct the color pattern of a long extinct fish species." The McGraths Flat fossils have much to offer us yet. The researchers have described a wonderful 'giant' trapdoor spider discovered therein, but there are multitudinous other fossils from the site, including plants, insects, and even a bird feather that has not yet been formally described. "The fossils found at this site formed between 11 and 16 million years ago and provide a window into the past," McCurry says. "They prove that the area was once a temperate, wet rainforest and that life was rich and abundant in the Central Tablelands." The research has been published in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. New Type of Fossilization Revealed by Griffon Vulture Found in Volcanic Ash Reservoirs of Clean Energy Could Be Hiding Inside Our Planet's Mountain Ranges 'Microlightning' Could Help Solve a Crucial Question on How Life Began
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
An Orlando couple lost $38K in a home escrow scam after fraudsters hacked their email — 3 red flags to look out for
For many people, buying a home is a dream come true, but for Matthew and Stefanie Brock it quickly became a financial nightmare. The Orlando couple was in the process of closing on their new home when they wired a $38,000 down payment to their title company. "One of the happiest days of our life, on our way to the closing," Matthew recalled with Fox 35 Orlando. I'm 49 years old and have nothing saved for retirement — what should I do? Don't panic. Here are 5 of the easiest ways you can catch up (and fast) A near-record number of Americans are grappling with $1,000 car payments and many drivers can't keep up. Here are 3 ways to stay ahead Protect your retirement savings with these 5 essential money moves — most of which you can complete in just minutes But as the Brocks were on their way to pick up the keys to their new home, the title company called to inform them that the wire transfer never went through. The Brocks assumed there had to be some kind of mistake, but the real issue was much worse. "When we found out that it was fraudulent, it's like everything just sinks,' Stefanie told Fox 35 Orlando. "Like you feel the blood just drained from your body." As the Brocks would come to learn, they had fallen victim to a scam commonly known as home escrow wire fraud. They filed fraud reports with their bank, as well as the fraudsters' bank in North Carolina where the wire transfer was deposited, but the Brocks were only able to recover $5,000 that the fraudsters had not yet withdrawn. The Brocks thought they were doing everything by the book when purchasing a home for their growing family. They worked with a reputable title company and had even sent money earlier in the process without issue. What the couple didn't realize was that fraudsters had hacked Stefanie's email account, allowing them to successfully impersonate the title company. In fact, Stefanie had been unknowingly exchanging emails with the scammers for weeks. When it came time to wire the down payment, the instructions that Stefanie received via email looked legitimate. The couple only realized they had made a mistake when the actual title company called to say the money never arrived. "So many different emotions," Stefanie recalled. "Thinking, 'there had to have been some kind of mistake. Like, it's there somewhere.'" The Brocks immediately contacted their bank, but because they willingly sent the money, recovering the funds was nearly impossible. Law enforcement did step in, and at one point the North Carolina bank called the Brocks to say someone was attempting to withdraw the stolen funds at one of their branches. Yet despite this promising lead, the scammer got away. The Secret Service later retrieved $5,000 that hadn't been withdrawn, but the Brocks never got the remaining $33,000 back. Now, the Brocks are speaking out to warn other homebuyers. "We had this awful moment happen," Matthew said. "How do we turn it into something positive? And my thought was: awareness." Read more: Home prices in America could fly through the roof in 2025 — here's the big reason why and how to take full advantage (with as little as $10) Since real estate wire fraud is on the rise, the Brocks' efforts to spread awareness couldn't come at a better time. According to FBI data, 13,638 Americans were victims of real estate wire fraud in 2020, which is a 17% increase from 2019. Scammers are using increasingly sophisticated tactics to trick buyers, making these scams harder — but not impossible — to spot. The best way to protect yourself is to always call your title company, attorney or real estate agent to verify wiring instructions before you send money. Call a trusted number — like one from which they've called you before or from their website — to verify the instructions. And while you're at it, keep your eyes peeled for these red flags: If you receive wiring instructions that direct funds to a different account name, location or bank than previously discussed, it could be a sign of fraud. Always call to verify any changes by using a trusted phone number, and never use contact information from an email. If you receive a message or email changing any of the closing details — including the date, time or wiring instructions — it could be a sign of wire fraud. Scammers often pose as real estate agents, attorneys or escrow officers to send fraudulent instructions. Always verify any changes over the phone using a trusted phone number before wiring money. Scammers often try to create a sense of urgency to pressure victims into action before they can think things through. If you receive a message insisting the money must be sent now to avoid delays in closing or losing the property, don't act. Legitimate real estate deals have to follow a specific process with legal requirements. Make sure to double-check any changes and call your mortgage provider, escrow agent or real estate agent before wiring money. If you think you've been scammed, contact your bank and the authorities immediately. In some cases you may be able to stop the transfer. With real estate scams on the rise, homebuyers need to stay vigilant. As the Brocks learned the hard way, a simple mistake can cost you dearly. Jamie Dimon issues a warning about the US stock market — says prices are 'kind of inflated.' Crashproof your portfolio with these 3 rock-solid strategies 'I like this stuff': Self-made $500M mogul and YouTuber reveals his 'essential' US portfolio that he says Amazon 'can't hurt' — here's his secret formula and how you can copy it in 2025 Rich, young Americans are ditching the stormy stock market — here are the alternative assets they're banking on instead This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
