Latest news with #Mesozoic
Time of India
4 hours ago
- Science
- Time of India
Shocking! 183-million-year-old Dinosaur-era sea creature found with skin and scales intact
In a discovery that's catching the attention of scientists, researchers have found a remarkably well-preserved fossil of a marine reptile that's challenging what we thought we knew about how these creatures lived. The fossil, identified as Plesiopterys wildi, is around 183 million years old and was uncovered in southern Germany. What makes it especially rare is the presence of preserved soft tissues, like skin, scales, and keratin, which are almost never found in marine reptiles from the Jurassic period. The findings, published in Current Biology, offer a rare and detailed look at the texture, colouring, and movement of plesiosaurs– long-necked marine reptiles that lived during the Mesozoic era. Until now, scientists had to rely mostly on bones to imagine what these animals looked like, but this discovery gives a much clearer picture. Fossil found in 1940, but only studied recently The fossil specimen, labelled MH 7, was originally discovered in 1940 near Holzmaden, a region known for its fossil-rich Posidonia Shale. However, the specimen remained unprepared for decades. It was only in 2020 that researchers began to remove the surrounding limestone carefully and realised the fossil contained patches of soft tissue. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like American Investor Warren Buffett Recommends: 5 Books For Turning Your Life Around Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo 'Fossilized soft tissue, such as skin and internal organs, is exceptionally rare. We used a broad range of techniques to identify smooth skin in the tail region as well as scales along the rear edge of the flippers. This provided us with unparalleled insights into the appearance and biology of these long-extinct reptiles,' says Miguel Marx, a PhD student at Lund University and the study's lead author, as quoted by Lund University. Flippers show signs of specialised movement When researchers examined the fossil under a microscope, they found that the flippers were covered with tiny, triangular scales made of beta-keratin—a tough protein found in reptiles. These sturdy flippers likely helped the animal move with precision and control underwater. On the other hand, the skin on the tail was smoother and made of alpha-keratin, suggesting it had a different function. This difference in texture shows that various parts of the body were specially adapted for different roles in swimming and steering. 'Apart from the mosaic of smooth skin and scales, it was an incredible moment to visualize the cells in thin sections of the fossilized plesiosaur's skin. I was shocked when I saw skin cells that had been preserved for 183 million years. It was almost like looking at modern skin,' says Marx, as quoted by Lund University. Traces of pigment suggest patterned colouring One of the more unexpected findings was the discovery of melanosomes– tiny structures that carry pigment– in the skin of the tail. This suggests that the animal may have had patterns or variations in skin colour, instead of the plain or pale look that scientists usually imagine for marine reptiles. The researchers noted that this pigmentation could have played a role in camouflage or communication, though further analysis would be needed to confirm such functions. Discovery of a tail fin adds new clues Along with the preserved skin and scales, researchers also found a soft-tissue tail fin– something rarely seen in plesiosaur fossils. This broad and flexible structure suggests the tail may have helped the animal steer more effectively or even boosted its speed while swimming. Exceptional preservation thanks to Posidonia Shale The exceptional condition of the fossil is thanks to the unique environment where it was preserved. The Posidonia Shale– an ancient seabed with very low oxygen levels– slows down the process of decay, sometimes allowing soft tissues to fossilise along with bones. This kind of preservation is extremely rare in marine reptiles, which makes MH 7 a remarkable find and an important discovery for paleontologists. Adding detail to the story of Plesiosaur evolution Most studies on plesiosaurs have focused only on their bones, but this fossil gives a much fuller picture of the animal's biology. The preserved soft tissues offer new insights into how different parts of its body worked and how these features may have evolved over time. According to the research team, these findings may also contribute to understanding how plesiosaurs adapted to specific environments over time. 'Our findings help us create more accurate life reconstructions of plesiosaurs, something that has been extremely difficult since they were first studied over 200 years ago. Also, the well-preserved German fossil really highlights the potential for soft tissue in providing valuable insights into the biology of these long-extinct animals,' explains Marx, as quoted by Lund University. After sitting untouched for nearly 80 years, this discovery is now offering one of the most detailed views yet into the biology of a creature that swam the Earth's oceans almost 200 million years ago. The MH 7 fossil not only deepens our understanding of plesiosaurs but also highlights how valuable it can be to revisit and study old, forgotten specimens. Thumb image credit: X/@JoschuaKnuppe (Illustration of "Skin, scales, and cells in a Jurassic plesiosaur")
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Birds have been nesting in the Arctic Circle for almost 73 million years, newly discovered fossils reveal
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Birds have been nesting in rugged Arctic environments for almost 73 million years, new research finds — more than 25 million years longer than was previously thought. A collection of more than 50 fossils found in northern Alaska, which include embryos and hatchlings, suggest some of the early ancestors of modern birds either migrated or adapted to the harsh polar environment in the Mesozoic era, the age of dinosaurs. "The common conception is they're too primitive to be exhibiting this advanced behavior," Lauren Wilson, lead author of the study and a doctoral student of paleontology at Princeton University, told Live Science. "So you're either dealing with [Arctic winters] as an itty-bitty, freshly hatched bird, or you're 3 months old, and having to fly about 2,000 kilometers [1,240 miles] to get to a point where it makes sense to even migrate," Wilson explained. "I don't think we would expect either of those things from these birds that don't belong to that modern lineage of birds." Whether the birds migrated south or hunkered down for the winter, the research provides the earliest known evidence of either behavior in birds. And while some modern birds, like the ivory gull (Pagophila eburnea) and snowy owl (Bubo scandiacus) are known to nest in the frigid Arctic, there is now evidence that this behavior started millions of years before the meteor that wiped out non-avian dinosaurs crashed into Earth, if not earlier. "Many birds nest in the Arctic today, and they are key parts of Arctic communities and ecosystems and food webs," Steve Brusatte, a professor of paleontology and evolution at the University of Edinburgh who peer-reviewed the study but was not involved in it, told Live Science in an email. "These fossils show that birds were already integral parts of these high latitude communities many tens of millions of years ago, and thus that these communities are a long-term norm of Earth history, not a recent ecological innovation of modern times." The fossils in the collection come from at least three different families of bird: the extinct, loon-like hesperornithes; ichthyornithes, an extinct bird that resembled seagulls; and several species resembling ducks that are within or very similar to neornithes, the group containing all modern birds. Related: Hoatzin: The strange 'stinkbird' born with clawed wings that appears to be an evolutionary 'orphan' Notably, the researchers did not find any fossils of the dominant bird group of the Cretaceous period (145 million to 66 million years ago) — enantiornithes, now-extinct birds that typically had teeth in their beaks and claws on their wings. But a few factors reveal why they likely didn't live in the Arctic. They likely took longer than other birds to incubate their eggs, they took several years to reach full adult size (where most modern birds grow to adult size within weeks) and they "may have had a period where they're almost naked because they molted their feathers simultaneously," which is not helpful during an Arctic winter, said study co-author Daniel Ksepka, a paleontologist and curator of the Bruce Museum in Connecticut. The world was warmer in the Late Cretaceous than it is today, but the region the birds were found in likely experienced freezing temperatures, snow and roughly four straight months of winter darkness. Growing to adulthood so quickly allowed modern birds to practice long-range migration and prosper during those ancient Arctic summers, which boasted around six months of 24-hour daylight and a burst in insect populations. But the weather wasn't the only challenge. They lived alongside "probably about 12 or 13 different kinds of typical dinosaurs," like the Pachyrhinosaurus, a relative of Triceratops that was about 16 feet (5 meters) long and weighed 2 tons (1,800 kilograms). Other dinosaurs like Troodon, an 11-foot tall meat-eater with short, serrated teeth, "would have happily taken advantage of a bunch of these little cute little chicks for dinner," said Patrick Druckenmiller, director of the University of Alaska Museum of the North and advising author of the study. RELATED STORIES —Chickens sprouted dino-like feathers when scientists messed with the Sonic Hedgehog gene —Why don't all birds fly? —Ancient duck-like creature discovered in Antarctica may be the oldest modern bird ever discovered To get to the fossil sites in the Prince Creek Formation in Northern Alaska, the researchers drove 500 miles (800 km) from Fairbanks, chartered a small aircraft to fly to the Colville River, then took inflatable motorboats up the river before setting up camp, Druckenmiller said. There they would look for an "orangey, pebbly, sandy" layer of sediment that contains small bones and teeth, and often lay on the permafrost to "excavate with little dental picks and small tools" from the layer itself. Now that the Prince Creek Formation is "one of the major North American Cretaceous bird sites," according to the researchers, Wilson says the next step is simply to find more fossils. "The more bones we find, the more confident we can be in exactly what types of birds we have," she said. "We might even still find a random bone that's from a bird we didn't know was there."
The Age
4 days ago
- Business
- The Age
Marmota yields Bonanza-grade titanium at emerging SA discovery
Marmota Limited has unveiled a stunning set of results from its emerging Muckanippie titanium discovery in South Australia's Gawler craton, confirming the project as a major new heavy mineral sands player with bonanza-grade concentrations that dwarf industry benchmarks. The company's 91-hole air core campaign has revealed extraordinary titanium-rich heavy mineral (HM) concentrations, with peak grades up to a staggering 63 per cent. Thick intercepts start at surface. Marmota believes the results validate the discovery's high-grade and significantly expand its footprint to a sprawling 3.2 kilometre by 1.8km, with the potential for extensions in all directions. The program's standout intersections include an unheard of 37m at 45 per cent HM from just 2m depth, which featured a 5m section at a massive 56 per cent HM, a 34m hit running 19 per cent HM from 4m, including 1m at 50 per cent HM, and a 30m at 20 per cent HM from surface. The results build on the company's four discovery holes reported at the start of this year, which peaked at 28 per cent HM. The company's latest drill program doubles the project's maximum grade to 63 per cent. The mineralised zone is hosted within a 28km-long Mesozoic palaeochannel and currently spans the entire 3.2km width of Marmota's Muckanippie tenement. High-grade HM concentrations of more than 20 per cent were recorded at both its eastern and western extremities. Encouragingly, samples from Marmota's adjoining tenement to the west have previously shown 100 per cent leucoxene - a high-value titanium mineral - hinting at a potential 9km-long mineralised system yet to be drill-tested. Using low-cost air core drilling, Marmota will now look to quickly and cheaply move its discovery to a resource estimate. It seems HM grades in the company's maiden resource will likely stand head and shoulders above its industry peers.
Sydney Morning Herald
4 days ago
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
Marmota yields Bonanza-grade titanium at emerging SA discovery
Marmota Limited has unveiled a stunning set of results from its emerging Muckanippie titanium discovery in South Australia's Gawler craton, confirming the project as a major new heavy mineral sands player with bonanza-grade concentrations that dwarf industry benchmarks. The company's 91-hole air core campaign has revealed extraordinary titanium-rich heavy mineral (HM) concentrations, with peak grades up to a staggering 63 per cent. Thick intercepts start at surface. Marmota believes the results validate the discovery's high-grade and significantly expand its footprint to a sprawling 3.2 kilometre by 1.8km, with the potential for extensions in all directions. The program's standout intersections include an unheard of 37m at 45 per cent HM from just 2m depth, which featured a 5m section at a massive 56 per cent HM, a 34m hit running 19 per cent HM from 4m, including 1m at 50 per cent HM, and a 30m at 20 per cent HM from surface. The results build on the company's four discovery holes reported at the start of this year, which peaked at 28 per cent HM. The company's latest drill program doubles the project's maximum grade to 63 per cent. The mineralised zone is hosted within a 28km-long Mesozoic palaeochannel and currently spans the entire 3.2km width of Marmota's Muckanippie tenement. High-grade HM concentrations of more than 20 per cent were recorded at both its eastern and western extremities. Encouragingly, samples from Marmota's adjoining tenement to the west have previously shown 100 per cent leucoxene - a high-value titanium mineral - hinting at a potential 9km-long mineralised system yet to be drill-tested. Using low-cost air core drilling, Marmota will now look to quickly and cheaply move its discovery to a resource estimate. It seems HM grades in the company's maiden resource will likely stand head and shoulders above its industry peers.
Time of India
10-05-2025
- Science
- Time of India
Fossil of pregnant Icthyosaur 'Fiona', a prehistoric sea reptile, found in Chile -- Key details inside
In a remarkable discovery in Chile's Torres del Paine National Park, remains of a pregnant ichthyosaur nicknamed 'Fiona' were unearthed near the Tyndall Glacier, known to have been preserved for over 130 million years. This rare specimen offers an exciting glimpse into the lives of the prehistoric sea reptiles . A rare glimpse into the past These rare species are often compared to modern-day dolphins. They were once very powerful marine predators that thrived during the Mesozoic era. Fiona's fossil is not just the remains of a complete adult, but also had several embryos inside her body. This is one of the very first fossils discovered in Chile, one of the very few globally that preserve reproductive evidence in such detail. Operation Sindoor India's air defence systems shoot down Pak drones in J&K, Punjab & Rajasthan India-Pakistan tensions: Delhi airport issues travel advisory Operation Sindoor: Multiple explosions heard at several Pakistan air bases It is shocking to know that Fiona lived around 131 million years ago, during the time of dinosaurs. Scientists believe that this Icthyosaur was buried quickly under a sudden underwater landslide. The ice that surrounds it has preserved its skeleton for years, and also the embryos inside, providing an unusually clear picture of ichthyosaur reproduction. Fiona's fossil confirms that ichthyosaurs gave birth to live young, which was their trait. The scientists and researchers are conducting thorough research to better understand how these marine reptiles adapted to life in cold and deep-sea environments. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Want Lower Bills Without Changing a Thing? elecTrick - Save upto 80% on Power Bill Learn More Undo The excavation was done by an international group of palaeontologists and lasted several years due to extreme weather and tough terrain. The fossil, which offers valuable information for the understanding of ancient marine ecosystems, will be analysed further in Chilean laboratories. More than just a significant scientific finding, Fiona's discovery serves as a reminder of how much more we still don't know about Earth's prehistoric past. Every fossil contributes a piece to the evolutionary puzzle, and this one, preserved in the face of extreme adversity, is an amazing chapter in the history of life.
