Latest news with #Paleocene
Time of India
3 days ago
- Science
- Time of India
57-million-year-old giant penguin fossil discovered in New Zealand sheds light on ancient marine life
Source: moneycontrol Fossils found in southern New Zealand have brought to light a massive prehistoric penguin species unlike any living today. In a comprehensive analysis by University of Cambridge researchers, scientists identified Kumimanu fordycei which is a giant penguin that lived along the coastline during the Paleocene epoch around 57 million years ago. Weighing roughly 350 pounds which is equal to 154 kilograms, this enormous bird far surpassed modern emperor penguins in in the Journal of Paleontology and backed by Cambridge University and New Zealand's Te Papa Museum, the research sheds new light on penguin evolution , suggesting the existence of a long-forgotten age when giant and deep-diving seabirds thrived. 57-million-year-old giant penguin fossil unearthed in New Zealand The fossilized remains of Kumimanu fordycei were found embedded in beach boulders along the North Otago coast of New Zealand, dating to between 59.5 and 55.5 million years ago, shortly after the mass extinction that wiped out non-avian dinosaurs. An international research team including paleontologist Alan Tennyson and Dr. Daniel Field from the University of Cambridge carried out the excavation and analysis. Using laser scanning technology, they created digital models of the bones to compare this ancient species with modern penguins and other water birds. Giant penguins emerged sooner than scientists predicted by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Switch to UnionBank Rewards Card UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo This finding rewrites the timeline for when penguins began evolving into giants. Kumimanu fordycei isn't just the biggest penguin ever discovered but it's also one of the earliest, dating to just 5 to 10 million years after the first penguins appeared. This suggests that penguins began developing large body sizes far earlier in their evolutionary history than scientists once addition to Kumimanu, the researchers also identified another new species, Petradyptes stonehousei, which weighed around 50 kilograms which is still much heavier than any modern penguin. The fact that two such massive species lived side by side in the same region highlights the early diversity and ecological success of penguins. It also indicates that these ancient birds were not rare evolutionary outliers but powerful and prominent players in their marine ecosystems. The benefits behind becoming giant penguins The enormous size of Kumimanu probably provided multiple evolutionary benefits. Larger penguins were able to dive deeper and remain submerged longer which allowed them to access prey that smaller penguins couldn't reach. They were likely capable of hunting bigger fish and squid, potentially filling a predatory niche similar to that of small marine a thermoregulation standpoint, a bigger body helped retain heat more effectively, an important advantage in the gradually cooling subtropical to temperate waters of the early Paleocene. The name Kumimanu, which means 'monster bird' in Māori, describes this impressive creature that must have been a striking presence along New Zealand's ancient their skill in the water, these early penguins still exhibited features inherited from their flying ancestors. Their flipper bones were narrower with muscle attachments similar to those of birds capable of flight, indicating a transitional evolutionary stage. Over time, natural selection would shape their limbs for more efficient swimming, eventually leading to the streamlined, torpedo-shaped bodies seen in today's penguins. Why the massive penguins vanished Giant penguins like Kumimanu thrived for tens of millions of years throughout New Zealand, Antarctica and parts of South America. However, by about 20 million years ago, they disappeared from the fossil record. While the exact reasons remain uncertain, growing evidence suggests that competition with marine mammals played a key this period, seals and toothed whales began spreading across the Southern Hemisphere, competing with penguins for food and breeding sites. Seals, in particular, may have preyed on penguin chicks or displaced adult penguins at important nesting grounds. In contrast, smaller, more agile penguin species managed to survive and adapt, eventually evolving into the 18 penguin species we see today. Also read: Can science revive dead rhinos? The answer may shock you
IOL News
26-05-2025
- Science
- IOL News
Ancient pollen unlocks secrets of earth's past – from dinosaur extinction to Mayan collapse
Magnified images of fossil pollen studied in Australia. Clockwise from upper left, they are pollen from acacia, aglaonema and eucalyptus. Image: Francisca Oboh-Ikuenobe If you are sneezing this spring, you are not alone. Every year, plants release billions of pollen grains into the air, specks of male reproductive material that many of us notice only when we get watery eyes and runny noses. However, pollen grains are far more than allergens – they are nature's time capsules, preserving clues about Earth's past environments for millions of years. Pollen's tough outer shell enables it to survive long after its parent plants have disappeared. When pollen grains become trapped in sediments at the bottom of lakes, oceans and riverbeds, fossil pollen can provide scientists with a unique history of the environments those pollen-producing plants were born into. They can tell us about the vegetation, climate and even human activity through time. The types of pollen and the quantities of pollen grains found at a site help researchers reconstruct ancient forests, track sea-level changes and identify the fingerprints of significant events, such as asteroid impacts or civilizations collapsing. As palynologists, we study these ancient pollen fossils around the world. Here are a few examples of what we can learn from these microscopic pollen grains. Missouri: Pollen and the asteroid When an asteroid struck Earth some 66 million years ago, the one blamed for wiping out the dinosaurs, it is believed to have sent a tidal wave crashing onto North America. Marine fossils and rock fragments found in southeastern Missouri appear to have been deposited there by a massive wave generated by the asteroid hitting what is now Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula. Video Player is loading. 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Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Among the rocks and marine fossils, scientists have found fossilized pollen from the Late Cretaceous and Early Paleocene periods that reflects changes in the surrounding ecosystems. The pollen reveals how ecosystems were instantly disrupted at the time of the asteroid, before gradually rebounding over hundreds to thousands of years. Pollen from gymnosperms, such as pines, as well as ferns and flowering plants, such as grasses, herbs and palm trees, all record a clear pattern: Some forest pollen disappeared after the impact, suggesting that the regions' vegetation changed. Then the pollen slowly began to reemerge as the environment stabilized. Western Australia: From swamp to salinity In Western Australia, sediment cores from the beds of Lake Aerodrome, Gastropod Lake and Prado Lake reveal how long-term drying can change the ecology of a region. During the Eocene, a period from about 55.8 million to 33.9 million years ago, lush swamp forests surrounded freshwater lakes there. That's reflected by abundant pollen from tropical trees and moisture-loving shrubs and fern spores at that time. However, vegetation changed dramatically as the Australian tectonic plate drifted northward and the climate became more arid. The upper layers of the sediment cores, which capture more recent times, contain pollen mostly from wind-pollinated, salt- and drought-tolerant plants – evidence of shifting vegetation under growing environmental stress. The presence of Dunaliella, a green alga that thrives in very salty water, alongside sparse pollen from plants that could survive dry environments, confirms that lakes that once supported forests became highly saline. Guatemala: Maya history and forest recovery Closer to the tropics, Lake Izabal in Guatemala offers a more recent archive spanning the past 1,300 years. This sediment record reflects both natural climate variation and the profound impact of human land use, especially during the rise and fall of the Maya civilization. Around 1,125 to 1,200 years ago, pollen from crops such as maize and opportunistic herbs surged, at the same time tree pollen dropped, reflecting widespread deforestation. Historical records show political centers in the region collapsed not long afterward. Only after population pressure eased did the forest begin to recover. Pollen from hardwood tropical trees increased, indicating vegetation rebounded even as rainfall declined during the Little Ice Age between the 14th and mid-19th centuries. The fossil pollen shows how ancient societies transformed their landscapes, and how ecosystems responded, providing more evidence and explanations for other historical accounts. Modern pollen tells a story, too These studies relied on analyzing fossil pollen grains based on their shapes, surface features and wall structures. By counting grains – hundreds to thousands per sample – scientists can statistically build pictures of ancient vegetation, the species present, their abundances, and how the composition of each shifted with the climate, sea-level changes or human activity. This is why modern pollen also tells a story. As today's climate warms, the behavior of pollen-producing plants is changing. In temperate regions such as the U.S., pollen seasons start earlier and last longer due to warming temperatures and rising carbon dioxide in the atmosphere from vehicles, factories and other human activities. All of that is being recorded in the fossil pollen record in the sediment layers at the bottoms of lakes around the world. So, the next time you suffer from allergies, remember that the tiny grains floating in the air are biological time capsules that may one day tell future inhabitants about Earth's environmental changes. Francisca Oboh-Ikuenobe is Professor of Geology and Geophysics, Missouri University of Science and Technology. Linus Victor Anyanna is a Graduate Research Assistant in Geology, Missouri University of Science and Technology. L
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Ancient pollen reveals stories about Earth's history, from the asteroid strike that killed the dinosaurs to the Mayan collapse
If you are sneezing this spring, you are not alone. Every year, plants release billions of pollen grains into the air, specks of male reproductive material that many of us notice only when we get watery eyes and runny noses. However, pollen grains are far more than allergens – they are nature's time capsules, preserving clues about Earth's past environments for millions of years. Pollen's tough outer shell enables it to survive long after its parent plants have disappeared. When pollen grains become trapped in sediments at the bottom of lakes, oceans and riverbeds, fossil pollen can provide scientists with a unique history of the environments those pollen-producing plants were born into. They can tell us about the vegetation, climate and even human activity through time. The types of pollen and the quantities of pollen grains found at a site help researchers reconstruct ancient forests, track sea-level changes and identify the fingerprints of significant events, such as asteroid impacts or civilizations collapsing. As palynologists, we study these ancient pollen fossils around the world. Here are a few examples of what we can learn from these microscopic pollen grains. When an asteroid struck Earth some 66 million years ago, the one blamed for wiping out the dinosaurs, it is believed to have sent a tidal wave crashing onto North America. Marine fossils and rock fragments found in southeastern Missouri appear to have been deposited there by a massive wave generated by the asteroid hitting what is now Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula. Among the rocks and marine fossils, scientists have found fossilized pollen from the Late Cretaceous and Early Paleocene periods that reflects changes in the surrounding ecosystems. The pollen reveals how ecosystems were instantly disrupted at the time of the asteroid, before gradually rebounding over hundreds to thousands of years. Pollen from gymnosperms, such as pines, as well as ferns and flowering plants, such as grasses, herbs and palm trees, all record a clear pattern: Some forest pollen disappeared after the impact, suggesting that the regions' vegetation changed. Then the pollen slowly began to reemerge as the environment stabilized. Fossilized pollen grains have also helped scientists trace slower but equally dramatic changes along the eastern Gulf Coast states of Mississippi and Alabama. During the Early Oligocene, around 33.9 to 28 million years ago, sea levels rose and flooded low-lying conifer forests in the region. Researchers identified a distinct change in pollen released by Sequoia-type trees, giant conifers that once dominated the coastal plains. Scientists have been able to use those pollen records to reconstruct how far the shoreline moved inland by tracking the proportion of pollen grains in the geologic record to the rise of marine microfossils. The evidence shows how the sea flooded land ecosystems hundreds of miles from today's coast. Pollen is a biological marker and geographic tracer of this ancient change. In Western Australia, sediment cores from the beds of Lake Aerodrome, Gastropod Lake and Prado Lake reveal how long-term drying can change the ecology of a region. During the Eocene, a period from about 55.8 million to 33.9 million years ago, lush swamp forests surrounded freshwater lakes there. That's reflected by abundant pollen from tropical trees and moisture-loving shrubs and fern spores at that time. However, vegetation changed dramatically as the Australian tectonic plate drifted northward and the climate became more arid. The upper layers of the sediment cores, which capture more recent times, contain pollen mostly from wind-pollinated, salt- and drought-tolerant plants – evidence of shifting vegetation under growing environmental stress. The presence of Dunaliella, a green alga that thrives in very salty water, alongside sparse pollen from plants that could survive dry environments, confirms that lakes that once supported forests became highly saline. Closer to the tropics, Lake Izabal in Guatemala offers a more recent archive spanning the past 1,300 years. This sediment record reflects both natural climate variation and the profound impact of human land use, especially during the rise and fall of the Maya civilization. Around 1,125 to 1,200 years ago, pollen from crops such as maize and opportunistic herbs surged, at the same time tree pollen dropped, reflecting widespread deforestation. Historical records show political centers in the region collapsed not long afterward. Only after population pressure eased did the forest begin to recover. Pollen from hardwood tropical trees increased, indicating vegetation rebounded even as rainfall declined during the Little Ice Age between the 14th and mid-19th centuries. The fossil pollen shows how ancient societies transformed their landscapes, and how ecosystems responded, providing more evidence and explanations for other historical accounts. These studies relied on analyzing fossil pollen grains based on their shapes, surface features and wall structures. By counting grains – hundreds to thousands per sample – scientists can statistically build pictures of ancient vegetation, the species present, their abundances, and how the composition of each shifted with the climate, sea-level changes or human activity. This is why modern pollen also tells a story. As today's climate warms, the behavior of pollen-producing plants is changing. In temperate regions such as the U.S., pollen seasons start earlier and last longer due to warming temperatures and rising carbon dioxide in the atmosphere from vehicles, factories and other human activities. All of that is being recorded in the fossil pollen record in the sediment layers at the bottoms of lakes around the world. So, the next time you suffer from allergies, remember that the tiny grains floating in the air are biological time capsules that may one day tell future inhabitants about Earth's environmental changes. This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Francisca Oboh Ikuenobe, Missouri University of Science and Technology and Linus Victor Anyanna, Missouri University of Science and Technology Read more: Worsening allergies aren't your imagination − windy days create the perfect pollen storm Is it really hotter now than any time in 100,000 years? What 2,500 years of wildfire evidence and the extreme fire seasons of 1910 and 2020 tell us about the future of fire in the West Francisca Oboh Ikuenobe receives funding from the National Science Foundation, American Chemical Society-Petroleum Research Fund, and International Continental Scientific Drilling Program. She is affiliated with the American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Geophysical Union Geological Society of America, American Association of Petroleum Geologists, Association for Women Geoscientists, Geological Society of Nigeria, AASP - The Palynological Society, SEPM - Society for Sedimentary Geology, and The Paleontological Society. Linus Victor Anyanna receives research support from the National Science Foundation. He is a member of the Geological Society of America, AASP-The Palynological Society, the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, and the Geological Society of Nigeria.
Forbes
04-05-2025
- Science
- Forbes
The Tooth Of The Matter: How Sharks Lost Half Their Ecological Roles
Analyzing over 9,000 fossil shark teeth reveals that today's sharks occupy less ecological space ... More than their ancient counterparts. (Maggie Martorell/Miami Herald/Tribune News Service via Getty Images) Sharks are one of the ocean's oldest survivors, with a fossil record stretching back at least 250 million years. But their story isn't just merely about survival… it's about transformation. A global study by scientists Dr. Jack A. Cooper and Dr. Catalina Pimiento, analyzing more than 9,000 fossilized shark teeth from 537 species across the Cenozoic era (i.e. the last 66 million years), has shed light on how shark diversity, particularly in terms of function, has changed over time — and what that means for our oceans today. Instead of focusing on just species numbers, the duo turned to shark teeth to understand functional diversity, or the variety of ecological roles sharks have played, based on differences in size, feeding strategy and tooth shape. By examining six specific dental traits known to link closely with function, the two researchers mapped out how shark ecosystems evolved, and shrank, throughout deep time. The teeth came from museums around the world and all the scientific literature they could get their hands on, spanning a global range and capturing an evolutionary story told in enamel. For about 60 million years, from the Paleocene through the Miocene (roughly 66 to 10 million years ago), sharks thrived in a wide variety of ecological niches. During this time, 66% to 87% of the potential ecological 'functional space' was occupied. That means sharks weren't just numerous — they were doing lots of different things. Some were small suction feeders, others were massive predators, and many filled in-between roles that helped balance marine food webs. Notably, this period featured high levels of functional redundancy, where multiple species performed similar roles. That kind of overlap isn't wasteful. Think of it like a buffer against extinction: if one species disappears, another can step in to keep the ecosystem running. But this balance took a major hit about 30 million years ago during the Oligocene. Functional redundancy dropped by about 45%, making the ecosystem more fragile. The loss of overlap meant that each remaining species held a more unique, irreplaceable role. This left the whole system more vulnerable, and the trend didn't improve. From the late Miocene onward, about 10 million years ago, shark functional diversity began a steady decline. Today, sharks have lost 44% of the functional richness they once had. Many of the roles once filled by mid-sized suction feeders and large-bodied predators are simply… gone. What's striking is that extinct sharks were doing more than their modern relatives in terms of ecological variety. They spanned a broader range of functional roles than the sharks we see in today's oceans. The loss of those species — and their roles — means our current shark populations are not only smaller in number, but also less functionally diverse. This matters, Cooper and Pimiento explain, because functional diversity is closely tied to ecosystem health. The fewer roles sharks fill, the less resilient our oceans become. For about 60 million years, from the Paleocene through the Miocene (roughly 66 to 10 million years ... More ago), sharks thrived in a wide variety of ecological niches. During this time, 66% to 87% of the potential ecological 'functional space' was occupied. That means sharks weren't just numerous — they were doing lots of different things. Some, like Haimirichia amonensis, were small suction feeders likely adapted to snapping up soft-bodied prey like squid. Others, such as the massive Otodus megalodon, were apex predators capable of preying on large marine mammals. In between were species like Hemipristis serra, with serrated teeth suited for slicing through flesh, indicating a role as a powerful mid-sized predator. There were also bottom-dwellers like Galeorhinus cuvieri, which probably hunted crustaceans and small fish, and long-snouted filter-feeders like Pseudomegachasma, which may have filtered plankton from the water. Together, these species helped maintain a balance in the marine food web by occupying a broad spectrum of feeding strategies, sizes, and ecological roles. Importantly, this decline didn't happen overnight. It's (thankfully?) been unfolding for millions of years. But the pressure modern sharks face from overfishing, habitat destruction and climate change is piling on top of an already weakened system. It's like kicking a structure that's already crumbling at the foundation. What's left today is a thinner slice of the rich ecological tapestry that sharks once wove through the oceans. And if we continue to lose the few remaining threads, the consequences could ripple far beyond sharks themselves. Cooper and Pimiento hope their work acts as both a warning and a guide. By understanding how shark functional diversity has changed through time, scientists can better predict which roles are most at risk and which species are keystones worth prioritizing for conservation. Protecting the sharks of today isn't just about saving individual species, they argue, but about preserving the roles they play and the balance they bring to marine ecosystems. Sharks have weathered mass extinctions, sea-level shifts and global climate swings. But their long history on our blue marble planet also shows us that their current decline isn't part of a natural cycle, but a breaking point. The oceans of the past were richer, not just in life but in function. If we want to keep the ocean ecosystems we rely on, we'll need to make sure sharks can keep doing the jobs they've done for millions of years.
Hindustan Times
21-04-2025
- Science
- Hindustan Times
Lessons from arid Kutch: Global warming a threat to evergreen forests
Tropical rainforests, considered the lungs of the Earth for their capacity to work as major carbon cleansers, are under threat. A recent study by scientists at Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences (BSIP) has indicated the possibilities of ecological changes due to global warming. They have studied around 40-million-year old sedimentary rock layers of the Kutch Basin to find how the warming during Middle Eocene Climate Optimum (MECO) led to disturbances in tropical/evergreen rainforests which they say once existed in the region. Poonam Verma, a scientist involved in the research, said that the Kutch Basin resembles a book, with layers revealing information about different biota from various time periods. 'Approximately 40 million years ago, during the MECO era, the Earth underwent a warming phase where global temperatures were projected to be three to six degrees Celsius higher than they are today and carbon concentration 2.5 times higher. During this period of extreme warming, the tropical rainforest was impacted due to probable fluctuations in rainfall seasonality. We found an increase of evergreen-deciduous taxa during the peak warming period in the pre-existing tropical evergreen forest. However, due to rapid regeneration capacity, the tropical evergreen forest recovered gradually with the return of previous conditions,' said Verma. 'We also found that the mangroves present in the region were also disrupted during the warming. This indicates that if global warming continues at the existing rate, it can disrupt mangroves in other parts of the world and be a threat to the coastal ecosystems and communities. At the same time, warming can disrupt the hydrological cycle, which may change the composition of tropical rainforests, diminishing the green canopy which significantly reduces carbon from the atmosphere,' Verma added. She said that the depletion of rainforests can also lead to an increase in temperatures further. 'We have already entered the global warming period where temperatures have risen approximately one degree Celsius above the global mean temperatures. Hence, there is a need for intervention at all levels to reduce the effects of global warming. Gaining insight into past climate responses enables us to better predict and plan the mitigation strategies for the impacts of modern-day global warming,' she added. Director BSIP, MG Thakkar, who was also part of the research, said that there have been certain episodes in the past like the Paleocene–Eocene thermal maximum (PETM) about 56 million years back and MECO about 40 million years back that can give lessons for the current warming period. 'During the PETM episode, the carbon dioxide had increased to such an extent that sea water turned highly acidic in nature. It was also the case during MECO but to a much-reduced extent. Anthropologic activities are adding carbon dioxide emissions and degrading a rich source of oxygen, like tropical rainforests. The research is an analogue and alarm for the future doom, and it is a red signal for reducing carbon emissions,' Thakkar said.
