Latest news with #SmithsonianNationalMuseumofNaturalHistory
Newsweek
a day ago
- Science
- Newsweek
New Species of Reptile Named After Discovery of 'Extremely Rare' Fossil
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Paleontologists from Petrified Forest National Park and the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History named and described a new species of "unusual, long-necked reptile" after microfossils of the animal were recovered at a site called Thunderstorm Ridge in northern Arizona. Newsweek has reached out to the Petrified Forest National Park by email for comment. Why It Matters Thousands of new species are discovered each year, and many of these are classified as endangered or already extinct. For example, the new reptile found in the Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona lived more than 200 million years ago. The species' description, based on tiny screen‑washed fossils and published in the peer‑reviewed journal Palaeodiversity, documented anatomy consistent with tanystropheid reptiles—a group known for extreme neck elongation in some species—and indicated that the Triassic landscape of northern Arizona was warm and wet about 220 million years ago, supporting swampy ponds and small rivers where these animals may have lived. What To Know Scientists named the new species Akidostropheus oligos, which translates to "tiny, spiked back bone." The reptile is so named because its neck bones are smaller than the average pinky fingernail and have a unique spike on the top. Akidostropheus oligos is known as a tanystropheid reptile, a type of animal that can have a neck that is "twice as long as the body and tail combined," the press release said. The fossils were discovered at the Thunderstorm Ridge site, within the Petrified Forest. The discovery was made after assessing microfossils, which were found by "collecting large amounts of rock from the site, rinsing that rock with water through fine metal screens to break it down, and then looking at the remaining sediment under a microscope to find the tiny fossils." "The study, led by seasonal paleontologist Alaska Schubert, describes the anatomy of Akidostropheus oligos and compares it to other related Triassic animals from fossils that are relatively common from Europe and China but are extremely rare in North America," Petrified Forest National Park posted on Facebook earlier this month. "This study shows that 220 million years ago in the Triassic Period, northern Arizona was a warm, wet place. The tanystropheids that inhabited the area might have lived in swampy ponds or small rivers." The genus Tanystropheus was also discovered at the site, the study said. Prior to the study, there has been only one confirmed occurrence of the genus Tanystropheus in North America. An artistic rendering of a long-necked tanystrophied reptile, the group of animals to which the new discovery belongs. An artistic rendering of a long-necked tanystrophied reptile, the group of animals to which the new discovery belongs. Petrified Forest National Park What People Are Saying Paleontologist Alaska Schubert told Newsweek: "To me, the coolest thing about Akidostropheus oligos is the spike on the vertebrae: there are very few animals that have spiked bone projections; most animals (living and extinct) who exhibit spikes do so via specialized scales, skin, or hair, so it's a very unique exhibit of a defensive structure. It is also special because the clade that it belongs to, Tanystropheidae, are very rarely found in North America, so not only is this a new species, but it is a unique find on a larger ecological level that shows that the group was wider spread than previously thought." The study in Palaeodiversity said: "The new genus and species described here, Akidostropheus oligos, is a small, non-marine tanystropheid. Due to the disarticulated nature of the microfossils from PFV 456, the taxon is at this time only known from vertebrae, which precludes an investigation into many other aspects of these interesting animals, such as locomotion, diet, or braincase reconstruction for sensory analysis." What Happens Next? In its conclusion, the study notes the "emerging importance of studying Triassic non-marine microvertebrate bonebeds to fill gaps in the spatiotemporal and anatomical record of Tanystropheidae, among other groups." Schubert told Newsweek that "it's possible there are additional new species" from the assemblages at Thunderstorm Ridge "just waiting to be discovered."
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
That's no ruby. It's an extremely rare red diamond.
While it may look like a blazing red ruby, the 2.33-carat Winston Red Diamond is just that—a diamond. One of the rarest diamonds in the world, the Winston Red Diamond is on display at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington DC–right near the more famous Hope Diamond. To learn more about this exceedingly rare Fancy Red diamond, Smithsonian gem and mineral curator Gabriela Farfan and colleagues spent two years researching its history and tracing its geological past. The team officially categorized the diamond and also narrowed down its potential country of origin as Venezuela or Brazil. The findings are detailed in a study published June 6 in the journal Gems & Gemology. Ronald Winston, son of famed American jeweler Harry Winston, donated the roughly 8 millimeter in diameter diamond to the Smithsonian in 2023. It is the fifth-largest confirmed red diamond in the world. Based on its old mine brilliant cut, gemologists believe that it was likely mined before the middle of the 20th century. This older style of cutting diamonds predates the more modern brilliant cuts seen today. Gemologists estimate that one in every 25 million diamonds is fancy red. According to the Smithsonian, this specific red diamond's documented history begins in 1938, when it belonged to the Cartier Family. The Cartiers then sold it to the Maharaja of Jamnagar India sometime before the 1980s. Winston purchased the stone from the Maharaja in the late 1980s and the diamond once adorned a ring worn by actress Brooke Shields in 1989. At 2.23 carats, it is smaller than the largest confirmed fancy red diamond. The Moussaieff Red clocks in at 5.11 carats and has been displayed in museums around the world. On April 1,the Winston Red Diamond officially went on display at the National Museum of Natural History in Washington DC. Scientifically describing and detailing the Winston Red's color and history was one of the major goals of this new study. Red diamonds are exceedingly rare, which makes studying them equally difficult. A diamond's color is largely determined by its chemical make-up. For example, a traditional white diamond is mostly composed of carbon. Small amounts of nitrogen will give a diamond a more yellow hue. If those nitrogen atoms have enough time–several millions of years–to aggregate in groups, the diamond will appear more brown. After even more years, if the nitrogen atoms form in groups of three surrounding a missing carbon atom, it will turn a yellow color. If the element boron replaces carbon, it produces a blue hue. Red and pink diamonds don't owe their color to chemistry. The extreme pressures and temperatures deep within the Earth can lead to plastic deformation within the rock. During plastic deformation, the atomic bonds in the diamond break and re-form along imperfections called dislocations. These deformations will change the diamond's atomic structure and affect how the light interacts with the stone. It's this deflection that gives it its rosy hue. Pink diamonds get their color in a similar way, since the color red is a more saturated pink. The Winston Red is also considered a Fancy Red diamond, meaning its color is pure red. It does not have any other modifying hues like purple, brown, or orange. Only 0.04 percent of fancy colored diamonds have this Fancy red color grade. The chances of finding a Fancy red diamond like the Winston Red is about one in 25 million diamonds. [ Related: The mystery behind pink diamonds just got some more clarity. ] To learn more, the team used several techniques including photoluminescence, spectroscopy, and cathodoluminescence to study the precious stone. These analyses confirmed the presence of plastic deformation bands and a pattern that officially classifies it as a type IaAB (A<B) Group 1 'pink' diamond. The diamond underwent significant pressure and temperature conditions when it was forming. They also found that the Winston Red gets its pure crimson color because it had a careful balance of the right pressure and temperature during its formation. Based on its mineralogical characteristics and mid-20th century cut, the team believes that it likely originated in Venezuela or Brazil. However, its precise place of origin is still unknown.
The Hindu
12-05-2025
- Science
- The Hindu
Ancient wooden spears may have been wielded by Neanderthals: study
A set of ancient wooden spears may be younger than scientists thought and wielded by Neanderthals instead of their ancestors. The complete spears made of spruce and pine are among the oldest known hunting weapons. They were discovered in a coal mine over two decades ago in the German town of Schöningen along with the remains of nearly 50 horses. Previous estimates dated the spears to 300,000 years ago so scientists thought the weapons belonged to a group of early humans called Homo heidelbergensis — thought to be the last common ancestor between humans and Neanderthals. But the new analysis using a different dating technique suggests the spears are younger, placing them about 200,000 years old. The new age means the hunting weapons may have been used by Neanderthals instead, according to research published on May 9 in the journal Science Advances. Recent work has suggested that some Neanderthals mixed and mated with early humans. The balanced, well-crafted spears could help scientists understand what Neanderthals were capable of and how they worked together to hunt. The spears are 'pretty sophisticated for something that old," said study co-author Jarod Hutson with the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. But it's not yet clear why the new dating disagrees with previous estimates. Archaeologist Thomas Terberger with the University of Göttingen said more research is needed to be sure of the spears' age and who used them to hunt. 'For the moment, I find the arguments interesting, but not absolutely convincing,' said Terberger, who had no role in the new study.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Ancient wooden spears found in Germany may have been wielded by Neanderthals, a new study suggests
NEW YORK (AP) — A set of ancient wooden spears may be younger than scientists thought and wielded by Neanderthals instead of their ancestors. The complete spears made of spruce and pine are among the oldest known hunting weapons. They were discovered in a coal mine over two decades ago in the German town of Schöningen along with the remains of nearly 50 horses. Previous estimates dated the spears to 300,000 years ago so scientists thought the weapons belonged to a group of early humans called Homo heidelbergensis — thought to be the last common ancestor between humans and Neanderthals. But the new analysis using a different dating technique suggests the spears are younger, placing them about 200,000 years old. The new age means the hunting weapons may have been used by Neanderthals instead, according to research published Friday in the journal Science Advances. Recent work has suggested that some Neanderthals mixed and mated with early humans. The balanced, well-crafted spears could help scientists understand what Neanderthals were capable of and how they worked together to hunt. The spears are 'pretty sophisticated for something that old," said study co-author Jarod Hutson with the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. But it's not yet clear why the new dating disagrees with previous estimates. Archaeologist Thomas Terberger with the University of Göttingen said more research is needed to be sure of the spears' age and who used them to hunt. 'For the moment, I find the arguments interesting, but not absolutely convincing,' said Terberger, who had no role in the new study. ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
The Independent
19-03-2025
- Science
- The Independent
Iguanas likely crossed Pacific millions of years ago on a record-setting rafting trip
Researchers have long wondered how iguanas got to Fiji, a collection of remote islands in the South Pacific. Most modern-day iguanas live in the Americas — thousands of miles and one giant ocean away. They thought maybe they scurried there through Asia or Australia before volcanic activity pushed Fiji so far away. But new research suggests that millions of years ago, iguanas pulled off the 5,000 mile (8,000 kilometer) odyssey on a raft of floating vegetation — masses of uprooted trees and small plants. That journey is thought to be a record — further than any other land-dwelling vertebrate has ever traveled on the ocean. Scientists think that's how iguanas got to the Galapagos Islands off of Ecuador and between islands in the Caribbean. Initially they thought Fiji might be a bit too far for such a trip, but in a new study, researchers inspected the genes of 14 iguana species spanning the Americas, the Caribbean and Fiji. They discovered that Fijian iguanas were most closely related to desert iguanas from North America, and that the two groups split off around 31 million years ago. The researchers created a statistical model using that information and other tidbits about where iguanas live today and how they may spread. It suggested that the iguanas most likely floated to Fiji from North America. 'Given what we know now, their result is by far the most strongly supported,' said Kevin de Queiroz, an evolutionary biologist at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, who was not involved with the new study. The research was published Monday in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The journey from North America to Fiji could have taken a few months, but these desert iguanas would have been ideal passengers because they were adept at resisting dehydration and could have snacked on the plants underfoot. 'If you had to pick a vertebrate to survive a long trip on a raft across an ocean, iguanas would be the one,' said study author Simon Scarpetta from the University of San Francisco, in an email. Many Fijian iguana species are endangered, and an invasive green iguana roams the islands today, said study author Robert Fisher of the United States Geological Survey. Figuring out where these creatures came from can equip scientists with the tools to better protect them in the future.
