Tag

Amber

All articles tagged with #amber

paleontology1 month ago•9 min saved

Ancient Chinese Amber Pushes Resin Evolution Before Seed Plants

Paleontologists in Xinjiang, China report 385-million-year-old amber—the oldest confirmed amber to date—embedded in a coal seam and comprising 241 tiny pieces extracted from about 10 kg of coal. Chemical analyses show its resin resembles conifer resins, suggesting resin production evolved before seed plants and likely came from progymnosperms or lycopsids. The find implies early resin’s role was wound sealing and antifungal defense, possibly influenced by ancient wildfires, and was published online July 15, 2026 in Science Advances (Lu et al.).

via Sci.News|

#amber #devonian #paleontology

science1 month ago•7 min saved

Devonian Amber Pushes Resin Evolution Back 385 Million Years

Paleontologists uncovered microscopic amber fragments in a 385-million-year-old coal seam in China, dating to the Middle Devonian and about 150 million years before dinosaurs. Chemical tests suggest these grains were conifer-type resin, indicating that sophisticated resin production evolved in early vascular plants before the rise of seed plants, shedding new light on plant defense and the evolution of resin chemistry. The find may hint at even older amber records waiting to be discovered.

via ScienceAlert|

#amber #devonian #paleontology

science3 months ago•2 min saved

Ancient insect with crablike claws named after Stray Kids

A 100‑million‑year‑old insect preserved in Myanmar amber has been named Carcinonepa libererrantes in homage to the K-pop group Stray Kids, notable for its rare crablike front claws likely used for grasping prey; CT scans helped place it among true bugs, highlighting convergent evolution with crustaceans.

via DOGO News|

#amber #cretaceous #insects

science3 months ago•4 min saved

Crab-Clawed Amber Insect from 100 Million Years Ago Redefines Insect Evolution

A 100-million-year-old true bug preserved in Myanmar amber reveals front legs ending in crab-like claws, a rare feature found in only a few insect groups. Using micro-CT, researchers assign a new genus and species, Carcinonepa libererrantes, and infer a predatory lifestyle in a Cretaceous forest; the claws illustrate convergent evolution across distant lineages, highlighting the diversity of ancient ecosystems.

via The Daily Galaxy|

#amber #claws #evolution

science3 months ago•6 min saved

Ancient Glow: 99-Million-Year-Old Firefly Illuminates Early Bioluminescence

A 99-million-year-old firefly fossil trapped in Burmese amber—the oldest confirmed Luciolinae—preserves bioluminescent organs, showing that modern fireflies evolved light production and diversified during the mid-Cretaceous, alongside dinosaurs.

via Indian Defence Review|

#amber #bioluminescence #cretaceous

science4 months ago•5 min saved

Antarctic Amber Reveals Ancient Forests at the South Pole

A fragment of amber found in West Antarctica, dating to 92–83 million years ago (mid-Cretaceous), indicates resin-producing trees once grew near the South Pole, suggesting ancient forested landscapes and a warmer climate; it is the first confirmed amber discovery in Antarctica and provides a direct glimpse into past ecosystems.

via The Daily Galaxy|

#amber #antarctica #cretaceous

science4 months ago•4 min saved

Ancient Amber Uncovers Europe’s Lost Harvestman Lineage

Scientists describe Balticolasma wunderlichi, a new ortholasmatine harvestman from 35-million-year-old Baltic and Rovno ambers, marking the first fossil members of this subfamily and showing that these arachnids were once widespread across Europe during a warmer Eocene.

via ScienceAlert|

#amber #baltic-amber #harvestmen

science5 months ago•4 min saved

Doorstop Amber in Romania Declared a National Treasure Worth €1 Million

A 3.5-kilogram piece of rare rumanite amber found near a Romanian stream, once used as a doorstop, was authenticated as one of the world’s largest intact amber specimens and valued at about €1 million, now classified as a national treasure and housed at the Buzău Provincial Museum.

via The Daily Galaxy|

#amber #geology #national-treasure

science5 months ago•43 min saved

Ancient Ants and Their Mite Allies Revealed in Cretaceous Amber

Six Cretaceous amber specimens show ants living close to mites, wasps, and spiders, suggesting ancient ecological interactions and possible mutualistic or parasitic relationships, with future micro-CT analysis to clarify how these organisms interacted.

via Good News Network|

#amber #ants #insects

science6 months ago•1 min saved

Ultra-detailed ancient ant revealed in amber through 3D imaging

Researchers studied two amber pieces from the Goethe National Museum containing a fungus gnat, a black fly, and an extinct ant, †Ctenobethylus goepperti. Using advanced 3D imaging, they reconstructed the ant’s morphology and interior anatomy, revealing fine body hairs and enabling detailed comparisons with living Liometopum ants to infer possible canopy-nesting behavior. The findings, published in Scientific Reports, provide a clearer picture of how this ancient species lived.

via BBC Wildlife Magazine|

#3d-imaging #amber #ant

science7 months ago•2 min saved

Ancient Insect in Amber Reveals Mysterious Growth on Its Head

Scientists discovered 99-million-year-old amber fossils of an ant and fly infected by parasitic fungi, providing evidence that such fungi, similar to modern zombie-ant fungi, existed during the Cretaceous period and played a significant role in prehistoric ecosystems.

via The Daily Galaxy|

#amber #ancient-insects #fossil

science7 months ago•2 min saved

Ancient Fossil Suggests Spiders Once Had Tails and May Still Do

Scientists discovered a 100-million-year-old fossil of a spider in Myanmar amber that had a tail, revealing that ancient spider ancestors possessed tails, a trait previously only hypothesized. The fossil, named Chimerarachne yingi, shows a blend of ancient and modern features, including spinnerets and a tail similar to early arachnids, suggesting web-building evolved later. The discovery provides new insights into spider evolution and raises the possibility that similar species might still exist in unexplored rainforests.

via The Daily Galaxy|

#amber #evolution #fossil

science10 months ago•2 min saved

Ecuador Amber Unveils 112-Million-Year-Old Insect Fossils

Scientists discovered 112-million-year-old amber in Ecuador containing well-preserved insects and plant fossils, offering new insights into the prehistoric ecosystems of Gondwana and filling a significant gap in Southern Hemisphere paleontology.

via ScienceDaily|

#amber #ecuador #fossil-insects

science10 months ago•4 min saved

112-Million-Year-Old Insects Unveiled in Ecuadorian Amber

Scientists discovered 112-million-year-old insects and plant material preserved in amber from Ecuador, providing valuable insights into Gondwana's Cretaceous ecosystem and the biodiversity of the southern Hemisphere during that period.

via Indian Defence Review|

#amber #cretaceous #ecuador

science11 months ago•2 min saved

Ancient Forest Preserved in 112-Million-Year-Old Amber

Scientists have discovered 112-million-year-old amber samples from Ecuador that contain well-preserved 3D snapshots of ancient insects, including beetles, flies, and spiders, providing valuable insights into prehistoric life and the early relationship between flowers and pollinating insects. These bio-inclusions are rare and help scientists understand the biodiversity of the Gondwana supercontinent era.

via Good News Network|

#amber #ecuador #fossil