Tag

Cretaceous Period

All articles tagged with #cretaceous period

science1 day ago•46 min saved

Egypt desert fossils reveal five ancient sharks from the dinosaur era

Archaeologists digging in Egypt’s southwestern desert uncovered a Late Cretaceous shark graveyard within phosphate beds of the Duwi Formation, preserving a former tropical marine ecosystem and 14 fossilized teeth. The find includes five extinct lamniform sharks—Cretalamna cf. C. maroccana, Scapanorhynchus cf. S. raphiodon, Serratolamna cf. S. serrata, Squalicorax bassanii, and Squalicorax pristodontus—offering new insight into Africa’s ancient paleobiodiversity and past sea levels that were significantly higher than today.

via Yahoo|

#cretaceous-period #egypt #extinct-shark-species

science7 months ago•2 min saved

T. rex grew into a giant over four decades, new study finds

A new peer-reviewed study of 17 Tyrannosaurus rex fossils used growth rings revealed by polarized light to map year-by-year growth, showing T. rex took 35–40 years to reach full size and grew for four decades to about 8 tons, with an estimated lifespan of 45–50 years. This large dataset yields a revised growth curve and suggests a lengthy juvenile phase may have helped juveniles occupy varied ecological roles before the species became a dominant late-Cretaceous apex predator.

via Gizmodo|

#cretaceous-period #growth-rate #growth-rings

science7 months ago•4 min saved

70-Million-Year-Old Dinosaur Egg Reveals Unexpected Crystal Treasure

Scientists discovered a 70-million-year-old dinosaur egg in China that contained calcite crystals, transforming it into a natural geode and leading to the identification of a new species, Shixingoolithus qianshanensis, providing new insights into the microstructure, fossilization processes, and environmental conditions of the Late Cretaceous in the region.

via CPG Click Petróleo e Gás|

#calcite-crystals #cretaceous-period #dinosaur-egg

science8 months ago•2 min saved

Bolivia Uncovers Over 16,000 Dinosaur Footprints, Including Underwater Tracks

Scientists discovered over 16,000 dinosaur footprints at a large fossil site in Bolivia, many of which suggest dinosaurs moved along the shoreline of an ancient lake, with some footprints indicating swimming behavior, providing valuable insights into dinosaur movement and environment during the late Cretaceous period.

via The Daily Galaxy|

#bolivia #cretaceous-period #dinosaur-footprints

science8 months ago•3 min saved

110-Million-Year-Old Spider Fossils Discovered, Featuring Glowing Eyes

Scientists discovered 10 new fossilized spider species from the Mesozoic era in South Korea, including one with preserved glowing eyes that reflect light, indicating they may have been nocturnal hunters. This rare find, published in the Journal of Systematic Palaeontology, provides new insights into ancient spider diversity and their ecological niches, especially with the first identification of a tapetum in fossilized spider eyes.

via The Daily Galaxy|

#cretaceous-period #fossil-spiders #glowing-eyes

science8 months ago•2 min saved

Ancient Super Predators Over 10 Meters Long Once Ruled the Oceans

Scientists studying the Paja Formation in Colombia have uncovered evidence that ancient oceans were dominated by enormous marine reptiles, some over 10 meters long, filling a previously unseen seventh level at the top of the food chain, unlike today's oceans which typically have six levels of predators.

via BBC Wildlife Magazine|

#cretaceous-period #hyper-apex-predators #marine-ecosystem

science9 months ago•4 min saved

Massive Duck-Faced Dinosaur Discovered in New Mexico

A new species of duck-billed dinosaur, Ahshislesaurus wimani, was discovered in New Mexico, dating back about 75 million years. The fossil, initially misclassified, was re-examined and identified as a distinct species, adding to the diversity of Late Cretaceous dinosaurs in North America and highlighting the region's rich paleontological history.

via Earth.com|

#ahshislesaurus-wimani #cretaceous-period #dinosaur-discovery

science11 months ago•3 min saved

Tiny Cretaceous Crocodyliform with Unique Teeth Discovered in Montana

Scientists discovered a 95-million-year-old tiny skull of a previously unknown crocodile-like creature named Elton in Montana, revealing a new extinct family of small crocodyliforms with unique teeth and behaviors, providing insights into ancient ecosystems and convergent evolution.

via Live Science|

#cretaceous-period #crocodile-like-creature #extinct-species

science11 months ago•3 min saved

Scientists Use Lasers to Unlock Dinosaur Egg 'Atomic Clocks'

Scientists in China used laser vaporization to directly date dinosaur eggs from the Late Cretaceous period, providing more precise age estimates and insights into dinosaur evolution, extinction, and environmental changes during that era.

via ScienceAlert|

#china #cretaceous-period #dinosaur-eggs

science11 months ago•3 min saved

112-Million-Year-Old Amber Unveils Ancient Ecosystem and Insect Diversity

Scientists discovered 112-million-year-old prehistoric insects preserved in amber in Ecuador, providing new insights into ancient ecosystems and the early interactions between flowering plants and insects during the age of the dinosaurs.

via CBS News|

#amber-fossils #biodiversity #cretaceous-period

science11 months ago•3 min saved

Ancient Amazon Ecosystem Revealed by 112-Million-Year-Old Amber Finds

Scientists discovered South America's first large amber deposit in Ecuador, containing well-preserved insects and plant remains from over 100 million years ago, providing new insights into ancient ecosystems and rainforest environments during the Cretaceous period.

via Gizmodo|

#amber #cretaceous-period #fossil-insects

science11 months ago•1 min saved

Archaeologists Uncover First Dinosaur Egg Using 'Unprecedented' Technique

Archaeologists in China used a novel 'atomic clock' technique called in-situ carbonate uranium-lead dating to determine the age of dinosaur eggs at approximately 86 million years, providing new insights into dinosaur evolution, extinction, and Earth's climate history during the Late Cretaceous period.

via yahoo.com|

#archaeology #climate-change #cretaceous-period

science1 year ago•3 min saved

Canada's First Dinosaur-Era Dragonfly Fossil Discovered

A new species of dragonfly fossil, the first ever found in Canada from the dinosaur era, was discovered in Alberta's Dinosaur Provincial Park, filling a 30-million-year gap in dragonfly evolution and providing new insights into prehistoric insect diversity and ecosystem dynamics.

via SciTechDaily|

#canada #cretaceous-period #dinosaur-era

science1 year ago•3 min saved

Texas Flood Uncovers 115-Million-Year-Old Dinosaur Tracks

Floodwaters in Texas uncovered 15 dinosaur footprints dating back 115 million years, likely made by large carnivorous dinosaurs similar to Acrocanthosaurus, providing new insights into prehistoric life in the region.

via Live Science|

#cretaceous-period #dinosaur-tracks #fossil-discovery

science1 year ago•3 min saved

Ancient Egg-Laying Mammal Preyed on Dinosaurs in Late Cretaceous

Scientists in Chile discovered a 74-million-year-old small mammal, Yeutherium pressor, that lived alongside dinosaurs, showcasing a unique mix of reproductive traits and highlighting the diverse ecosystem of late Cretaceous Patagonia. The find provides new insights into mammalian evolution and the ecological dynamics of that era.

via The Daily Galaxy|

#cretaceous-period #fossil-discovery #mammal-evolution