Tag

Jurassic Period

All articles tagged with #jurassic period

science17 days ago•8 min saved

Crabs’ Sideways Walk Traced to a Single Ancient Twist

A large comparative study of 50 true crab species, combined with a crab-wide phylogeny, shows sideways locomotion likely originated only once around 200 million years ago in the early Jurassic, at the base of Eubrachyura, suggesting a predator-evading advantage and contributing to the ecological success of true crabs, while noting this behavioral shift is rarer than repeated body-shape convergence and may have been influenced by Triassic–Jurassic environmental changes.

via SciTechDaily|

#carcinization #evolution #jurassic-period

science2 months ago•7 min saved

Massive Jurassic Sauropod Unearthed at Chinese Construction Site

Construction workers in Tongnan District, Sichuan Basin, China uncovered a partial, exceptionally well-preserved sauropod skeleton dating to about 147 million years ago (Late Jurassic). Scientists named Tongnanlong zhimingi, estimating the full animal at 23–28 meters (roughly 92 feet) long, with a large shoulder girdle and well-preserved vertebrae. The fossil’s preservation result from rapid burial in ancient mud and sandstone; the remains are housed at the Chongqing Museum of Natural History. The find sheds light on the size and distribution of giant Asian sauropods and suggests broader ancient connections across continents.

via The Daily Galaxy|

#china #jurassic-period #sauropod

science3 months ago•5 min saved

Portugal's Coastal Cliff Uncovers Intact 150-Million-Year Jurassic Egg Nest

At a coastal cliff in Santa Cruz, Portugal, researchers uncovered a block containing 10 Upper Jurassic dinosaur eggs (~150 million years old) preserved in three dimensions within granular sandstone, arranged in a natural nest pattern that suggests a genuine nesting site and limited disturbance. The team suspects carnivorous dinosaurs may have laid them, with potential embryonic remains to be confirmed by planned CT scans and microscopic analyses.

via The Daily Galaxy|

#dinosaur-eggs #fossil-preservation #jurassic-period

science5 months ago•3 min saved

Ancient Dinosaur Tracks Unearthed in Chile's Atacama Desert

Scientists discovered 160-million-year-old dinosaur footprints in Chile's Atacama Desert, including the smallest known theropod tracks, offering insights into a once wetter Jurassic landscape with ephemeral wetlands that supported diverse dinosaur species.

via Indian Defence Review|

#atacama-desert #chile #dinosaur-tracks

science9 months ago•4 min saved

Dinosaur Teeth Uncover Jurassic Climate and Diet Insights

Scientists analyzed the enamel of dinosaur teeth to reconstruct past CO2 levels and climate conditions during the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods, revealing high CO2 concentrations, increased plant productivity, and volcanic CO2 spikes, providing new insights into Earth's ancient climate and its influence on ecosystems.

via Earth.com|

#climate-conditions #co2-levels #dinosaur-teeth

science10 months ago•4 min saved

Ancient Ocean 'Burps' of CO2 and Their Modern Risks

Ancient volcanic activity 183 million years ago caused widespread ocean anoxia, a process that is now being mirrored by modern human-induced CO2 emissions, which are reducing ocean oxygen levels and threatening marine life. Scientists use geochemical methods to study past events, highlighting the long-lasting impact of deoxygenation and emphasizing the urgent need to reduce emissions to prevent similar catastrophic outcomes today.

via Earth.com|

#carbon-dioxide-emissions #climate-change #jurassic-period

science11 months ago•3 min saved

Ancient Chinese Fungus Unveils Jurassic Life Secrets

Researchers in China discovered 160-million-year-old blue-stain fungi fossils from the Jurassic period, significantly extending the known history of these fungi by 80 million years and providing new insights into their evolution and ecological relationships with plants and insects.

via Indian Defence Review|

#blue-stain-fungi #china #fossil-record

science11 months ago•3 min saved

Rare 150-Million-Year-Old Stegosaurus Skull Discovered in Spain Reshapes Dinosaur History

A rare 150-million-year-old stegosaur skull found in Spain has led to the identification of a new dinosaur group called Neostegosauria, reshaping our understanding of stegosaur evolution and their geographic distribution during the Jurassic period.

via SciTechDaily|

#dinosaur-evolution #fossil-discovery #jurassic-period

science1 year ago•2 min saved

Ancient Microbes Preserve 145-Million-Year-Old Fossil Forest in Dorset

The Fossil Forest in Dorset, England, is a 145 million-year-old site featuring fossilized tree stumps preserved by ancient microbes. Located on the Jurassic Coast, this area showcases unique fossils formed by algae-like microbes that encrusted the trees with calcium carbonate, creating limestone structures known as thrombolites. The forest, which existed during the Jurassic-Cretaceous boundary, was eventually submerged by rising sea levels, preserving the tree roots and trunks. The site provides insights into the environment where late Jurassic dinosaurs lived.

via Livescience.com|

#fossil-forest #jurassic-coast #jurassic-period

paleontology2 years ago•3 min saved

"Uncovering Jurassic Mammaliaform Evolution: Fossil Discoveries and Dental Diversification"

Two new species of early mammals from the Jurassic period, Feredocodon chowi and Dianoconodon youngi, have been discovered in Mongolia and China, shedding light on the evolution of mammalian middle ear from the jaw joint. These fossils provide insight into the transitional stages of mammalian evolution, showing incremental modifications that led to the advanced hearing systems found in modern animals. The discovery also challenges previous theories about the evolutionary history of mammaliaforms and provides vital insights into the phylogenetic relationships and evolutionary trajectories of shuotheriids, indicating unique ecomorphological adaptations within early mammaliaforms.

via Newsweek|

#ancient-mammals #fossil-discovery #jurassic-period

paleontology2 years ago•3 min saved

Ancient Flesh-Eating Lampreys Resurface in China

Fossil lampreys from the Jurassic period, discovered in northern China, provide insight into the evolutionary history of these ancient fish. The fossils reveal that these lampreys were fearsome predators, with a strong biting mechanism and a diet that involved consuming the flesh of their prey. The discovery suggests that lampreys had already evolved their current life cycle, which includes a phase of metamorphosis, during this time. The fossils also indicate a greater diversity in ancient lampreys than previously thought, shedding light on their gradual evolution over time.

via Nature.com|

#evolution #fossils #jurassic-period

science2 years ago•2 min saved

"UT Austin Unearths Texas' First Jurassic Vertebrate Fossils, Unveiling Ancient Sea Creatures"

Scientists at UT Austin have discovered fossilized remains of an extinct marine reptile, possibly a plesiosaur, in the Malone Mountains of West Texas, providing solid evidence of Jurassic vertebrates in the state. Previously, only ammonites and snails from the Jurassic period had been found in Texas. The discovery fills a gap in Texas' paleontological history and researchers hope to find more fossils to better understand the environment during the Jurassic period.

via KUT|

#fossils #jurassic-period #paleontology

science3 years ago•4 min saved

Study reveals massive size of prehistoric sea creatures.

Researchers have discovered a gigantic marine reptile called a pliosaur that swam the seas 152 million years ago, which was about twice the size of a killer whale. The findings suggest that the pliosaur was between 9.8 and 14.4 meters long. Pliosaurs were a group of large carnivorous marine reptiles characterized by massive heads, short necks, and streamlined tear-shaped bodies. The discovery was made after the chance discovery of large fossil specimens in a museum drawer.

via CNN|

#fossils #jurassic-period #marine-reptiles

science3 years ago•2 min saved

Massive Jurassic Sea Monster Unearthed in Museum Drawer.

Fossilized remains of a pliosaur, an unknown species of Jurassic predator, have been discovered in an English museum. The four bones are vertebrae and show that the creatures could grow almost 50 feet long, twice the size of an orca. Pliosaurs were the ocean’s biggest predators during the Jurassic period and likely preyed on ichthyosaurs, long-necked plesiosaurs, and smaller marine crocodiles. The finding drastically revises previous estimates for the scale of the prehistoric monsters.

via Livescience.com|

#fossil #jurassic-period #paleontology

science3 years ago•2 min saved

Chance discovery reveals massive Jurassic sea monster remains.

Fossilized remains of a "truly gigantic" pliosaur, an ancient sea monster, have been discovered in an English museum. The four bones are vertebrae from an unknown species of Jurassic predator and show that the creatures could grow almost 50 feet long, twice the size of an orca. The new finding drastically revises previous estimates for the scale of the prehistoric monsters. Pliosaurs were the ocean’s biggest predators during the Jurassic period and were likely ambush predators, leaping out at prey from deep and dark water and impaling them with dagger-sharp teeth, before crushing them with a bite more powerful than a Tyrannosaurus rex's.

via Yahoo Life|

#fossils #jurassic-period #paleontology