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Miocene

All articles tagged with #miocene

Egypt fossil hints northern Africa as cradle of ape origins
science13 days ago

Egypt fossil hints northern Africa as cradle of ape origins

Researchers describe Masripithecus moghraensis, a newly identified fossil ape from northern Egypt dating to about 17–18 million years ago, as a close stem hominoid to the lineage that gave rise to all living apes. Using Bayesian tip-dating, the find suggests northern Afro-Arabia could be a cradle for ape origins and underscores the role of Afro-Arabia as a Miocene biogeographic crossroads, challenging the East Africa–centered view while acknowledging gaps in Africa’s fossil record.

via ScienceDaily|
#afro-arabia#early-apes#hominoid-evolution
Arctic 23-Million-Year-Old Rhino Fossil Rewrites Rhino Evolution
science1 month ago

Arctic 23-Million-Year-Old Rhino Fossil Rewrites Rhino Evolution

A 23-million-year-old hornless rhino, Epiaceratherium itjilik, was unearthed in Canada’s High Arctic at Haughton Crater, with about 75% of its skeleton remarkably well preserved. The find offers new insights into Arctic ecosystems, rhino evolution, and long-distance migration via a North Atlantic land bridge, while recent advances in paleontology include recovering partial proteins from enamel in 2025, expanding methods for studying ancient mammals.

via Indian Defence Review|
#arctic#fossil#migration
Brazil Reveals 6.3-Million-Year Meteor Impact Through New Tektite Field
science1 month ago

Brazil Reveals 6.3-Million-Year Meteor Impact Through New Tektite Field

Brazilian researchers identified a new tektite field, geraisites, from a 6.3-million-year-old meteor impact that spread tektites over roughly 900 km in Minas Gerais and neighboring states; analyses of silica content, low water, lechatelierite inclusions, and argon-argon dating place the event in the late Miocene, with a buried São Francisco Craton crater likely as the source.

via Indian Defence Review|
#brazil#geraisites#meteor-impact
First Brazilian Tektite Field Traces 6.3-Million-Year Cosmic Impact
science1 month ago

First Brazilian Tektite Field Traces 6.3-Million-Year Cosmic Impact

Brazilian researchers have identified the country’s first tektite field, Geraisites, a collection of glassy fragments spread across Minas Gerais and adjacent states that indicate a substantial ancient impact. Dating with 40Ar/39Ar places the event at about 6.3 million years ago, during the Miocene, with isotopic signatures pointing to a very old continental crust source in the São Francisco craton. The field now spans over 900 km, and while no crater is yet known, the data imply a powerful impact with dispersed molten material; researchers plan aerogeophysical surveys and modeling to estimate the event’s energy, velocity, and crater geometry. This discovery expands South America’s sparse tektite record and suggests tektites may be more common than previously thought.

via SciTechDaily|
#brazil#geology#impact
Peruvian Fossil Unveils 9-Million-Year-Old Shark, a Relative Of the Great White
science2 months ago

Peruvian Fossil Unveils 9-Million-Year-Old Shark, a Relative Of the Great White

Scientists in Peru's Pisco Basin unearthed a remarkably well-preserved near-complete skeleton of Cosmopolitodus hastalis, an ancient relative of the great white shark. Dated to about 9 million years ago, the specimen includes a full jaw with serrated teeth and even preserved stomach contents—sardines—offering rare insight into late Miocene marine ecosystems and early apex-predator lifestyles.

via The Daily Galaxy|
#fossils#miocene#paleontology
Ancient Anacondas: Giants That Have Stayed Massive for Over 12 Million Years
science4 months ago

Ancient Anacondas: Giants That Have Stayed Massive for Over 12 Million Years

Scientists discovered fossils of giant anacondas in Venezuela, revealing they reached about 5.2 meters in length around 12.4 million years ago, and surprisingly, their size has remained unchanged since then, despite climate changes and other reptiles evolving differently. The findings shed light on the evolution and persistence of these massive snakes in South America.

via BBC Wildlife Magazine|
#anacondas#fossils#gigantism
Extremely Rare Insect Fossils Unearthed in New Zealand Lake
science-and-nature1 year ago

Extremely Rare Insect Fossils Unearthed in New Zealand Lake

Researchers in New Zealand have discovered exceptionally well-preserved fossilized whiteflies from the Miocene period in a lake near Dunedin. These tiny insects, found attached to a fossilized leaf, offer a rare glimpse into the ancient biodiversity of the South Pacific. The discovery is significant as it represents the first of its kind in New Zealand and only the third globally, highlighting the importance of insects in understanding ancient ecosystems.

via BBC Discover Wildlife|
#biodiversity#fossils#insects
Scientists Uncover Secrets of Ancient Dolphin Skull
science1 year ago

Scientists Uncover Secrets of Ancient Dolphin Skull

Researchers have discovered a new prehistoric dolphin species, Romaleodelphis pollerspoecki, from 22 million years ago in present-day Austria. This species, identified from a fossil skull, shows early evidence of echolocation abilities similar to modern dolphins. The discovery provides insights into the evolution of toothed whales and their auditory capabilities. The study, published in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, highlights the dolphin's advanced hearing, which may have aided in communication and predator evasion.

via SciTechDaily|
#dolphins#echolocation#fossils