For nearly four decades, a set of enigmatic fossils from British Columbia puzzled scientists so much so that they became the province’s official fossil emblem before anyone could definitively identify them. Now, after years of debate, paleontologists have finally unveiled the creature behind the mystery: Traskasaura sandrae, a bizarre 12-meter-long elasmosaurus with a Frankensteinian mix ...
A rare Gobi bear has been captured on video finally reaching a water source after a grueling 160-kilometer trek across the harsh, waterless terrain of the Gobi Desert. With fewer than forty individuals left in the wild, this critically endangered species faces extreme survival challenges due to habitat loss and climate change. The footage serves ...
Archaeologists have found a startling secret in the dry landscapes of northwest Arabia, where the remnants of the ancient oasis settlement of Qurayyah whisper tales of forgotten civilizations: the first evidence of intentional psychoactive plant burning in the planet. Published in Communications Biology, a ground-breaking study shows that Iron Age people were breathing smoke from ...
China has essentially monopolized rare earth elements (REEs), the unsung heroes of modern technology, for decades. Although these 17 metals run everything from fighter planes to cell phones, their supply chain has long been a geopolitical flashpoint. Now, a ground-breaking discovery from Australian company Lynas Rare Earths has industry leaders and scientists humming: the first ...
A recent study has revealed that the evolutionary relatedness of trees within an ecosystem plays a crucial role in shaping biodiversity and ecological interactions. Researchers found that forests with closely related tree species exhibit distinct patterns in insect diversity, nutrient cycling, and resilience to environmental stressors. These findings provide new insights into how tree composition ...
For decades, an invisible force, a strong ocean current, has guarded Antarctica’s icy stronghold as a natural barrier against the invading warmth of northern seas. New studies, however, show this shield is failing and the results could be disastrous. Meltwater from the collapsing ice sheets of the continent is accelerating the little-known but important Antarctic ...
A groundbreaking study has revealed that supplementing vasopressin, a hormone linked to social behavior, may improve social cognition in rhesus monkeys without increasing aggression. Researchers at Florida Institute of Technology, in collaboration with Stanford University and the University of California, Davis, explored how vasopressin affects low-social monkeys, offering insights into potential autism treatments. How Vasopressin ...
For the first time, a federally recognized Indigenous tribe has led a genetic study confirming their ancestral connection to Chaco Canyon. The Picuris Pueblo, a sovereign nation in New Mexico, has long maintained oral histories linking them to the region, but scientific validation was lacking. By sequencing ancient DNA, researchers have now provided genetic evidence ...
Volcanic ash, ancient teeth, and a “rhino Pompeii” reveal the chilling fate of prehistoric giants and rewrite what we know about herd behavior. A Prehistoric Mass Grave—And the Mystery That Baffled Experts In 1971, paleontologists in northeast Nebraska stumbled upon a scene straight out of a disaster movie: hundreds of fossilized rhinos, horses, and camels ...
For decades, sharks were seen as silent hunters. A groundbreaking discovery reveals they’ve been “speaking” all along and the recordings will surprise you. Breaking the Silence: Sharks’ Unexpected Vocalization In a major breakthrough in marine biology, researchers have, for the first time, recorded sharks intentionally producing sounds challenging the long-standing belief that these creatures are ...
