https://www.sciencedaily.com/news/fossils_ruins/early_birds/ Read about the evolution of avian species. How did the earliest birds evolve? Science articles and pictures. en-us Thu, 05 Mar 2026 19:04:33 EST Thu, 05 Mar 2026 19:04:33 EST 60 https://www.sciencedaily.com/images/scidaily-logo-rss.png https://www.sciencedaily.com/news/fossils_ruins/early_birds/ For more science news, visit ScienceDaily. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/03/260304184226.htm Tyrannosaurus rex may have taken far longer to grow up than scientists once thought. By analyzing growth rings in fossilized leg bones from 17 tyrannosaur specimens and using new statistical methods, researchers found that the famous predator likely took about 40 years to reach its full size—around eight tons—rather than the previously estimated 25 years. Thu, 05 Mar 2026 15:10:22 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/03/260304184226.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/02/260224023218.htm A newly identified ichthyosaur from the UK’s Jurassic Coast is rewriting part of the prehistoric playbook. Nicknamed the “Sword Dragon of Dorset,” the three-meter-long marine reptile lived during a poorly understood window of evolution when major ichthyosaur groups were disappearing and new ones emerging. Its beautifully preserved skeleton — complete with a blade-like snout and possible last meal — helps pinpoint when this dramatic transition occurred. Tue, 24 Feb 2026 07:50:35 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/02/260224023218.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/02/260221000313.htm Triceratops’ massive head may have been doing more than just showing off those famous horns. Using CT scans and 3D reconstructions of fossil skulls, researchers uncovered a surprisingly complex nasal system hidden inside its enormous snout. Instead of being just a supersized nose for smelling, it likely housed intricate networks of nerves and blood vessels—and even special structures that helped regulate heat and moisture. Sun, 22 Feb 2026 07:20:15 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/02/260221000313.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/02/260217005754.htm An Ice Age double burial in Italy has yielded a stunning genetic revelation. DNA from a mother and daughter who lived over 12,000 years ago shows that the younger had a rare inherited growth disorder, confirmed through mutations in a key bone-growth gene. Her mother carried a milder version of the same mutation. The finding not only solves a long-standing mystery but also proves that rare genetic diseases stretch far back into prehistory. Tue, 17 Feb 2026 06:25:57 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/02/260217005754.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/02/260217005734.htm A 125-million-year-old dinosaur just rewrote what we thought we knew about prehistoric life. Scientists in China have uncovered an exceptionally preserved juvenile iguanodontian with fossilized skin so detailed that individual cells are still visible. Even more astonishing, the plant-eating dinosaur was covered in hollow, porcupine-like spikes—structures never before documented in any dinosaur. Wed, 18 Feb 2026 01:10:28 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/02/260217005734.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/02/260212025613.htm Long before agriculture, humans were transforming Europe’s wild landscapes. Advanced simulations show that hunting and fire use by Neanderthals and Mesolithic hunter-gatherers reshaped forests and grasslands in measurable ways. By reducing populations of giant herbivores, people indirectly altered how dense vegetation became. The findings challenge the idea that prehistoric Europe was an untouched natural world. Thu, 12 Feb 2026 09:14:45 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/02/260212025613.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/02/260210231546.htm Hundreds of millions of years ago, the first animals to crawl onto land were strict meat-eaters, even as plants had already taken over the landscape. Now scientists have uncovered a 307-million-year-old fossil that rewrites that story: one of the earliest known land vertebrates to start eating plants. The animal, named Tyrannoroter heberti, was a stocky, football-sized creature with a skull packed with specialized teeth designed for crushing and grinding vegetation. Wed, 11 Feb 2026 03:19:21 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/02/260210231546.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/02/260208011012.htm New evidence from Neolithic mass graves in northeastern France suggests that some of Europe’s earliest violent encounters were not random acts of brutality, but carefully staged displays of power. By analyzing chemical clues locked in ancient bones and teeth, researchers found that many victims were outsiders who suffered extreme, ritualized violence after conflict. Severed arms appear to have been taken from local enemies killed in battle, while captives from farther away were executed in a grim form of public spectacle. Sun, 08 Feb 2026 01:51:55 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/02/260208011012.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/02/260201062455.htm Dinosaur footprints have always been mysterious, but a new AI app is cracking their secrets. DinoTracker analyzes photos of fossil tracks and predicts which dinosaur made them, with accuracy rivaling human experts. Along the way, it uncovered footprints that look strikingly bird-like—dating back more than 200 million years. That discovery could push the origin of birds much deeper into prehistory. Sun, 01 Feb 2026 08:37:50 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/02/260201062455.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/12/251228074449.htm Researchers have uncovered thousands of preserved metabolic molecules inside fossilized bones millions of years old, offering a surprising new window into prehistoric life. The findings reveal animals’ diets, diseases, and even their surrounding climate, including evidence of warmer, wetter environments. One fossil even showed signs of a parasite still known today. This approach could transform how scientists reconstruct ancient ecosystems. Sat, 03 Jan 2026 05:20:37 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/12/251228074449.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/12/251227004157.htm A spectacular fossil trove on the Arctic island of Spitsbergen shows that marine life made a stunning comeback after Earth’s greatest extinction. Tens of thousands of fossils reveal fully aquatic reptiles and complex food chains thriving just three million years later. Some predators grew over five meters long, challenging the idea of a slow, step-by-step recovery. The find rewrites the early history of ocean ecosystems. Tue, 30 Dec 2025 12:20:59 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/12/251227004157.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/12/251217082511.htm Researchers have found that fossilized dinosaur eggshells contain a natural clock that can reveal when dinosaurs lived. The technique delivers surprisingly precise ages and could revolutionize how fossil sites around the world are dated. Sun, 21 Dec 2025 06:01:26 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/12/251217082511.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/12/251216081937.htm Over 8,000 years ago, early farming communities in northern Mesopotamia were already thinking mathematically—long before numbers were written down. By closely studying Halafian pottery, researchers uncovered floral and plant designs arranged with precise symmetry and numerical patterns, revealing a surprisingly advanced sense of geometry. Tue, 16 Dec 2025 23:26:36 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/12/251216081937.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/12/251212022244.htm Fossils from Qatar have revealed a small, newly identified sea cow species that lived in the Arabian Gulf more than 20 million years ago. The site contains the densest known collection of fossil sea cow bones, showing that these animals once thrived in rich seagrass meadows. Their ecological role mirrors that of modern dugongs, which still reshape the Gulf’s seafloor as they graze. The findings may help researchers understand how seagrass ecosystems respond to long-term environmental change. Fri, 12 Dec 2025 02:58:26 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/12/251212022244.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/12/251208052529.htm Ancient pterosaurs may have taken to the skies far earlier and more explosively than birds, evolving flight at their very origin despite having relatively small brains. Using advanced CT imaging, scientists reconstructed the brain cavities of pterosaur fossils and their close relatives, uncovering surprising clues—such as enlarged optic lobes—that hint at a rapid leap into powered flight. Their findings contrast sharply with the slow, stepwise evolution seen in birds, whose brains expanded over time to support flying. Tue, 09 Dec 2025 03:06:41 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/12/251208052529.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/11/251129044518.htm Scientists have reconstructed the most complete and lifelike profile of Edmontosaurus annectens thanks to an extraordinary preservation process called clay templating, in which a thin clay film captured the dinosaur’s skin, scales, spikes, and even hooves in three dimensions. By combining newly excavated “mummies,” advanced imaging, and artistic reconstruction, researchers revealed a tall crest, a single row of tail spikes, delicate pebble-like scales, and—most remarkably—the earliest known hooves in any land vertebrate. Sun, 30 Nov 2025 03:47:27 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/11/251129044518.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/11/251115095920.htm Researchers have sequenced the oldest RNA ever recovered, taken from a woolly mammoth frozen for nearly 40,000 years. The RNA reveals which genes were active in its tissues, offering a rare glimpse into its biology and final moments. Surprisingly, the team also identified ancient microRNAs and rare mutations that confirm their mammoth origin. The finding shows that RNA can endure millennia—reshaping how scientists study extinct species. Sat, 15 Nov 2025 23:54:56 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/11/251115095920.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/11/251112111027.htm Footprints preserved on ancient dunes show Neanderthals actively navigating, hunting, and living along Portugal’s coastline. Their behavior and diet suggest a far more adaptable and socially complex population than once assumed. Thu, 13 Nov 2025 07:02:13 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/11/251112111027.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/10/251011105529.htm New research along Turkey’s Ayvalık coast reveals a once-submerged land bridge that may have helped early humans cross from Anatolia into Europe. Archaeologists uncovered 138 Paleolithic tools across 10 sites, indicating the region was a crucial migration corridor during the Ice Age. The findings challenge traditional migration theories centered on the Balkans and Levant, suggesting instead that humans used now-vanished pathways across the Aegean. Sun, 12 Oct 2025 09:04:36 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/10/251011105529.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/10/251011105524.htm Researchers have unearthed South America’s first amber deposits containing ancient insects in an Ecuadorian quarry, offering a rare 112-million-year-old glimpse into life on the supercontinent Gondwana. The amber, found in the Hollín Formation, preserved a diverse range of insect species and plant material, revealing a humid, resin-rich forest teeming with life. Sat, 11 Oct 2025 11:33:09 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/10/251011105524.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/10/251004092907.htm Researchers in Alberta uncovered a fossil fish that rewrites the evolutionary history of otophysans, which today dominate freshwater ecosystems. The new species, Acronichthys maccognoi, shows early adaptations for its unusual hearing system. Evidence suggests otophysans moved from oceans to rivers more than once, leaving scientists puzzled about their ancient global journeys. Sat, 04 Oct 2025 09:29:07 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/10/251004092907.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/09/250905180737.htm Two tiny pterosaurs, preserved for 150 million years, have revealed a surprising cause of death: violent storms. Researchers at the University of Leicester discovered both hatchlings, nicknamed Lucky and Lucky II, with broken wings—injuries consistent with being tossed through the air by powerful gusts. These storms not only claimed their lives but also created the rare conditions that preserved them so perfectly in the Solnhofen limestones. Fri, 05 Sep 2025 22:56:23 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/09/250905180737.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/08/250813083632.htm A groundbreaking fossil discovery in the Grand Canyon has unveiled exquisitely preserved soft-bodied animals from the Cambrian period, offering an unprecedented glimpse into early life more than 500 million years ago. Researchers uncovered molluscs, crustaceans, and exotic worms with remarkable feeding adaptations, preserved in a nutrient-rich “Goldilocks zone” that fueled evolutionary experimentation. The find not only reveals the complexity of Cambrian ecosystems but also draws intriguing parallels between ancient biological innovation and modern economic risk-taking. Thu, 14 Aug 2025 08:14:30 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/08/250813083632.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/08/250809100916.htm The newly described Mirasaura grauvogeli from the Middle Triassic had a striking feather-like crest, hinting that complex skin appendages arose far earlier than previously believed. Its bird-like skull, tree-climbing adaptations, and pigment structures linked to feathers deepen the mystery of reptile evolution. Sat, 09 Aug 2025 11:15:10 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/08/250809100916.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/08/250804085310.htm A new long-necked marine reptile, Plesionectes longicollum, has been identified from a decades-old fossil found in Germany’s Posidonia Shale. The remarkably preserved specimen rewrites part of the Jurassic marine story, revealing unexpected diversity during a time of oceanic chaos. It is now the oldest known plesiosaur from Holzmaden. Mon, 04 Aug 2025 10:20:53 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/08/250804085310.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/07/250724040502.htm A tiny, overlooked wrist bone called the pisiform may have played a pivotal role in bird flight and it turns out it evolved far earlier than scientists thought. Fossils from bird-like dinosaurs in Mongolia reveal that this bone, once thought to vanish and reappear, was actually hiding in plain sight. Thanks to pristine preservation and 3D scans, researchers connected the dots between ancient theropods and modern birds, uncovering a deeper, more intricate story of how dinosaurs evolved the tools for powered flight. Thu, 24 Jul 2025 04:05:02 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/07/250724040502.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/07/250723045712.htm Half a billion years ago, a strange sea-dwelling creature called Mollisonia symmetrica may have paved the way for modern spiders. Using detailed fossil brain analysis, researchers uncovered neural patterns strikingly similar to today's arachnids—suggesting spiders evolved in the ocean, not on land as previously believed. This brain structure even hints at a critical evolutionary leap that allowed spiders their infamous speed, dexterity, and web-spinning prowess. The findings challenge long-held assumptions about arachnid origins and may even explain why insects took to the skies: to escape their relentless, silk-spinning predators. Thu, 24 Jul 2025 02:35:49 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/07/250723045712.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/07/250711224319.htm A university student on a fossil-hunting field trip in Dorset made a stunning discovery: a 145-million-year-old jawbone belonging to a previously unknown mammal species with razor-like teeth. With the help of CT scanning, 3D printing, and expert analysis, the fossil was revealed to be Novaculadon mirabilis, a multituberculate that lived alongside dinosaurs. This is the first find of its kind from the area in over a century, and the fossil’s preservation and sharp-toothed structure are offering new insights into early mammal evolution — all thanks to a beach walk and a sharp eye. Sat, 12 Jul 2025 09:47:02 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/07/250711224319.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/07/250710113158.htm Scientists have uncovered DNA from 214 ancient pathogens in prehistoric humans, including the oldest known evidence of plague. The findings show zoonotic diseases began spreading around 6,500 years ago, likely triggered by farming and animal domestication. These ancient infections may still influence us today, and help guide the vaccines of tomorrow. Fri, 11 Jul 2025 06:40:17 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/07/250710113158.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/07/250708045700.htm In the remote reaches of Arizona s Petrified Forest National Park, scientists have unearthed North America's oldest known pterosaur a small, gull-sized flier that once soared above Triassic ecosystems. This exciting find, alongside ancient turtles and armored amphibians, sheds light on a key moment in Earth's history when older animal groups overlapped with evolutionary newcomers. The remarkably preserved fossils, including over 1,200 specimens, offer a rare glimpse into a vibrant world just before a mass extinction reshaped life on Earth. Tue, 08 Jul 2025 04:57:00 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/07/250708045700.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/06/250627021857.htm A groundbreaking study suggests that the famous Cambrian explosion—the dramatic burst of diverse animal life—might have actually started millions of years earlier than we thought. By analyzing ancient trace fossils, researchers uncovered evidence of complex, mobile organisms thriving 545 million years ago, well before the traditionally accepted timeline. These early creatures likely had segmented bodies, muscle systems, and even directional movement, signaling a surprising level of biological sophistication. Their behavior and mobility, preserved in fossil trails, offer new insight into how complex life evolved, potentially rewriting one of the most important chapters in Earth’s evolutionary history. Fri, 27 Jun 2025 09:40:44 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/06/250627021857.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250529155427.htm Spring in the Arctic brings forth a plethora of peeps and downy hatchlings as millions of birds gather to raise their young. The same was true 73 million years ago, according to a new article. The paper documents the earliest-known example of birds nesting in the polar regions. Thu, 29 May 2025 15:54:27 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250529155427.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250528132224.htm A new species of velvet worm, Peripatopsis barnardi, represents the first ever species from the arid Karoo, which indicates that the area was likely historically more forested than at present. In the Cape Fold Mountains, we now know that every mountain peak has an endemic species. This suggests that in unsampled areas there are likely to be additional novel diversity, waiting to be found. Wed, 28 May 2025 13:22:24 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250528132224.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250526150359.htm Contrary to widespread assumptions, the largest shark that ever lived -- Otodus megalodon -- fed on marine creatures at various levels of the food pyramid and not just the top. Scientists analyzed the zinc content of a large sample of fossilized megalodon teeth, which had been unearthed above all in Sigmaringen and Passau, and compared them with fossil teeth found elsewhere and the teeth of animals that inhabit our planet today. Mon, 26 May 2025 15:03:59 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250526150359.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250515141549.htm A groundbreaking international study has revealed that early Asians undertook humanity s longest known prehistoric migration walking more than 20,000 kilometers over thousands of years from North Asia to the tip of South America. By analyzing the genomes of over 1,500 people across 139 ethnic groups, researchers mapped ancient routes and genetic divergences, uncovering how these early humans adapted to vastly different environments and left behind genetic footprints that still shape populations today. Thu, 15 May 2025 14:15:49 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250515141549.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250515131447.htm A dinosaur's 40-second journey more than 120 million years ago has been brought back to life by a research team using advanced digital modelling techniques. Thu, 15 May 2025 13:14:47 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250515131447.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250514111227.htm Archaeopteryx is the fossil that clearly demonstrated Darwin's views. It's the oldest known fossil bird, and it helps show that all birds -- including the ones alive today -- emerged from dinosaurs. And while the first Archaeopteryx fossil was found more than 160 years ago, scientists are continuing to learn new things about this ancient animal. A set of feathers never before seen in this species help explain why it could fly when many of its non-bird dinosaur cousins could not. Wed, 14 May 2025 11:12:27 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250514111227.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250512153825.htm Originally from South America, the charismatic tegu made its way to the United States via the pet trade of the 1990s. But a recent discovery shows these reptiles are no strangers to the region -- tegus were here millions of years before their modern relatives arrived in pet carriers. Mon, 12 May 2025 15:38:25 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250512153825.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/04/250429195320.htm Imagine a crocodile built like a greyhound -- that's a sebecid. Standing tall, with some species reaching 20 feet in length, they dominated South American landscapes after the extinction of dinosaurs until about 11 million years ago. Or at least, that's what paleontologists thought. A new study shows the Caribbean Islands were a refuge for the last sebecid populations at least 5 million years after they went extinct everywhere else. Tue, 29 Apr 2025 19:53:20 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/04/250429195320.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/04/250416151919.htm A study suggests that Homo sapiens may have benefited from the use of ochre and tailored clothing during a period of increased UV light 41,000 years ago, during the Laschamps excursion. Wed, 16 Apr 2025 15:19:19 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/04/250416151919.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/04/250416135913.htm Researchers examined teeth and skulls of 99 extinct crocodylomorph species and 20 living crocodylian species to reconstruct their dietary ecology and identify characteristics that helped some groups persist through two mass extinctions. They discovered that one secret tocrocodylian longevity is their remarkably flexible lifestyles, both in what they eat and the habitat in which they get it. Wed, 16 Apr 2025 13:59:13 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/04/250416135913.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/04/250414124705.htm Whether for cooking, heating, as a light source or for making tools -- it is assumed that fire was essential for the survival of people in the Ice Age. However, it is puzzling that hardly any well-preserved evidence of fireplaces from the coldest period of the Ice Age in Europe has been found so far. A group of scientists has now been able to shed some light on the mystery of Ice Age fire. Their analysis of three hearths at a prehistoric site in Ukraine shows that people of the last Ice Age built different types of hearths and used mainly wood, but possibly also bones and fat, to fuel their fires. Mon, 14 Apr 2025 12:47:05 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/04/250414124705.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/04/250408121700.htm Just steps from the center of Tikal, a 2,400-year-old Maya city in the heart of modern-day Guatemala, a global team of researchers has unearthed a buried altar that could unlock the secrets of a mysterious time of upheaval in the ancient world. The altar, built around the late 300s A.D., is decorated with four painted panels of red, black and yellow depicting a person wearing a feathered headdress and flanked by shields or regalia. The face has almond-shaped eyes, a nose bar and a double earspool. It closely resembles other depictions of a deity dubbed the 'Storm God' in central Mexico. Tue, 08 Apr 2025 12:17:00 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/04/250408121700.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/04/250403143947.htm An archaeological study of human settlement during the Final Palaeolithic revealed that populations in Europe did not decrease homogenously during the last cold phase of the Ice Age. Significant variation in regional population sizes indicate differentiated reactions nested in an overall shift of settlement areas towards the east. Thu, 03 Apr 2025 14:39:47 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/04/250403143947.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/04/250402122839.htm Using a mathematical model, researchers have shed new light on the transition from hunter-gatherer to farming societies. Rather than focusing exclusively on external factors, they looked at internal demographics and the significant impact of human interactions. The model identified potential societal outcomes based on demographic changes, emphasizing aspects such as migration rates, cultural assimilation and the role of mortality in these transitions. The researchers aim to further develop their model with the aim of making it a standard tool for studying historical demographic interactions. Wed, 02 Apr 2025 12:28:39 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/04/250402122839.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/03/250326221508.htm A new species of fossil is 444 million years-old with soft insides perfectly preserved. Research 'ultramarathon' saw palaeontologist puzzled by bizarre fossil for 25 years. Wed, 26 Mar 2025 22:15:08 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/03/250326221508.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/03/250320144621.htm Feathers, essential for thermoregulation, flight, and communication in birds, originate from simple appendages known as proto-feathers, which were present in certain dinosaurs.By studying embryonic development of the chicken, researchers from the University of Geneva (UNIGE) have uncovered a key role of a molecular signalling pathway (the Shh pathway) in their formation. This research provides new insights into the morphogenetic mechanisms that led to feather diversification throughout evolution. Thu, 20 Mar 2025 14:46:21 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/03/250320144621.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/03/250318140741.htm An analysis of a 30,000-year-old fossil vulture from Central Italy has revealed for the first time that volcanic rock can preserve microscopic details in feathers -- the first ever record of such a preservation. An international team discovered a new mode of preservation of soft tissues that can occur when animals are buried in ash-rich volcanic sediments. The new research reveals that the feathers are preserved in a mineral phase called zeolite, a mode of preservation of soft tissues never reported before. Tue, 18 Mar 2025 14:07:41 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/03/250318140741.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/03/250317164048.htm Researchers have identified the economic and political borders separating El Argar, considered to be the first state-society in the Iberian Peninsula, from its La Mancha and Valencia Bronze Age neighbors some 4,000 years ago. These communities, with less centralized social structures, maintained complex relations with the Argaric culture. The study, based on an innovative analysis of pottery production and circulation, opens the door to identifying similar border dynamics in other European societies contemporary to El Argar, and understand how the first states were formed in prehistory. Mon, 17 Mar 2025 16:40:48 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/03/250317164048.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/03/250311121514.htm For more than 140 years, Mixodectes pungens, a species of small mammal that inhabited western North America in the early Paleocene, was a mystery. What little was known about them had been mostly gleaned from analyzing fossilized teeth and jawbone fragments. But a new study of the most complete skeleton of the species known to exist has answered many questions about the enigmatic critter -- first described in 1883 by famed paleontologist Edward Drinker Cope -- providing a better understanding of its anatomy, behavior, diet, and position in the Tree of Life. Tue, 11 Mar 2025 12:15:14 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/03/250311121514.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/03/250309203156.htm The megalodon has long been imagined as an enormous great white shark, but new research suggests that perception is all wrong. The study finds the prehistoric hunter had a much longer body -- closer in shape to a lemon shark or even a large whale. Sun, 09 Mar 2025 20:31:56 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/03/250309203156.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/02/250227124850.htm Researchers examined dozens of bird species in museum collections looking for differences in the feathers and bodies between birds that can fly and birds that can't. They found that when birds evolve from a flying ancestor to a new flightless form, the birds' bodies, including the ratio of their wings and tails, change before the feathers do. Insights from this research could help scientists trying to determine whether a fossil bird, or a feathered dinosaur that isn't part of the bird family, was able to fly. Thu, 27 Feb 2025 12:48:50 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/02/250227124850.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/02/250213143940.htm The field of evolution examines how organisms adapt to their environments over generations, but what about the evolution of evolution itself? Thu, 13 Feb 2025 14:39:40 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/02/250213143940.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/02/250213143301.htm New research has revealed that birds, reptiles, and mammals have developed complex brain circuits independently, despite sharing a common ancestor. These findings challenge the traditional view of brain evolution and demonstrate that, while comparable brain functions exist among these groups, embryonic formation mechanisms and cell types have followed divergent evolutionary trajectories. Thu, 13 Feb 2025 14:33:01 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/02/250213143301.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/02/250207122619.htm A remarkably preserved plesiosaur fossil has revealed both smooth and scaly skin, offering new clues about how this ancient sea creature swam and moved along the ocean floor. Some skin cells were so well preserved, scientists could still see their structure after 183 million years. Fri, 07 Feb 2025 12:26:19 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/02/250207122619.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/02/250205142759.htm An international team of scientists has tentatively found some of the earliest indications of alcoholic drink production in the Patos Lagoon region of Brazil. State-of-the-art analysis of pottery fragments showed traces of beverages made from vegetables, likely to have been tubers, sweetcorn, and palm. Wed, 05 Feb 2025 14:27:59 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/02/250205142759.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/02/250205131109.htm Sixty-six million years ago, at the end of the Cretaceous Period, an asteroid impact near the Yucat n Peninsula of Mexico triggered the extinction of all known non-bird dinosaurs. But for the early ancestors of today's waterfowl, surviving that mass extinction event was like ... water off a duck's back. Location matters, as Antarctica may have served as a refuge, protected by its distance from the turmoil taking place elsewhere on the planet. Fossil evidence suggests a temperate climate with lush vegetation, possibly serving as an incubator for the earliest members of the group that now includes ducks and geese. Wed, 05 Feb 2025 13:11:09 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/02/250205131109.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/01/250130172809.htm The rise of pastoralist peoples in the Eurasian steppes and their westward spread some 5,000 years ago may have been fueled by sheep herding and people exploiting their milk. As early as 8,000 years ago the team found evidence that farmers were deliberately selecting their flocks -- for example, for the genes coding for coat color. Sheep have been intertwined with human livelihoods for over 11,000 years. As well as meat, their domestication led to humans being nourished by their protein-rich milk and clothed by warm, water-resistant fabrics made from their wool. Now, a team of geneticists has deciphered the prehistoric cultural trajectory of this species by analyzing 118 genomes recovered from archaeological bones dating across 12 millennia and stretching from Mongolia to Ireland. Thu, 30 Jan 2025 17:28:09 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/01/250130172809.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/01/250123110253.htm The fossilized neck bone of a flying reptile unearthed in Canada shows tell-tale signs of being bitten by a crocodile-like creature 76 million years ago, according to a new study. Thu, 23 Jan 2025 11:02:53 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/01/250123110253.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/01/250122130050.htm Around 45 million years ago, a 4.6 feet-tall (1.40 meters) flightless bird called Diatryma roamed the Geiseltal region in southern Saxony-Anhalt. An international team of researchers report on the bird's fully preserved skull. The fossil was unearthed in the 1950s in a former lignite mining area in the Geiseltal in Germany. It was initially misclassified and thus led a shadowy existence until its rediscovery. The only other place that a similar skull fossil has been found is the USA. Wed, 22 Jan 2025 13:00:50 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/01/250122130050.htm