Tag: Evolution
-
First-of-its-kind ‘butt drag fossil’ found in South Africa hints at a fuzzy elephant-relative 126,000 years ago
Introduction: A surprising fossil sheds new light on Africa’s ancient fauna A rare fossil discovery in South Africa is rewriting what scientists know about prehistoric mammals. Dubbed the first-of-its-kind “butt drag fossil,” researchers say the specimen reveals how an ancient, furry relative of today’s elephants moved across rocky terrains more than a hundred thousand years…
-
First-of-its-Kind ‘Butt Drag Fossil’ Discovered in South Africa by a Fuzzy Elephant Relative 126,000 Years Ago
Scientists in South Africa have announced a groundbreaking fossil find that reads like a scene from a prehistoric diary: a remarkably preserved fossilized impression described as a “butt drag fossil,” left by a fuzzy, elephant-sized relative of today’s hyraxes around 126,000 years ago. The discovery, unearthed in a rocky South African landscape, offers rare physical…
-
Leaf arrangement steers fern vascular patterns, reshaping evolution of plant stems
New findings overturn a long-standing view of fern vascular evolution In a breakthrough study published in Current Biology, Assistant Professor Jacob S. Suissa of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, reveals that the way leaves are arranged along a fern stem can steer the evolution of its internal vascular pattern. This challenges a century-and-a-half of research…
-
Old fish fossil rewrites the size timeline of lamniform sharks
New fossil evidence shifts the timeline of lamniform giant sharks A collaborative international study, highlighted in Communications Biology, reveals a pivotal new fossil that suggests giant lamniform sharks emerged much earlier than previously thought. The research, led by Dr. Mohamad Bazzi of Stanford University and involving Dr. Mike Newbrey of Columbus State University, centers on…
-
Ancient Lead Exposure Shaped Human Brain Evolution Over Millennia
Lead in the ancient world: a hidden driver of evolution For decades, scientists viewed lead exposure as a modern problem tied to mining, manufacturing, and everyday products. A groundbreaking study published in Science Advances turns that idea on its head, suggesting that our hominin ancestors were intermittently exposed to lead for nearly two million years.…
-
Ancient Lead Exposure Shaped the Evolution of the Human Brain and Language
Ancient Lead Exposure: A Hidden Thread in Human Evolution New findings published in Science Advances reveal that our ancestors faced intermittent lead exposure for nearly two million years, long before industrial activity. The study stitches together fossil geochemistry, brain organoid experiments, and evolutionary genetics to propose that the toxic metal may have subtly steered the…
-
Ancient Lead Exposure May Have Shaped Human Brain Evolution and Language
Ancient Lead Exposure: A Hidden Thread Through Human Evolution A sweeping new study argues that lead—long associated with modern pollution—was intermittently present in the environments of our ancestors for roughly two million years. By analyzing fossil teeth and combining cutting-edge brain biology, the research suggests that this toxic metal may have subtly steered the evolution…
-
Ancient Lead Poisoning May Have Shaped Human Evolution
New findings challenge the idea that lead exposure is a modern problem A recent study published in Science Advances proposes a provocative reversal of conventional wisdom: lead poisoning may have been a feature of the evolutionary landscape long before the Industrial Revolution. The international team behind the work argues that lead and other toxic metals…
-
Three-Legged Lizards Thrive, Challenge Evolution Assumptions
Introduction: A surprising clue from the Bahamian branches In the wild, lizards are famed for their speed, agility, and razor‑sharp ecological tuning. Yet a chance encounter in the Bahamas changed how some lizard biologists view adaptation. A typically uncooperative brown anole proved elusive, only to reveal a missing entire left hind leg after capture. That…
-
Three-Legged Lizards: Surprising Survival Stories Redefine Evolution in the Wild
Introduction: A Bold Challenge to Evolutionary Assumptions In the fast-paced world of lizards, where speed and agility often determine survival, a remarkable discovery has squirmed its way into evolutionary biology. Three-legged lizards—creatures that have lost a hind limb due to trauma—are not only surviving but thriving in diverse habitats around the globe. This finding, born…