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☆ Stegosaurus skeleton sets auction record, selling for $44.6 million
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-18 | by ( Catherine Nicholls | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —A Stegosaurus skeleton has become the most valuable fossil ever sold at auction, being snapped up for $44.6 million in New York. The dinosaur fossil was sold on Wednesday to an anonymous buyer after it was sought after by seven bidders, according to Sotheby’s, the auction house handling the sale. The fossil, nicknamed “Apex,” smashed its pre-sale estimate, which was between $4 million and $6 million. Apex became the most valuable fossil ever sold at an auction, according to Sotheby's. According to Sotheby’s, it sold “Sue,” a Tyrannosaurus rex and the first ever dinosaur to be sold at auction, for $8.4 million in 1997.

Persons: ”, Jason Cooper, Sotheby’s, Steve Brusatte, ” Brusatte, ” Sotheby’s, Apex, Sue, “ Stan Organizations: CNN, Apex, Scotland’s University of Edinburgh Locations: New York, Moffat County , Colorado, U.S, America, Sotheby’s

☆ Fossil of an ancient shark that swam in the age of dinosaurs solves centuries-long mystery
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-15 | by ( Taylor Nicioli | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Ancient relative of the great white sharkMost species of Ptychodus lived between 100 and 80 million years ago during the late Cretaceous period. Because shark skeletons are made of cartilage, they do not fossilize well, typically leaving archaeologists only teeth and few skeletal remains to find. Lamniformes also includes the modern species of megamouth, sand, goblin and basking sharks, among others. “The crushing teeth together with the gigantic size make Ptychodus a very unique shark,” Amadori said. … Modern durophagous sharks (that consume hard-shelled organisms) are demersal, feeding on or near the bottom.

Persons: ”, Eduardo Villalobos Segura, Villalobos Segura, Lamniformes, Manuel Amadori, Amadori, Michael Everhart, Louis Agassiz, Everhart, mortoni, —, ” Amadori, “, Jürgen, Bretton Kent, ” Kent Organizations: CNN, Royal Society, Biological Sciences, University of Vienna, Sternberg, Nuevo León, University of Maryland Locations: Mexico, Austria, Nuevo León, Vallecillo, Nuevo, Hays , Kansas, Ptychodus

☆ How the death of the dinosaurs allowed grapes to flourish
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-02 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

“This discovery is important because it shows that after the extinction of the dinosaurs, grapes really started to spread across the world.”Much like the soft tissues of animals, actual fruits don’t preserve well in the fossil record. How ancient forests changedWhen the dinosaurs went extinct, their absence changed the entire structure of forests, the team hypothesized. “In the fossil record, we start to see more plants that use vines to climb up trees, like grapes, around this time,” Herrera said. Meanwhile, as a diverse set of birds and mammals began to populate Earth after the disappearance of the dinosaurs, they likely also helped spread grape seeds. Several fossils are related to modern grapes and others are distant relatives or grapes native to the Western Hemisphere.

Persons: hadn’t, ”, Fabiany Herrera, “, ” Herrera, Steven Manchester, Herrera, “ I’ve, Mónica Carvalho, Carvalho, ‘, Arthur T, Susman, Gregory Stull, ” Carvalho Organizations: CNN, Field, Research, University of Michigan’s, of Paleontology, South, Field Museum, National Museum of, Central, Western Locations: Colombia, Panama, Peru, India, South America, Western, Colombian, American, South, Central America, Central, Asia, Africa

☆ Newly discovered dinosaur’s horns look ‘like something a heavy metal rocker would wear’
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-20 | by ( Jacopo Prisco | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

“It’s an area that’s known for producing horned dinosaurs. In fact, there are four other species of horned dinosaurs known from this particular region,” Sertich said. Fossils of the four other species of similar horned dinosaurs with which it shared its habitat were discovered in the same area. Different types of horned dinosaurs have distinct horns along the edge of that frill. “The bodies of these horned dinosaurs are very similar, yet their heads are adorned with some wild head gear.”Similar appendages are found on the heads of horned lizards, Lyson added, except in these horned dinosaurs, they are attached to multiton bodies.

Persons: ”, Joseph Sertich, “, ” Sertich, Lokiceratops, Mark Eatman, ” Eatman, don’t, They’re, it’s, Loki, Sertich, Brock Sisson, Ben Meredith, Mark Loewen, Steve Brusatte, ” Brusatte, David Norman, ” Norman, Tyler Lyson, “ I’m, “ It’s Organizations: CNN, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Colorado State University, North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, Museum, of Evolution, telltale, of Utah, University of Edinburgh, University of Cambridge, Denver Museum of Nature & Science Locations: Maribo, Denmark, Montana, Canada, North America, Raleigh, Lokiceratops, Salt Lake City, United Kingdom

☆ Stegosaurus fossil goes on sale - but not everyone is happy
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-30 | by ( Lianne Kolirin | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

The “exceptional” and “virtually complete” dinosaur fossil, which is 11 feet tall and 20 feet long, will be sold as part of Sotheby’s annual Geek Week. Paleontologists have questioned the sale of such specimens to private bidders, arguing that these finds should be preserved in museums or other public spaces. Nevertheless, that will not stop the auction of the 150-million-year-old fossil from going ahead in New York on July 17. Apex, as it has been nicknamed, is the “finest Stegosaurus specimen to come to market,” Sotheby’s said in a press release Wednesday. It is expected to fetch between $4 million and $6 million, making it one of the most valuable dinosaur fossils ever offered up for sale, the auction house added.

Persons: ” Sotheby’s, Jason Cooper, Sotheby’s, Cooper, “, Steve Brusatte, ”, Sotheby’s Brusatte, “ Sophie, Cassandra Hatton, Maximus ”, Stan Organizations: CNN, Apex, Scotland’s University of Edinburgh, Geek, Abu Dhabi Department of Culture Locations: New York, Apex, Colorado, Morrison, Moffat County , Colorado, Dinosaur, Sotheby’s, Sotheby’s New York, Abu Dhabi, Tourism

☆ The evolutionary twist that could have helped dinosaurs rule Earth
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-18 | by ( Katie Hunt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

New research this week is adding fresh detail to one of paleontology’s biggest questions: Did dinosaur blood run hot or cold? Clues from fossilized eggshells and bones have now suggested that some dinosaurs were warm-blooded and others were not. Reinhard Dirscherl/ullstein bild/Getty ImagesMarine scientists have used artificial intelligence to decode previously unknown complexity in the calls of sperm whales. The whales produced a catalog of clicking sounds, which the researchers described as akin to a “phonetic alphabet” for sperm whales. What sperm whales are saying with their clicks remains a mystery to human ears, but understanding the scope of their vocal exchanges is an important step toward linking their calls with specific behavior.

Persons: Dinos, Davide Bonadonna, Jeff Lichtman, Reinhard Dirscherl, Napoleon Bonaparte, Ashley Strickland, Katie Hunt Organizations: CNN, Vigo, UCL, Google Research, Lichtman, Harvard University, Google, Harvard, Northern, Central America, Getty Images Marine, —, Heritage, CNN Space, Science Locations: Universidade, North America, Scandinavia, Europe, Central, India, Dover, England

☆ Scientists uncover ‘striking’ ancient arachnid that had large spiky legs
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-17 | by ( Issy Ronald | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —The idea of coming face to face with a spider-like creature unexpectedly is enough to fill any arachnophobe with horror, let alone encountering one with large, spiky legs. The newly discovered long-extinct species is described as a “large spider-like arachnid” with “distinctive large spines on the legs” by the study’s authors. They were unable to place the creature within any known arachnid order due to the specimen’s lack of mouthparts, which scientists use to classify them. “You see sort of spiny legs in some arachnids, but we’ve never seen one that really has these big spines all the way along, at least the first parts of the legs. Scientists think the spiny legs were for defensive purposes.

Persons: we’ve, ” Dr, Jason Dunlop, Naturkunde, “, Bob Masek, David Douglass, Paul Selden, Dunlop, you’ve, ”, ” Dunlop, Douglass Organizations: CNN, Paleontology, Field Locations: what’s, Illinois, Masek, North America, Northern Europe, Europe

☆ Did dinosaur blood run hot or cold? Both, according to a new study
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-15 | by ( Katie Hunt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Were dinosaurs warm-blooded like birds and mammals or cold-blooded like reptiles? Clues from dinosaur eggshells and bones have suggested that some dinosaurs were warm-blooded and others were not. These dinosaurs may have evolved endothermy, or the ability to internally generate body heat, according to the study. “Warm-blooded animals are generally more active, for example, cold-blooded animals usually don’t build nests,” said lead study author Dr. Alfio Alessandro Chiarenza, Royal Society Newton International Fellow at University College London’s department of Earth sciences. Her 2022 study suggested that ornithischians were more likely cold-blooded and sauropods were warm-blooded.

Persons: Big John, Sarah Meyssonnier, ornithischians, ”, Alfio Alessandro Chiarenza, Brontosaurus, ” Chiarenza, “, Jasmina, ” Wiemann, Chiarenza, Anthony Fiorillo, ” Fiorillo, wasn’t Organizations: CNN, Royal Society Newton International, University College London’s, Field, UCL, Universidade de, New, New Mexico Museum, Southern Methodist University Locations: Paris, Chicago, Spain, New Mexico, Dallas

☆ Colossal, 50-foot prehistoric snake discovered in India
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-18 | by ( Katie Hunt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —A giant prehistoric snake longer than a school bus slithered around what is now India 47 million years ago, according to new research. A panoramic view of Panandhro Lignite Mine, in western India's Gujarat state, shows the fossiliferous level (red arrow) where the giant snake Vasuki indicus was found. However, the snake would have rivaled the largest known snake species — the extinct Titanoboa — in size. Snake size and the role of climateSnakes are cold-blooded and need heat from the environment to survive. Datta and Bajpai said the snake lived in a coastal marsh and swamp.

Persons: dwarfing, indicus, Shiva, Debajit Datta, Sunil Bajpai, ”, Datta, Verma Debajit, Bajpai, Titanoboa, Vasuki Organizations: CNN, Indian Institute of Technology Locations: India, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Uttarakhand, India’s Gujarat, India's Gujarat, Colombia

☆ Ancient fossils lead to discovery of largest known marine reptile
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-17 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Dr. Dean Lomax, Ruby Reynolds, Justin Reynolds and Paul de la Salle (from left) are shown with the fossil discovery in 2020. “To think that my discovery in 2016 would spark so much interest in these enormous creatures fills me with joy,” de la Salle said. I am overjoyed.”Together, the Reynoldses, Lomax, de la Salle and others returned to Blue Anchor to search for additional fragments. The nearly complete giant jawbone is shown along with the jawbone (middle and bottom) found by Paul de la Salle in 2016. Sergey KrasovskiyThe discovery made by the Reynoldses and de la Salle will soon be displayed at the Bristol Museum and Art Gallery in the UK.

Persons: Ichthyotitan, Justin, Ruby Reynolds, Marcello Perillo, Dean Lomax, Justin Reynolds, Paul de la, Lomax, De la Salle, “, de, Ruby, ” Lomax, Paul de, ”, ichthyosaurs, Perillo, ” Perillo, Mary Anning, Joseph, Sergey Krasovskiy, ” Ruby Reynolds, Paul Organizations: CNN, University of Bonn, Paul de la Salle, University of Manchester, University of Bristol, Salle, la Salle, de la Salle, Bristol Museum, Art Locations: Somerset, Braunton, England, , Somerset, Germany, United Kingdom, Devon, Lilstock, Canada, China

☆ ‘It’s a dolphin!’: Researchers uncover unusual ancient fossil in the Amazon
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-30 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

The newly identified dolphin species lived in a freshwater lake in the Peruvian Amazon 16 million years ago. This composite image captures the phases of a total solar eclipse as they unfolded in El Molle, Chile, in July 2019. Stan HondaOn April 8, astrophotographer Stan Honda will be stationed in Fredericksburg, Texas, armed with four cameras to document the total solar eclipse. Mark your Apple iCal or Outlook, Google, or Office365 calendar with the date of the upcoming total solar eclipse, which CNN will be covering live. UnearthedThe remains of a decorative wall can be seen at the site of an ancient home renovation in Pompeii.

Persons: Dr, Austin Gallagher, Gallagher, Pebanista yacuruna, Jaime Bran, ”, Aldo Benites, Emperor Wu, couldn’t, Wu, Stan Honda, Honda, Apple, George Washington, Samuel, Washington, Francesca Giarelli, Everest, —, Ashley Strickland, Katie Hunt Organizations: CNN, University of Zurich, Honda, Google, Italy Ministry of Culture, Red River Archaeology, CNN Space, Science Locations: Bahamas, Peruvian, Peru’s Loreto, Switzerland, China, Mongolia, El Molle, Chile, Fredericksburg , Texas, Mount Vernon , Virginia, Samuel’s Harewood, Charles Town, West Virginia, Harewood, Red, English, Oxfordshire, Cairo

☆ Ancient giant dolphin discovered in the Amazon
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-26 | by ( Mindy Weisberger | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

And though there are Amazonian freshwater dolphin species alive today, they aren’t close kin to that ancient cetacean. There’s the South Asian river dolphin (Platanista genus) and the Amazon river dolphin (Inia genus), also known as the pink river dolphin, and the two groups include several species and subspecies. Researchers discovered the Amazonian dolphin fossil in 2018, near the Napo River in Loreto, Peru. At first, they thought it would turn out to be an ancient relative of modern Amazonian river dolphins. “That was a moment where everybody freaked out, because it wasn’t an Amazonian river dolphin,” Benites-Palomino said.

Persons: ”, Jorge Velez, ” Velez, Juarbe, Aldo Benites, Palomino, John J, Flynn, Palomino “, John, freaked, Benites, yacuruna, Rodolfo Salas, Gismondi, ” Benites, Pebanista, ” Mindy Weisberger Organizations: CNN, American Association for, Advancement of Science, Juarbe, of Los, International Union for, Nature, IUCN, University of Zurich’s Department of Paleontology, American Museum of, of, World Wildlife Fund, Velez, Scientific Locations: Peruvian, South Asia, America, of Los Angeles County, Loreto , Peru, New York City, Peru, of Lima, Amazonia

☆ Are we in the Anthropocene Epoch? Not so fast, geologists say
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-05 | by ( Katie Hunt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Scientists have voted against a proposal to declare a new geological epoch called the Anthropocene to reflect how profoundly human activity has altered the planet. The vote followed a 15-year process to select a geological site that best captures humanity’s impact on the planet. Some experts argued that the start of the Anthropocene could be better defined in other ways, such as the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. “This is the commission’s expert group for this interval of geological time and we are bound by its decision. Regardless of whether the term is officially classified as a geological epoch, Anthropocene is already widely in use, Cohen noted.

Persons: Kim Cohen, ”, Cohen, Phil Gibbard, eon, Colin Waters, Waters, …, David Harper, ” Harper, hadn’t, “ Organizations: CNN —, International Union of Geological Sciences, CNN Tuesday, geosciences, Utrecht University, Scott Polar Research, University of Cambridge, Geologists, University of Leicester, Durham University, International, of Locations: Ontario, Netherlands, United Kingdom

☆ Ancient reptile fossil revealed as a forgery
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-20 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —A 280 million-year-old fossil thought to be a well-preserved specimen of an ancient reptile is largely a forgery, according to new research. The fossil appeared in book and article citations over the decades, but no one ever studied it in detail. A new, detailed analysis has revealed that the dark color of the fossil isn’t preserved genetic material — it’s just black paint covering a couple of bones and carved rock. When the specimen was discovered, researchers thought the fossil might provide a rare glimpse into reptilian evolution. It’s not the first time a fossil forgery has been uncovered, but Rossi said this particular style of forgery is unusual.

Persons: antiquus, ”, Valentina Rossi, ” Rossi, Rossi, Mariagabriella Fornasiero, Evelyn Kustatscher, It’s, Fabrizio Nestola, ” Nestola Organizations: CNN, University of Padua’s Museum of Nature, University College Cork, Museum of Nature, Tyrol Nature Museum, University Center, Museums, University of Padua Locations: Italian, Italy, Ireland, Tyrol, Bolzano

Now, her children are fighting over who should inherit her money, pointing to conflicting wills that Ms. Williams left, including one she signed shortly before her death. It is the latest legal dispute spawned by Sue, a crown jewel of paleontology regarded as the most complete T. rex fossil ever found. Before her death in 2020, Ms. Williams had written two wills. In a 2017 will, she appointed one of her daughters, Sandra Williams Luther, as the personal representative of her estate. In another will, written in 2020, she designated that same daughter to be her sole heir and the sole executor of her estate.

Persons: Darlene Williams, Sue, Williams, Sandra Williams Luther Locations: South Dakota

☆ Fossil discovery may be one of the oldest, smallest aquatic whales found in Africa, study finds
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( Jenna Schnuer Cnn | Jenna Schnuer | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

The find is also the oldest fully aquatic whale found in Africa, according to a new study. Tutcetus rayanensis is a member of the extinct family of early whales known as basilosauridae — the first widespread group to become fully aquatic. The discovery of the whale fossil led to the establishment of a new genus within the basilosauridae family. The area is one of the world’s “most productive fossil whale sites,” according to the study. Tutcetus rayanensis is the second whale species, following Phiomicetus anubis, to be discovered, described, and named by Egyptian paleontologists,” Antar said via email.

Persons: Pharaoh Tutankhamen, rayanensis, ”, Mohammed S, Antar, ” Antar, paleobiologist Nicholas Pyenson, wasn’t, Abdullah Gohar, Mohamed Sameh, Hesham, Whales, Erik R, Seiffert, Carlos Mauricio Peredo, Hesham Sallam Organizations: CNN, Communications, Vertebrate Paleontology, Smithsonian National Museum of, Egypt's, University of Southern California’s Keck School of Medicine, Miami University in, American University Locations: Egypt, Africa, Washington , DC, Mansoura, Wadi, Miami University in Oxford , Ohio, Cairo

☆ Ancient reptile was riddled with parasites, fossilized poop reveals
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-09 | by ( Mindy Weisberger | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Researchers didn’t find the parasites in phytosaur bones or teeth; rather, they retrieved them from a nugget of fossilized feces, known as a coprolite. For example, certain fish with spiraling intestines poop out what eventually become spiral-shaped coprolites, according to Nonsrirach. “Studying the remains of parasites in coprolites is important since it provides us with rare insights into ancient parasite-host relationships,” Qvarnström said. “This event raises interesting questions about how prey animals and parasites interact with each other. It suggests that parasites may have been inside the bodies of prey before they were eaten,” Nonsrirach said.

Persons: didn’t, ”, Thanit Nonsrirach, “, Nonsrirach, Coprolites, Martin Qvarnström, Qvarnström, ” Qvarnström, ” Nonsrirach, ” Mindy Weisberger Organizations: CNN, Mahasarakham, Uppsala University, University of California Museum of Paleontology, Scientific Locations: Thailand, Asia, Kham Riang, Sweden, Berkeley, coprolites

☆ Whale fossil may be the heaviest animal ever
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-02 | by ( Kristen Rogers | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —A colossal ancient whale discovered in Peru might be the heaviest animal on record, according to a new study. What’s more, Perucetus likely weighed two to three times more than the blue whale, which today weighs a maximum of 149.6 metric tons (330,000 pounds). Giovanni Bianucci“Discoveries of such extreme body forms are an opportunity to re-evaluate our understanding of animal evolution,” wrote J.G.M. “It seems that we are only dimly aware of how astonishing whale form and function can be,” they added. The lifestyle of a colossal whaleThe findings suggest that gigantism or peak body mass among cetaceans had been reached around 30 million years earlier than previously thought, according to the study.

Persons: Giovanni Bianucci, “, ” Bianucci, Perucetus, ”, ’, Bianucci, pacificus, Mystacodon selenesis, Mario Urbina Schmitt, Schmitt, Thewissen, David A, Waugh, weren’t, Ingalls, Brown, ” Thewissen Organizations: CNN, University of Pisa’s, sirenians, Peru “, National University of San, Ohio Medical University Locations: Peru, Italy, Ica, Peruvian, National University of San Marcos, Lima

☆ Saber-Tooth Cats and Dire Wolves Carried a Terrible Disease in Their Bones
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( Miriam Fauzia | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Some 50,000 to 10,000 years ago as ice sheets melted and the planet warmed, around 100 species of gigantic animals started to disappear without a trace. Paleontologists have sought to understand exactly how these animals died off, including iconic predators like the saber-tooth cat and the dire wolf. Some hypotheses suggest stiff competition for limited food aggravated by the arrival of humans and gray wolves. But new evidence suggests a bone disease that can debilitate modern cats and dogs, and even some of their humans, may have also played a role. In a paper published Wednesday in the journal PLoS One, researchers report that as the climate shifted, the bones of saber-tooth cats and dire wolves became riddled with defects associated with osteochondrosis dissecans, or OCD, a severe developmental disease where holes form in bone caused by developing tissue that never hardened.

Persons: osteochondrosis dissecans, Mairin Balisi, Raymond M, Alf Organizations: Alf Museum of Paleontology, Claremont , Calif Locations: Claremont ,

☆ Ancient shrimplike predator was misunderstood, according to new research
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-04 | by ( Katie Hunt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Explore the universe with news on fascinating discoveries, scientific advancements and more. CNN —With appendages growing out of its head and an armored mouth, an ancient shrimplike creature was thought to be the quintessential apex predator of its time. The 2-foot-long (0.6-meter-long) Anomalocaris canadensis was one of the largest marine animals to live 508 million years ago. The model was based on a well-preserved but flattened fossil found in the Burgess Shale formation in the Canadian Rockies. The marine animal was one of the largest of its time.

Persons: ”, Russell Bicknell, Anomalocaris canadensis Bicknell, Bicknell, ” Bicknell Organizations: CNN, American Museum, Natural, University of New, Canadian Rockies, Royal Society Locations: University of New England, Australia, Germany, China, Switzerland, United Kingdom

☆ Rare North American dinosaur named for two-faced Roman god
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-07 | by ( Mindy Weisberger | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Investigating a new speciesThe newfound species, named Iani (YAH-nee) smithi, is the first early ornithopod from this part of the Cretaceous to be discovered in North America. Terry Gates and Lindsay Zanno excavated the bones of Iani smithi from the Cedar Mountain Formation in Utah in 2014. The braincase of Iani smithi was recovered during excavations. Drawers of Iani smithi bones can be seen in the collections at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. “Perhaps ornithopod species evolved a certain way or adopted certain behaviors to succeed,” she said.

Persons: —, ornithopods, Ornithopods, Darla Zelenitsky, Terry Gates, Lindsay Zanno, Matt Zeher, ” Zelenitsky, Janus, Zanno, ” Zanno, smithi, Mark Thiessen, Becky Hale, Zelenitsky, ” Organizations: CNN, geoscience, University of Calgary, North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, North Carolina State University, Geographic Locations: Utah, North America, Canada, Raleigh, Europe, Australia

☆ Testosterone surges preserved in 33,000-year-old mammoth tusk
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

In addition to cortisol, the mammoth tusk revealed annually recurring testosterone surges up to 10 times higher than baseline, according to the study. An African bull elephant tusk was used in the study to compare with mammoth tusks. Then we saw the same patterns in the mammoth — wow!”Both the elephant and male mammoth tusks contained evidence of musth-related testosterone surges. Meanwhile, the female mammoth tusk showed little variation and very low testosterone, as expected. Gleaning this type of information from mammoth tusks can reveal more insights into the lifetimes of the extinct creatures.

☆ Rare American lion fossils discovered in Mississippi
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Taylor Nicioli | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

The Oxford, Mississippi, resident would soon learn it was a fossilized jawbone from a giant American lion, a species that has been extinct for roughly 11,000 years. ”A rare American lion fossil has been discovered near the Mississippi River. Three days after Prewitt’s find, the Mississippi Fossil and Artifact Symposium & Exhibition hosted an event featuring previously discovered American lion fossils. The American lion stood 4 feet tall at the shoulders and measured 5 to 8 feet in length. Two American lion bone discoveries within a week or so is unbelievable, he said, calling it “just an incredibly rare fossil.”A growing American lion collectionPrewitt plans to donate the fossil he found to the museum in Jackson, which would make it the fourth addition to the institution’s collection of American lion bones, counting the addition of the newly found femur.

☆ Prehistoric giant sea turtle newly discovered in Europe
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-29 | by ( Taylor Nicioli | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Now, scientists have discovered a previously unknown species — the largest sea turtle found in present-day Europe ever to be identified. The unusual animal’s presence in this part of the prehistoric world revealed that giant turtles were more common than previously thought, according to the study. With these finds, the scientists observed more features not previously seen in any living or dead turtle species. Before this recent discovery, all prehistoric giant marine turtle discoveries were part of the same lineage as Archelon. Fragments of a giant turtle's pelvis and carapace are shown at the excavation site in northern Spain.

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