It's a done fact, birds are officially dinosaurs. From pigeons in the park to penguins in the Antarctic, all birds are living breathing dinosaurs, believe scientists, thanks to the discovery of a fossil of a dinosaur called Archaeopteryx.

<h2>The Archaeopteryx</h2>

As per a Reuters report, research shows that the Archaeopteryx had feathers, hollow bones, clawed wings, fifty teeth, and a long bony tail. This makes it the earliest known dinosaur that also qualifies as a bird.

The Archaeopteryx, as per Jingmai O'Connor, PhD, the Field Museum's associate curator of fossil reptiles, is the "most important fossil of all time".

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/megatitanosaur-shiva-the-destroyer-discovered-in-argentina-this-is-what-it-looked-like-watch-713764">Megatitanosaur 'Shiva the destroyer' discovered in Argentina. This is what it looked like. Watch!</a>

"It's the first puzzle piece for understanding the evolution of all the birds we see around us," said O'Connor.

Experts believe that birds are the only group of dinosaurs to survive the asteroid that wiped off the mighty beings from Earth some 66 million years ago.

As of now, only about a dozen or so archaeopteryx specimens have been found globally. They come from a fossil deposit in southern Germany called the Solnhofen Limestone.

Most of them are in Europe, one will soon be displayed in the Field Museum in Chicago, Illinois. Public can see it starting May 7 (Tuesday).

Another one is in the United States' Thermopolis, Wyoming.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
"We've learned a lot of new basic information about what the skeleton looked like, we're transforming how we interpret the skull and other parts of the body," said O'Connor.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/an-asteroid-hit-ended-dinosaurs-reign-but-did-it-really-help-birds-690359">An asteroid hit ended dinosaurs' reign. But did birds flourish because of it?</a>

"I really hope that this inspires kids out there who sometimes may think like, scientists have been working for centuries. We know everything. Absolutely not. There's still so much to discover."

As per Reuters, the fossil was unearthed by quarry workers in 1990 and has been in the hands of private collectors ever since.

After a coalition of supporters helped the Field Museum procure the fossil; it arrived at the museum in August 2022.

(With inputs from agencies)

It's a done fact, birds are officially dinosaurs. From pigeons in the park to penguins in the Antarctic, all birds are living breathing dinosaurs, believe scientists, thanks to the discovery of a fossil of a dinosaur called Archaeopteryx.

It's a done fact, birds are officially dinosaurs. From pigeons in the park to penguins in the Antarctic, all birds are living breathing dinosaurs, believe scientists, thanks to the discovery of a fossil of a dinosaur called Archaeopteryx. The Archaeopteryx As per a Reuters report, research shows that the Archaeopteryx had feathers, hollow bones, clawed wings, fifty teeth, and a long bony tail. This makes it the earliest known dinosaur that also qualifies as a bird. The Archaeopteryx, as per Jingmai O'Connor, PhD, the Field Museum's associate curator of fossil reptiles, is the "most important fossil of all time". Also read | Megatitanosaur 'Shiva the destroyer' discovered in Argentina. This is what it looked like. Watch! "It's the first puzzle piece for understanding the evolution of all the birds we see around us," said O'Connor. Experts believe that birds are the only group of dinosaurs to survive the asteroid that wiped off the mighty beings from Earth some 66 million years ago. As of now, only about a dozen or so archaeopteryx specimens have been found globally. They come from a fossil deposit in southern Germany called the Solnhofen Limestone. Most of them are in Europe, one will soon be displayed in the Field Museum in Chicago, Illinois. Public can see it starting May 7 (Tuesday). Another one is in the United States' Thermopolis, Wyoming. "We've learned a lot of new basic information about what the skeleton looked like, we're transforming how we interpret the skull and other parts of the body," said O'Connor. Also read | An asteroid hit ended dinosaurs' reign. But did birds flourish because of it? "I really hope that this inspires kids out there who sometimes may think like, scientists have been working for centuries. We know everything. Absolutely not. There's still so much to discover." As per Reuters, the fossil was unearthed by quarry workers in 1990 and has been in the hands of private collectors ever since. After a coalition of supporters helped the Field Museum procure the fossil; it arrived at the museum in August 2022. (With inputs from agencies)

Ancient fossil shows birds are officially dinosaurs

The world of palaeontology has found a new member. Palaeontologists in Argentina have unveiled a new species of Titanosaur&nbsp;named Titanomachya gimenezi from the late Cretaceous Epoch, a period between 66 to 145 million years ago.&nbsp;

The discovery took place in the Chubut province of Patagonian Argentina. The fossils of Titanomachya were found among forelimbs, hindlimbs, and fragments of ribs and vertebrae. This marks the first sauropod species recognised from this formation.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/not-a-meteorite-but-indias-deccan-traps-led-to-extinction-of-dinosaurs-from-earth-study-664402">Not a meteorite, but India's Deccan Traps may have led to extinction of dinosaurs from Earth: Study</a>

"The morphology of the talus – the bone responsible for distributing the force coming from the tibia on the inside of the foot – was never seen before in other titanosaurs and shows intermediate traits between the Colossosauria and Saltasauroidea lineages, highlighting its evolutionary importance," first author Agustín Pérez Moreno from CONICET and Museo de La Plata in a statement.&nbsp;

<h2>Size of new Titanosaur species</h2>

Its size was 10 times smaller than its largest titanosaur relative. For instance, Patagotitan mayorum&nbsp;was about 130 feet in length and weighed a massive 70 tonnes.&nbsp;Titanomachya gimenez, on the other hand, weighed just about seven tonnes and was just as tall as a&nbsp;cow.

Scientists&nbsp;measured the tibia and fibula fossils that they found to conclude that this titanosaur&nbsp;was nothing like the commonly known beast that a&nbsp;titanosaur is.&nbsp;In fact,&nbsp;the Titanomachya gimenez&nbsp;stood at just 6 feet tall. That's quite some dip for a giant species like&nbsp;titanosaurs.&nbsp;

Their significance with respect to their smaller size, however,&nbsp;lies in the broader picture of dinosaur diversity during the late Cretaceous period.

<h2>What is the project about?</h2>

The discovery is part of an effort between the National Geographic Society and over 10 museums and universities in Argentina, including the Museo de La Plata.&nbsp;

The project aims to bridge the gap in humanity's knowledge of the final 15 million years of the Cretaceous Period. It focuses on the dinosaurs and vertebrates that thrived in Patagonia during this critical period.

Also watch |&nbsp;Climate change played keyrole in dominance of dinosaurs

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"The discovery of Titanomachya, adds to previous data suggesting there was a major ecological change as the Cretaceous [Period] was coming to an end, marked by the downsizing of titanosaurs, a decrease in their abundance, and the predominance of other herbivorous dinosaurs, such as hadrosaurs on the landscape,"&nbsp;said National Geographic Explorer Diego Pol in a release. "This ecological shift in herbivorous dinosaurs occurred amidst changing climates and habitats, as well as the advance of the Atlantic Ocean over large parts of Patagonia."

(With inputs from agencies)

The world of palaeontology has found a new member. Palaeontologists in Argentina have unveiled a new species of Titanosaur named Titanomachya gimenezi from the late Cretaceous Epoch, a period between 66 to 145 million years ago.

The world of palaeontology has found a new member. Palaeontologists in Argentina have unveiled a new species of Titanosaur named Titanomachya gimenezi from the late Cretaceous Epoch, a period between 66 to 145 million years ago. The discovery took place in the Chubut province of Patagonian Argentina. The fossils of Titanomachya were found among forelimbs, hindlimbs, and fragments of ribs and vertebrae. This marks the first sauropod species recognised from this formation. Also read | Not a meteorite, but India's Deccan Traps may have led to extinction of dinosaurs from Earth: Study "The morphology of the talus – the bone responsible for distributing the force coming from the tibia on the inside of the foot – was never seen before in other titanosaurs and shows intermediate traits between the Colossosauria and Saltasauroidea lineages, highlighting its evolutionary importance," first author Agustín Pérez Moreno from CONICET and Museo de La Plata in a statement. Size of new Titanosaur species Its size was 10 times smaller than its largest titanosaur relative. For instance, Patagotitan mayorum was about 130 feet in length and weighed a massive 70 tonnes. Titanomachya gimenez, on the other hand, weighed just about seven tonnes and was just as tall as a cow. Scientists measured the tibia and fibula fossils that they found to conclude that this titanosaur was nothing like the commonly known beast that a titanosaur is. In fact, the Titanomachya gimenez stood at just 6 feet tall. That's quite some dip for a giant species like titanosaurs. Their significance with respect to their smaller size, however, lies in the broader picture of dinosaur diversity during the late Cretaceous period. What is the project about? The discovery is part of an effort between the National Geographic Society and over 10 museums and universities in Argentina, including the Museo de La Plata. The project aims to bridge the gap in humanity's knowledge of the final 15 million years of the Cretaceous Period. It focuses on the dinosaurs and vertebrates that thrived in Patagonia during this critical period. Also watch | Climate change played keyrole in dominance of dinosaurs × "The discovery of Titanomachya, adds to previous data suggesting there was a major ecological change as the Cretaceous [Period] was coming to an end, marked by the downsizing of titanosaurs, a decrease in their abundance, and the predominance of other herbivorous dinosaurs, such as hadrosaurs on the landscape," said National Geographic Explorer Diego Pol in a release. "This ecological shift in herbivorous dinosaurs occurred amidst changing climates and habitats, as well as the advance of the Atlantic Ocean over large parts of Patagonia." (With inputs from agencies)

A 6-foot-tall dinosaur? Smallest-ever Titanosaurs to have walked the Earth discovered in Argentina

A new study led by researchers at the University of Texas, Austin recently identified aetosaurs, a heavily armoured cousin of modern crocodiles who walked the Earth before dinosaurs did before going extinct around 200 million years ago.&nbsp;

<h2>About the newly identified aetosaurs</h2>

Aetosaurs, according to the study published in The Anatomical Record, came in various shapes and sizes. Today, their fossils are found on every continent except Antarctica and Australia.

The newly identified aetosaur species – likely omnivorous ancestors of the carnivore modern crocodiles – is named Garzapelta muelleri by the researchers.&nbsp;

The name “Garza” comes from Garza County in northwest Texas, where the fossil was found, and “pelta” is Latin for shield, while the species name “muelleri” honours the palaeontologist who originally discovered it, Bill Mueller.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/scientists-debate-over-origin-of-alien-debris-after-startling-claim-700181">Scientists debate over origin of 'alien' debris after startling claim</a>

The study published, earlier this year, centres around the suit of armour – called a carapace. Scientists typically use bony plates – also known as osteoderms – that make up aetosaur armour to identify the different species but typically don’t find many fossil skeletons to work with. &nbsp;

However, in this case, the scientists found 70 per cent of the fossil which covered each major region of the body.&nbsp;

“We have elements from the back of the neck and shoulder region all the way to the tip of the tail,” said William Reyes a doctoral student at the UT’s Jackson School of Geoscience who led the research, in a statement.&nbsp;

The Garzapelta lived around 215 million years ago and had a lot more armour. “Take a crocodile from modern day, and turn it into an armadillo,” Reyes said.&nbsp;

<h2>What did the researchers find?</h2>

The osteoderms would be embedded directly into the skin and fitted together like a mosaic. However, their bony exterior was not the only protection they had against predators as Garzapelta’s sides were flanked by curved spikes.&nbsp;

The researchers noted that spikes on Garzapelta were not unique and similar ones were found on another aetosaur species but surprisingly the two were only distantly related.&nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/ancient-humans-were-on-brink-of-climate-extinction-900000-years-ago-studies-reveal-how-they-escaped-701655">Climate change reduced ancient humans to mere 1,300 people some 900,000 years ago</a>

According to Reyes, there are a number of distinct features that marked Garzapelta as a new species from how the plates fit together to unique bumps and ridges on the bones.&nbsp;

However, it was only after the researchers determined that the spikes evolved independently that they were able to ascertain that Garzapelta would best fit among other aetosaur species.&nbsp;

Notably, the fossil had been sitting on a shelf for around 30 years or so before Reyes encountered it during a visit to the Texas Tech University fossil collections.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

A new study led by researchers at the University of Texas, Austin recently identified aetosaurs, a heavily armoured cousin of modern crocodiles who walked the Earth before dinosaurs did before going extinct around 200 million years ago.

A new study led by researchers at the University of Texas, Austin recently identified aetosaurs, a heavily armoured cousin of modern crocodiles who walked the Earth before dinosaurs did before going extinct around 200 million years ago. About the newly identified aetosaurs Aetosaurs, according to the study published in The Anatomical Record, came in various shapes and sizes. Today, their fossils are found on every continent except Antarctica and Australia. The newly identified aetosaur species – likely omnivorous ancestors of the carnivore modern crocodiles – is named Garzapelta muelleri by the researchers. The name “Garza” comes from Garza County in northwest Texas, where the fossil was found, and “pelta” is Latin for shield, while the species name “muelleri” honours the palaeontologist who originally discovered it, Bill Mueller. Also Read | Scientists debate over origin of 'alien' debris after startling claim The study published, earlier this year, centres around the suit of armour – called a carapace. Scientists typically use bony plates – also known as osteoderms – that make up aetosaur armour to identify the different species but typically don’t find many fossil skeletons to work with. However, in this case, the scientists found 70 per cent of the fossil which covered each major region of the body. “We have elements from the back of the neck and shoulder region all the way to the tip of the tail,” said William Reyes a doctoral student at the UT’s Jackson School of Geoscience who led the research, in a statement. The Garzapelta lived around 215 million years ago and had a lot more armour. “Take a crocodile from modern day, and turn it into an armadillo,” Reyes said. What did the researchers find? The osteoderms would be embedded directly into the skin and fitted together like a mosaic. However, their bony exterior was not the only protection they had against predators as Garzapelta’s sides were flanked by curved spikes. The researchers noted that spikes on Garzapelta were not unique and similar ones were found on another aetosaur species but surprisingly the two were only distantly related. Also Read | Climate change reduced ancient humans to mere 1,300 people some 900,000 years ago According to Reyes, there are a number of distinct features that marked Garzapelta as a new species from how the plates fit together to unique bumps and ridges on the bones. However, it was only after the researchers determined that the spikes evolved independently that they were able to ascertain that Garzapelta would best fit among other aetosaur species. Notably, the fossil had been sitting on a shelf for around 30 years or so before Reyes encountered it during a visit to the Texas Tech University fossil collections. (With inputs from agencies)

Newly identified ‘heavily armoured’ crocodile ancestor walked the Earth before dinosaurs

In a&nbsp;recent research, palaeontologists have come across a new species of dinosaurs, which suggests that dinosaurs were not going extinct during the end of the Cretaceous period. This dinosaur species weighed around 78 kilogrammes and walked the US midwest region.&nbsp;

The new species of dinosaur Eoneophron infernalis, nicknamed “Pharaoh’s chicken from Hell” by the scientists, and its fossil was recovered from South Dakota.&nbsp;

Earlier, many researchers believed that by the end of the Cretaceous period (a geological period that started about 145 million years ago), all the dinosaur species were declining in large numbers. And an asteroid that struck the Gulf of Mexico was the final blow to an already vulnerable group of animals. But the recent discovery of a new dinosaur fossil tells an altogether&nbsp;different story, as per a report published in Down to Earth.&nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/an-unprecedented-pinpoint-landing-japan-says-its-moon-landing-was-within-100-metres-of-target-683429">An 'unprecedented' pinpoint landing: Japan says its Moon landing was within 100 metres of target</a>

<h2>Fossils of new ‘birdlike’ dinosaurs give new details on their extinction</h2>

The fossils recovered from the rocks of the Hell Creek Formation in South Dakota were a group of four hindlimb bones- a femur, a tibia and two metatarsals. These fossils date back to the last 2 million years of the Cretaceous.

When the fossils were first identified by the team, they grouped them into the family of caenagnathids- a group of birdlike dinosaurs that had toothless beaks, long legs and short tails. Further, the fossil evidence also revealed that these dinosaurs had complex feathers, much like modern-day birds.

Earlier, the only species known from this group from this particular time and region was Anzu, sometimes called the “chicken from Hell”. It was covered in feathers and had a toothless beak, weighing around 450-750 pounds (200-340 kgs).&nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/stellar-show-nasas-james-webb-telescope-captures-birth-of-new-suns-far-away-from-earth-683450">Stellar show! NASA's James Webb Telescope captures birth of new suns far away from Earth</a>

The new fossil specimen, at first, seemed like Anzu’s younger one or juvenile. But after chalking out its entire astronomical differences, the scientists came to a conclusion that it was&nbsp;not the juvenile of Anzu.

The team cut through the middle of three of the bones to examine the specimen microscopically and found out that lines at the cross section were spaced progressively closer together, indicating that this animal’s growth had been slowed down as it is nearly an adult.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/wow-european-space-agency-to-replicate-moons-surface-on-earth-check-video-683524">Wow! European space agency to replicate Moon's surface on Earth. Check VIDEO</a>

With this, the team concluded that this new species Eoneophron infernalis or “Pharaoh’s chicken from Hell” is entirely a new species.

The team from Down to Earth also noted that the new “discovery suggests that this dinosaur group was not declining in diversity at the very end of the Cretaceous. These fossils show that there are still new species to be discovered and support the idea that at least part of the pattern of decreasing diversity is the result of sampling and preservation biases.”

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

In a recent research, palaeontologists have come across a new species of dinosaurs, which suggests that dinosaurs were not going extinct during the end of the Cretaceous period.

In a recent research, palaeontologists have come across a new species of dinosaurs, which suggests that dinosaurs were not going extinct during the end of the Cretaceous period. This dinosaur species weighed around 78 kilogrammes and walked the US midwest region. The new species of dinosaur Eoneophron infernalis, nicknamed “Pharaoh’s chicken from Hell” by the scientists, and its fossil was recovered from South Dakota. Earlier, many researchers believed that by the end of the Cretaceous period (a geological period that started about 145 million years ago), all the dinosaur species were declining in large numbers. And an asteroid that struck the Gulf of Mexico was the final blow to an already vulnerable group of animals. But the recent discovery of a new dinosaur fossil tells an altogether different story, as per a report published in Down to Earth. Also Read | An 'unprecedented' pinpoint landing: Japan says its Moon landing was within 100 metres of target Fossils of new ‘birdlike’ dinosaurs give new details on their extinction The fossils recovered from the rocks of the Hell Creek Formation in South Dakota were a group of four hindlimb bones- a femur, a tibia and two metatarsals. These fossils date back to the last 2 million years of the Cretaceous. When the fossils were first identified by the team, they grouped them into the family of caenagnathids- a group of birdlike dinosaurs that had toothless beaks, long legs and short tails. Further, the fossil evidence also revealed that these dinosaurs had complex feathers, much like modern-day birds. Earlier, the only species known from this group from this particular time and region was Anzu, sometimes called the “chicken from Hell”. It was covered in feathers and had a toothless beak, weighing around 450-750 pounds (200-340 kgs). Also Read | Stellar show! NASA's James Webb Telescope captures birth of new suns far away from Earth The new fossil specimen, at first, seemed like Anzu’s younger one or juvenile. But after chalking out its entire astronomical differences, the scientists came to a conclusion that it was not the juvenile of Anzu. The team cut through the middle of three of the bones to examine the specimen microscopically and found out that lines at the cross section were spaced progressively closer together, indicating that this animal’s growth had been slowed down as it is nearly an adult. Also Read | Wow! European space agency to replicate Moon's surface on Earth. Check VIDEO With this, the team concluded that this new species Eoneophron infernalis or “Pharaoh’s chicken from Hell” is entirely a new species. The team from Down to Earth also noted that the new “discovery suggests that this dinosaur group was not declining in diversity at the very end of the Cretaceous. These fossils show that there are still new species to be discovered and support the idea that at least part of the pattern of decreasing diversity is the result of sampling and preservation biases.” (With inputs from agencies)

New 'Pharaoh’s chicken from Hell' species busts long-held myths about dinosaurs

The long-running debate of whether the dinosaur fossils first unearthed in&nbsp;Montana, US, in 1942, belonged to teenage&nbsp;Tyrannosaurus Rexes or not has finally been settled. A new study published has concluded that the skulls belonged to a different species of dinosaur, not the T-Rexes.&nbsp;

The researchers at the&nbsp;Milner Centre for Evolution at the University of Bath said the 66-million-year-old fossils are most likely from the Nanotyrannus. The findings were published in the&nbsp;journal Fossil Studies.

"I didn't expect it to be quite so conclusive.&nbsp;If they were young T. Rex they should be growing like crazy, putting on hundreds of kilogrammes a year, but we're not seeing that," said Dr Nick Longrich associated with the study.&nbsp;

Based on the modelling data, scientists observed that the dinosaurs would have grown to a&nbsp;maximum size of around 900 to 1,500 kilogrammes and five metres which is only about 15 per cent the size of a full-grown, adult T. Rex.&nbsp;

"We tried modelling the data in a lot of different ways and we kept getting low growth rates. This is looking like the end for the hypothesis that these animals are young T. Rex," added&nbsp;Longrich.&nbsp;

The research validates that&nbsp;Nanotyrannus is a separate species, one not closely related to Tyrannosaurus. The&nbsp;Nanotyrannus had longer arms, unlike the famously short-armed T. Rex.&nbsp;

While T. Rex relies on size and strength,&nbsp;Nanotyrannus used their small frame, pace, agility and arms as pretty formidable weapons to hunt down prey.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"I was very skeptical about Nanotyrannus myself until about six years ago when I took a close look at the fossils and was surprised to realize we'd gotten it wrong all these years," said&nbsp;Longrich.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/wion-climate-tracker-climate-change-played-keyrole-in-dominance-of-dinosaurs-545615">Watch |&nbsp;WION Climate Tracker: Climate change played keyrole in dominance of dinosaurs</a>

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<h2>T. Rex fossil remains highly sought after&nbsp;</h2>

Dinosaur skeletons and other specimens belonging to the majestic reptile that once roamed the face of the Earth remain highly sought after by collectors. No more than a couple of sales take place in a year worldwide which attract&nbsp;enormous attention, especially if it involves a T. Rex - the legendary 40-foot-long predator.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/for-the-first-time-67-million-year-old-t-rex-skeleton-to-be-auctioned-in-europe-571024">Also read |&nbsp;For the first time, 67-million-year-old T-Rex skeleton to be auctioned in Europe</a>

Notably, in April last year, a 67-million-year-old T. Rex skeleton named 'Trinity' was auctioned in Switzerland. It was the first time that an entire T-Rex skeleton had gone under the hammer and fetched a record sum of $6.1 million at the Koller auction house.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

The long-running debate of whether the dinosaur fossils first unearthed in Montana, US, in 1942, belonged to teenage Tyrannosaurus Rexes or not has finally been settled.

The long-running debate of whether the dinosaur fossils first unearthed in Montana, US, in 1942, belonged to teenage Tyrannosaurus Rexes or not has finally been settled. A new study published has concluded that the skulls belonged to a different species of dinosaur, not the T-Rexes. The researchers at the Milner Centre for Evolution at the University of Bath said the 66-million-year-old fossils are most likely from the Nanotyrannus. The findings were published in the journal Fossil Studies. "I didn't expect it to be quite so conclusive. If they were young T. Rex they should be growing like crazy, putting on hundreds of kilogrammes a year, but we're not seeing that," said Dr Nick Longrich associated with the study. Based on the modelling data, scientists observed that the dinosaurs would have grown to a maximum size of around 900 to 1,500 kilogrammes and five metres which is only about 15 per cent the size of a full-grown, adult T. Rex. "We tried modelling the data in a lot of different ways and we kept getting low growth rates. This is looking like the end for the hypothesis that these animals are young T. Rex," added Longrich. The research validates that Nanotyrannus is a separate species, one not closely related to Tyrannosaurus. The Nanotyrannus had longer arms, unlike the famously short-armed T. Rex. While T. Rex relies on size and strength, Nanotyrannus used their small frame, pace, agility and arms as pretty formidable weapons to hunt down prey. "I was very skeptical about Nanotyrannus myself until about six years ago when I took a close look at the fossils and was surprised to realize we'd gotten it wrong all these years," said Longrich. Watch | WION Climate Tracker: Climate change played keyrole in dominance of dinosaurs × T. Rex fossil remains highly sought after Dinosaur skeletons and other specimens belonging to the majestic reptile that once roamed the face of the Earth remain highly sought after by collectors. No more than a couple of sales take place in a year worldwide which attract enormous attention, especially if it involves a T. Rex - the legendary 40-foot-long predator. Also read | For the first time, 67-million-year-old T-Rex skeleton to be auctioned in Europe Notably, in April last year, a 67-million-year-old T. Rex skeleton named 'Trinity' was auctioned in Switzerland. It was the first time that an entire T-Rex skeleton had gone under the hammer and fetched a record sum of $6.1 million at the Koller auction house. (With inputs from agencies)

Debate settled: Teenage T. Rex skulls unearthed in 1942 belonged to a different dinosaur species

The Royal Mint, the United Kingdom's coin producer, has introduced a new series of&nbsp;coins featuring the once mighty overlords that ruled the Earth before humans: Dinosaurs.&nbsp;

Its new series of collectable 50p coins showcase dinosaur species.

<h2>'Tales of Earth'</h2>

The coins have been released in partnership with the United Kingdom's Natural History Museum.

The first coin of this series features the apex predator Tyrannosaurus Rex, aka&nbsp;T-rex.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/this-giant-blue-dragon-monster-haunted-prehistoric-waters-of-the-pacific-ocean-72-million-years-ago-669185">A giant blue dragon mosasaur roamed the Pacific waters 72 million years ago</a>

This collection comes in&nbsp;three parts. It has two more coins, one of which will display the Stegosaurus, and a third one will have Diplodocus.

Prices of the coin start at £11 ($13.90), and the most expensive join in this collection is the Gold Proof Coin carrying the price tag of £1,220 ($1541.51). The coins are available for purchase on the Royal Mint website.

<h2>The Dinosaurs&nbsp;</h2>

This collection, as per Reuters, is the first time the mighty Tyrannosaurus Rex has been depicted on a UK fifty pence. It is the only carnivore dinosaur featured in this collection. The other two — Stegosaurus and Diplodocus, are both herbivores.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/awfulbut-thats-what-happens-in-war-israelis-want-hamas-crushed-despite-gaza-casualties-669472">'Awful...but that's what happens in war': Israelis want Hamas crushed despite Gaza casualties</a>

Paleo-artist Robert Nicholls is behind the design of these coins, which was done in collaboration with the Natural History Museum's Professor Paul Barrett.

The coin designs, as per the news agency, offer accurate reconstructions of the dinosaurs and their habitats, based on current understanding. To bring the huge creatures to life, some coins will even feature colours.&nbsp;

<h2>Design challenges</h2>

Talking to Reuters, Nicholls explained that the designs were constructed from the inside out, focusing on getting their anatomy and proportions right. However, featuring such large creatures on the small 50p coins was a challenge.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/killer-instinct-cats-kill-more-than-2000-species-globally-triggers-conservation-concern-669256">Killer instinct: Cats kill more than 2,000 species globally, trigger conservation concern</a>

"T-rex is a very big animal and trying to make something that big look large on such a small coin is a real challenge. So what I did with T-rex was to make sure we were looking up at the animal so that helps give it a sense if scale, make it look large which is difficult to do on such a small coin," he said.

"So the unique challenge for the diplodocus coin was fitting an animal so long, with such a long tail and long neck, into essentially a round shape. That was really difficult to overcome. So I managed to do it by using forced perspective and bringing the head towards us and twisting the tail away from us."

(With inputs from agencies)

The Royal Mint, the United Kingdom's coin producer, has introduced a new series of coins featuring the once mighty overlords that ruled the Earth before humans: Dinosaurs.

The Royal Mint, the United Kingdom's coin producer, has introduced a new series of coins featuring the once mighty overlords that ruled the Earth before humans: Dinosaurs. Its new series of collectable 50p coins showcase dinosaur species. 'Tales of Earth' The coins have been released in partnership with the United Kingdom's Natural History Museum. The first coin of this series features the apex predator Tyrannosaurus Rex, aka T-rex. Also read | A giant blue dragon mosasaur roamed the Pacific waters 72 million years ago This collection comes in three parts. It has two more coins, one of which will display the Stegosaurus, and a third one will have Diplodocus. Prices of the coin start at £11 ($13.90), and the most expensive join in this collection is the Gold Proof Coin carrying the price tag of £1,220 ($1541.51). The coins are available for purchase on the Royal Mint website. The Dinosaurs This collection, as per Reuters, is the first time the mighty Tyrannosaurus Rex has been depicted on a UK fifty pence. It is the only carnivore dinosaur featured in this collection. The other two — Stegosaurus and Diplodocus, are both herbivores. Also read | 'Awful...but that's what happens in war': Israelis want Hamas crushed despite Gaza casualties Paleo-artist Robert Nicholls is behind the design of these coins, which was done in collaboration with the Natural History Museum's Professor Paul Barrett. The coin designs, as per the news agency, offer accurate reconstructions of the dinosaurs and their habitats, based on current understanding. To bring the huge creatures to life, some coins will even feature colours. Design challenges Talking to Reuters, Nicholls explained that the designs were constructed from the inside out, focusing on getting their anatomy and proportions right. However, featuring such large creatures on the small 50p coins was a challenge. Also read | Killer instinct: Cats kill more than 2,000 species globally, trigger conservation concern "T-rex is a very big animal and trying to make something that big look large on such a small coin is a real challenge. So what I did with T-rex was to make sure we were looking up at the animal so that helps give it a sense if scale, make it look large which is difficult to do on such a small coin," he said. "So the unique challenge for the diplodocus coin was fitting an animal so long, with such a long tail and long neck, into essentially a round shape. That was really difficult to overcome. So I managed to do it by using forced perspective and bringing the head towards us and twisting the tail away from us." (With inputs from agencies)

Prehistoric Pounds: UK Royal Mint's dinosaur 50p coin series takes a leap into the past

According to molecular biogerontologist, Joao Pedro de Magalhaes, a professor at the Institute of Inflammation and Ageing at the University of Birmingham, this may be an evolutionary relict dating back to the age of the dinosaurs, which ended with their mass extinction around 66 million years ago.

Dinosaurs may have influenced human aging: Know How

In a new study, a scientist has suggested that if it were not for the dinosaurs, humans could have extended their lifespan by up to 200 years. 
 
Microbiologist Joao Pedro de Magalhaes, from University of Birmingham in the UK, has emphasised an evident difference between how quickly mammals, like humans, age and how the ageing takes place in reptiles and amphibians. 
 
The discrepancy is likely because the dinosaurs dominated this planet millions of years ago, especially at an important time period in mammalian history. 
 
In a newly published paper, the microbiologist describing his "longevity bottleneck" hypothesis, explains that when dinosaurs were ruling the Earth, it had become important for the much smaller mammals to quickly reproduce for survival, which likely led to the discarding of genes for longer lifespans as evolution progressed.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/not-a-meteorite-but-indias-deccan-traps-led-to-extinction-of-dinosaurs-from-earth-study-664402">Not a meteorite, but India's Deccan Traps may have led to extinction of dinosaurs from Earth: Study</a>

"Some of the earliest mammals were forced to live towards the bottom of the food chain, and have likely spent 100 million years during the age of the dinosaurs evolving to survive through rapid reproduction," said de Magalhaes, as reported by Science Alert. 
 
"That long period of evolutionary pressure has, I propose, an impact on the way that we humans age,” he added.

<h2>Ancestors lost genes which could have replaced sun creams?</h2>

In the research, the scientist has noted that the ancient ancestors in the eutherian mammal lineage are likely to have lost certain enzymes at the time when dinosaurs were present, which also includes enzymes which help in repairing the damage caused to our skin by ultraviolet light. 
 
As per the research, even marsupials and monotremes do not have at least one of the three UV-repair enzymes, which are called photolyases. However, this remains unclear if this was related to their own comparatively shortened lifespans.

Watch:&nbsp;South Korea unveils plan to ban dog meat by 2027, Animal Rights Groups welcome the move | WION

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The scientists hinted that the mammal, who tried to become nocturnal to stay safe, may have faced more loss, and now after millions of years, this loss is being covered with the use of sun cream. 
 
"We see examples in the animal world of truly remarkable repair and regeneration. That genetic information would have been unnecessary for early mammals that were lucky to not end up as T. rex food,” said de Magalhaes. 
 
"While just a hypothesis at the moment, there are lots of intriguing angles to take this, including the prospect that cancer is more frequent in mammals than other species due to the rapid ageing process," he added.

(With inputs from agencies)

In a new study, a scientist has suggested that if it were not for the dinosaurs, humans could have extended their lifespan by up to 200 years. Microbiologist Joao Pedro de Magalhaes, from University of Birmingham in the UK, has emphasised an evident difference between how quickly mammals, like humans, age and how the ageing takes place in reptiles and amphibians.

In a new study, a scientist has suggested that if it were not for the dinosaurs, humans could have extended their lifespan by up to 200 years. Microbiologist Joao Pedro de Magalhaes, from University of Birmingham in the UK, has emphasised an evident difference between how quickly mammals, like humans, age and how the ageing takes place in reptiles and amphibians. The discrepancy is likely because the dinosaurs dominated this planet millions of years ago, especially at an important time period in mammalian history. In a newly published paper, the microbiologist describing his "longevity bottleneck" hypothesis, explains that when dinosaurs were ruling the Earth, it had become important for the much smaller mammals to quickly reproduce for survival, which likely led to the discarding of genes for longer lifespans as evolution progressed. Also read: Not a meteorite, but India's Deccan Traps may have led to extinction of dinosaurs from Earth: Study "Some of the earliest mammals were forced to live towards the bottom of the food chain, and have likely spent 100 million years during the age of the dinosaurs evolving to survive through rapid reproduction," said de Magalhaes, as reported by Science Alert. "That long period of evolutionary pressure has, I propose, an impact on the way that we humans age,” he added. Ancestors lost genes which could have replaced sun creams? In the research, the scientist has noted that the ancient ancestors in the eutherian mammal lineage are likely to have lost certain enzymes at the time when dinosaurs were present, which also includes enzymes which help in repairing the damage caused to our skin by ultraviolet light. As per the research, even marsupials and monotremes do not have at least one of the three UV-repair enzymes, which are called photolyases. However, this remains unclear if this was related to their own comparatively shortened lifespans. Watch: South Korea unveils plan to ban dog meat by 2027, Animal Rights Groups welcome the move | WION The scientists hinted that the mammal, who tried to become nocturnal to stay safe, may have faced more loss, and now after millions of years, this loss is being covered with the use of sun cream. "We see examples in the animal world of truly remarkable repair and regeneration. That genetic information would have been unnecessary for early mammals that were lucky to not end up as T. rex food,” said de Magalhaes. "While just a hypothesis at the moment, there are lots of intriguing angles to take this, including the prospect that cancer is more frequent in mammals than other species due to the rapid ageing process," he added. (With inputs from agencies)

Do you know humans could live for 200 years? But dinosaurs didn't let this happen

The extinction of dinosaurs on Earth is said to be the most massive blow to life on the planet after it was hit by an asteroid. 
 
However, there have been many hints which suggest that asteroids may not have been&nbsp;the reason behind the mass extinction of the dinosaurs, but only the most spectacular isolated contribution. 
 
Before the dramatic event unfolded nearly 66 million years ago, toxic winds of change had started blowing in the air. 
 
In a new analysis carried out by an international team of researchers, new evidence has been added to the claims before the asteroid explosion, the world was anything but a paradise, as the measures of sulfur reached critical levels in the atmosphere.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/real-life-jurassic-world-may-exist-on-other-planets-and-humans-may-detect-them-study-660668">Dinosaurs might be roaming some other planet, new study finds</a>

Along with other studies on levels of mercury, the research has observed a signature of volcanic activity which was strong enough to lead to significant climate disruptions. 
 
The timing of the volcanic activity was dismissed in 1991 as too early to be behind the mass extinction of dinosaurs, however, recent studies have demonstrated the possibility of the timing being close enough to be significant. 
 
"Our data suggest that volcanic sulfur degassing from such activity could have caused repeated short-lived global drops in temperature," wrote University of Oslo geoscientist Sara Callegaro and colleagues, in their paper.

<h2>India's connection with dinosaurs' extinction</h2>

The rocks from the Deccan Traps, which is one of the largest volcanic features and is located in West India, were examined by the team. A new technique has been developed for measuring sulfur concentrations by applying them. 
 
As per the models, sustained sulfur emissions from the Deccan Traps were enough to alter the global climate substantially. A huge amount of one million cubic kilometres of molten rock was released only from this volcanic region. 
 
The formation of highly concentrated sulfur, which was filled with lava at Thakurvadi to Bushe in the region, has coincided with the cooling Cretaceous climate, observed the team.

Watch:&nbsp;Remains of an ancient planet lie deep within earth

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The basalt in the area is generally less in sulfur which indicates that the cooling molecule was released from the hardened magma slowly into the atmosphere after eruptions. 
 
This is likely to have resulted in an increase in global temperatures in bouts of up to 10°C within 100,000 years before the Chicxulub meteor finally hit the Earth. 
 
"Our research demonstrates that climatic conditions were almost certainly unstable, with repeated volcanic winters that could have lasted decades, prior to the extinction of the dinosaurs, " said McGill University geochemist Don Baker, while speaking to science alert. 
 
"This instability would have made life difficult for all plants and animals and set the stage for the dinosaur extinction event," he added.

(With inputs from agencies)

The extinction of dinosaurs on Earth is said to be the most massive blow to life on the planet after it was hit by an asteroid. However, there have been many hints which suggest that asteroids may not have been the reason behind the mass extinction of the dinosaurs, but only the most spectacular isolated contribution.

The extinction of dinosaurs on Earth is said to be the most massive blow to life on the planet after it was hit by an asteroid. However, there have been many hints which suggest that asteroids may not have been the reason behind the mass extinction of the dinosaurs, but only the most spectacular isolated contribution. Before the dramatic event unfolded nearly 66 million years ago, toxic winds of change had started blowing in the air. In a new analysis carried out by an international team of researchers, new evidence has been added to the claims before the asteroid explosion, the world was anything but a paradise, as the measures of sulfur reached critical levels in the atmosphere. Also read: Dinosaurs might be roaming some other planet, new study finds Along with other studies on levels of mercury, the research has observed a signature of volcanic activity which was strong enough to lead to significant climate disruptions. The timing of the volcanic activity was dismissed in 1991 as too early to be behind the mass extinction of dinosaurs, however, recent studies have demonstrated the possibility of the timing being close enough to be significant. "Our data suggest that volcanic sulfur degassing from such activity could have caused repeated short-lived global drops in temperature," wrote University of Oslo geoscientist Sara Callegaro and colleagues, in their paper. India's connection with dinosaurs' extinction The rocks from the Deccan Traps, which is one of the largest volcanic features and is located in West India, were examined by the team. A new technique has been developed for measuring sulfur concentrations by applying them. As per the models, sustained sulfur emissions from the Deccan Traps were enough to alter the global climate substantially. A huge amount of one million cubic kilometres of molten rock was released only from this volcanic region. The formation of highly concentrated sulfur, which was filled with lava at Thakurvadi to Bushe in the region, has coincided with the cooling Cretaceous climate, observed the team. Watch: Remains of an ancient planet lie deep within earth The basalt in the area is generally less in sulfur which indicates that the cooling molecule was released from the hardened magma slowly into the atmosphere after eruptions. This is likely to have resulted in an increase in global temperatures in bouts of up to 10°C within 100,000 years before the Chicxulub meteor finally hit the Earth. "Our research demonstrates that climatic conditions were almost certainly unstable, with repeated volcanic winters that could have lasted decades, prior to the extinction of the dinosaurs, " said McGill University geochemist Don Baker, while speaking to science alert. "This instability would have made life difficult for all plants and animals and set the stage for the dinosaur extinction event," he added. (With inputs from agencies)

Not a meteorite, but India's Deccan Traps may have led to extinction of dinosaurs from Earth: Study

Some dinosaurs, the majestic creatures that went extinct millions of years ago, had unique characteristics, such as staying underground for a part of their lives, according to the latest examination of an "overlooked" skull fossil at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences in the United States.

<h2>The 'super senses' of Thescelosaurus</h2>

Thescelosaurus neglectus was a small-sized dinosaur, literally meaning, "wonderful, overlooked lizard."

Scientists from North Carolina State University conducted an examination of the skull of this dinosaur that revealed its "super senses."

It turns out that they had an amazing sense of smell, alongside the physiological traits present in the underground species.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/skull-found-of-terrifying-predator-that-lived-long-before-the-dinosaurs-637100">A terrifying beast roamed Earth long before dinosaurs, a newly found skull proves</a>

"The work is the first to link a specific sensory fingerprint with this behaviour in extinct dinosaurs," according to an official release.

"The irony is that palaeontologists generally think of these animals as pretty boring," Lindsay Zanno, associate research professor at North Carolina State University, head of paleontology at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, and co-author of the work, said in an official release.&nbsp;

"When we first looked at our results we thought, yeah, this animal is plain as toast. But then we took a big step back and realised there was something unique about the combination of Willo’s sensory strengths and weaknesses."

<h2>How did Thescelosaurus' 'super senses' unravel?</h2>

One of the researchers, David Button, a former Brimley Postdoctoral Scholar at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences and North Carolina State University used a CT scanner to reconstruct soft tissues in the skull of a&nbsp;Thescelosaurus specimen, named Willo.

When the sensory structures were compared to those of the other dinosaurs and their living relatives, the researchers determined the relative size of Willo’s brain, as well as what her senses of smell, hearing, and balance were like.&nbsp;

Also watch |&nbsp;WION Climate Tracker: Climate change played keyrole in dominance of dinosaurs

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"We found that Thescelosaurus heard low frequency sounds best and that the range of frequencies it could hear overlaps with T. rex," Zanno said in an official release.

"This doesn’t tell us they were adapted to hearing T. rex vocalise, but it certainly didn’t hurt them to know when a major predator was tooling about in the area. More interesting to us was the fact that these particular deficiencies are often associated with animals that spend time underground."

Thescelosaurus balanced its poor hearing with an excellent sense of smell.

T. neglectus' poor cognitive and hearing abilities, coupled with powerful arms and legs and overdeveloped senses of smell and balance, are all features characteristic of animals that spend time underground and/or engage in digging behaviours today, according to the official release related to the study.

Some dinosaurs, the majestic creatures that went extinct millions of years ago, had unique characteristics, such as staying underground for a part of their lives, according to the latest examination of an "overlooked" skull fossil at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences in the United States.

Some dinosaurs, the majestic creatures that went extinct millions of years ago, had unique characteristics, such as staying underground for a part of their lives, according to the latest examination of an "overlooked" skull fossil at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences in the United States. The 'super senses' of Thescelosaurus Thescelosaurus neglectus was a small-sized dinosaur, literally meaning, "wonderful, overlooked lizard." Scientists from North Carolina State University conducted an examination of the skull of this dinosaur that revealed its "super senses." It turns out that they had an amazing sense of smell, alongside the physiological traits present in the underground species. Also read | A terrifying beast roamed Earth long before dinosaurs, a newly found skull proves "The work is the first to link a specific sensory fingerprint with this behaviour in extinct dinosaurs," according to an official release. "The irony is that palaeontologists generally think of these animals as pretty boring," Lindsay Zanno, associate research professor at North Carolina State University, head of paleontology at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, and co-author of the work, said in an official release. "When we first looked at our results we thought, yeah, this animal is plain as toast. But then we took a big step back and realised there was something unique about the combination of Willo’s sensory strengths and weaknesses." How did Thescelosaurus' 'super senses' unravel? One of the researchers, David Button, a former Brimley Postdoctoral Scholar at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences and North Carolina State University used a CT scanner to reconstruct soft tissues in the skull of a Thescelosaurus specimen, named Willo. When the sensory structures were compared to those of the other dinosaurs and their living relatives, the researchers determined the relative size of Willo’s brain, as well as what her senses of smell, hearing, and balance were like. Also watch | WION Climate Tracker: Climate change played keyrole in dominance of dinosaurs × "We found that Thescelosaurus heard low frequency sounds best and that the range of frequencies it could hear overlaps with T. rex," Zanno said in an official release. "This doesn’t tell us they were adapted to hearing T. rex vocalise, but it certainly didn’t hurt them to know when a major predator was tooling about in the area. More interesting to us was the fact that these particular deficiencies are often associated with animals that spend time underground." Thescelosaurus balanced its poor hearing with an excellent sense of smell. T. neglectus' poor cognitive and hearing abilities, coupled with powerful arms and legs and overdeveloped senses of smell and balance, are all features characteristic of animals that spend time underground and/or engage in digging behaviours today, according to the official release related to the study.

Scientists discover 'super senses' in dinosaurs previously known to be 'pretty boring'

Dinosaurs roamed the Earth millions of years ago, but how they went extinct remains a matter of active research with experts also studying the exact origin and timing of the evolution of dinosaurs.&nbsp;

Dinosaurs first appeared during the Triassic period, between 243 and 233.23 million years ago and evidence suggests that an asteroid impact was the main reason for their extinction.&nbsp;

The asteroid, which was the size of a city, reshaped life on Earth 66 million years ago as it ended the age of the dinosaurs when it struck a shallow sea off the coast of what is now Mexico.&nbsp;

Previous studies have suggested that besides the impact of asteroids, volcanic eruptions that caused large-scale climate change, may also have been involved, in addition to other gradual changes to Earth's climate which took place over millions of years.&nbsp;

However, scientists have done computer simulations of the aftermath of the asteroid impact to find out that dust was a major factor in wiping out dinosaurs from the face of Earth.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasa-launched-mission-to-20000-years-old-supernova-remnant-to-understand-life-cycles-of-stars-652966">NASA launches mission to 20,000-year-old supernova remnant to understand life cycle of stars</a>&nbsp;

In the latest study, published in Nature Geoscience, the researchers in Belgium have said that the "exact killing mechanisms" remain underresearched.&nbsp;

The study titled, "Chicxulub impact winter sustained by fine silicate dust", said that&nbsp; 
more attention is needed to understand the role of potentially trillions of tonnes of dust triggered by the asteroid impact.&nbsp;

Previously, the experts have noted that soot, sulphur and dust remained in the atmosphere for years, blocking the Sun, which could have led to a global winter. In such a scenario, flora and fauna suffer massively.

To understand it better, the scientists ran simulations of the ancient climate. They studied fine particles which were recovered from a site in North Dakota — it's the same place where a layer of dust generated by the Chicxulub impact settled.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/where-exactly-on-mars-should-humans-go-nasa-scientists-release-a-map-653058">Where exactly on Mars should humans go? NASA scientists release a map</a>

The various simulations found that the dust, which was found in Dakota, has the potential to remain in the atmosphere for up to 15 years.&nbsp;

In this case, the sun-blocking dust could have shut down photosynthesis for nearly two years, cooling down the planet by up to 15C.&nbsp;

As quoted by The Guardian, Cem Berk Senel, who is a researcher on the study at the Royal Observatory of Belgium in Brussels, said that the dust "most likely drove the last mass extinction event through the disruption of photosynthetic activity."&nbsp;

As quoted by the newspaper, Philippe Claeys, a geologist and planetary scientist at the Free University of Brussels and co-author of the study, added that the silicate dust emerged from the simulations as the "most efficient blocker of photosynthesis".&nbsp;

Claeys further added: "It renders the atmosphere opaque to sunlight, hampering the plants' photosynthetic process."&nbsp;

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Dinosaurs roamed the Earth millions of years ago, but how they went extinct remains a matter of active research with experts also studying the exact origin and timing of the evolution of dinosaurs.

Dinosaurs roamed the Earth millions of years ago, but how they went extinct remains a matter of active research with experts also studying the exact origin and timing of the evolution of dinosaurs. Dinosaurs first appeared during the Triassic period, between 243 and 233.23 million years ago and evidence suggests that an asteroid impact was the main reason for their extinction. The asteroid, which was the size of a city, reshaped life on Earth 66 million years ago as it ended the age of the dinosaurs when it struck a shallow sea off the coast of what is now Mexico. Previous studies have suggested that besides the impact of asteroids, volcanic eruptions that caused large-scale climate change, may also have been involved, in addition to other gradual changes to Earth's climate which took place over millions of years. However, scientists have done computer simulations of the aftermath of the asteroid impact to find out that dust was a major factor in wiping out dinosaurs from the face of Earth. Also read: NASA launches mission to 20,000-year-old supernova remnant to understand life cycle of stars In the latest study, published in Nature Geoscience, the researchers in Belgium have said that the "exact killing mechanisms" remain underresearched. The study titled, "Chicxulub impact winter sustained by fine silicate dust", said that more attention is needed to understand the role of potentially trillions of tonnes of dust triggered by the asteroid impact. Previously, the experts have noted that soot, sulphur and dust remained in the atmosphere for years, blocking the Sun, which could have led to a global winter. In such a scenario, flora and fauna suffer massively. To understand it better, the scientists ran simulations of the ancient climate. They studied fine particles which were recovered from a site in North Dakota — it's the same place where a layer of dust generated by the Chicxulub impact settled. Also read: Where exactly on Mars should humans go? NASA scientists release a map The various simulations found that the dust, which was found in Dakota, has the potential to remain in the atmosphere for up to 15 years. In this case, the sun-blocking dust could have shut down photosynthesis for nearly two years, cooling down the planet by up to 15C. As quoted by The Guardian, Cem Berk Senel, who is a researcher on the study at the Royal Observatory of Belgium in Brussels, said that the dust "most likely drove the last mass extinction event through the disruption of photosynthetic activity." As quoted by the newspaper, Philippe Claeys, a geologist and planetary scientist at the Free University of Brussels and co-author of the study, added that the silicate dust emerged from the simulations as the "most efficient blocker of photosynthesis". Claeys further added: "It renders the atmosphere opaque to sunlight, hampering the plants' photosynthetic process." WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

An asteroid yes, but that's not what exactly killed the dinosaurs

Dinosaurs are believed to be the most terrifying prehistoric predators to have ever existed on Earth. However, a new discovery of a skull has brought to light another fearsome beast, which is likely to have dominated Earth 40 million years before the first 'terrible lizards' existed. 
 
The scientists found the 265-million-year-old fossil in Brazil, which revealed to the world the largest meat eater of its time, which was unknown till now and is believed to have prowled the jungles in search of unlucky critters to chomp on. 
 
"This animal was a gnarly-looking beast, and it must have evoked sheer dread in anything that crossed its path," stated Harvard University palaeontologist Stephanie Pierce.

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Highly appealing images (although I may be biased) of the preparation of our new Pampaphoneus skull. Trigger warning for an exceptionally beautiful fossil.<a href="https://twitter.com/the_anilson?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@the_anilson</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/voltairearts?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@voltairearts</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/PaleoCisneros?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PaleoCisneros</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/MCZHarvard?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MCZHarvard</a> <a href="https://t.co/BulUlJVe1Z">pic.twitter.com/BulUlJVe1Z</a>
— Felipe Pinheiro (@FeliPinheir) <a href="https://twitter.com/FeliPinheir/status/1701548272941256754?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 12, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Pampaphoneus biccai's almost-complete fossilised skull was discovered by scientists along with skeletal bones near Sao Gabriel in Southern Brazil. The skull measured almost 36 cm (14.2 inches).

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/fujianvenator-bizarre-long-legged-bird-like-dinosaur-discovered-in-china-633461">Fujianvenator: 'Bizarre' long-legged bird-like dinosaur discovered in China</a>

Pampaphoneus is said to belong to the early therapsid clade Dinocephalia, a group of frightening and huge terrestrial animals which thrived before T. rex and pals. All Dinocephalians were not carnivores, however, Pampaphoneus was. 
 
"The animal had large, sharp canine teeth adapted for capturing prey," stated Felipe Pinheiro, a palaeontologist from the Federal University of Pampa (UNIPAMPA) in Brazil. 
 
"Its dentition and cranial architecture suggest that its bite was strong enough to chew bones, much like modern-day hyenas,” he added.

<h2>Pampaphoneus survived just before wipeout of 86 per cent of animal species</h2>

Pampaphoneus survived at the end of the Permian, just before 86 per cent of all animal species were wiped from the Earth in the largest-ever mass extinction event. 
 
"The fossil was found in middle Permian rocks, in an area where bones are not so common, but always hold pleasant surprises," stated first author Mateus A. Costa Santos, a palaeontologist at UNIPAMPA. 
 
Previously, fossils of other dinocephalians were found in Russia and South Africa, however, Pampaphoneus biccai is Brazil's only known species, and the team said that this well-preserved fossil "reveals new characters previously unknown for the species," since the scientists found a smaller skull in 2008.

WATCH |&nbsp;Pig kidney thrives in human body for month | Major medical breakthrough

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"Finding a new Pampaphoneus skull after so long was extremely important for increasing our knowledge about the animal, which was previously difficult to differentiate from its Russian relatives,” said Santos. 
 
"Pampaphoneus played the same ecological role as modern big cats. It was the largest terrestrial predator we know of from the Permian in South America,” Pinheiro said. 
 
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Dinosaurs are believed to be the most terrifying prehistoric predators to have ever existed on Earth. However, a new discovery of a skull has brought to light another fearsome beast, which is likely to have dominated Earth 40 million years before the first 'terrible lizards' existed.

Dinosaurs are believed to be the most terrifying prehistoric predators to have ever existed on Earth. However, a new discovery of a skull has brought to light another fearsome beast, which is likely to have dominated Earth 40 million years before the first 'terrible lizards' existed. The scientists found the 265-million-year-old fossil in Brazil, which revealed to the world the largest meat eater of its time, which was unknown till now and is believed to have prowled the jungles in search of unlucky critters to chomp on. "This animal was a gnarly-looking beast, and it must have evoked sheer dread in anything that crossed its path," stated Harvard University palaeontologist Stephanie Pierce. Highly appealing images (although I may be biased) of the preparation of our new Pampaphoneus skull. Trigger warning for an exceptionally beautiful fossil.@the_anilson @voltairearts @PaleoCisneros @MCZHarvard pic.twitter.com/BulUlJVe1Z — Felipe Pinheiro (@FeliPinheir) September 12, 2023 × Pampaphoneus biccai's almost-complete fossilised skull was discovered by scientists along with skeletal bones near Sao Gabriel in Southern Brazil. The skull measured almost 36 cm (14.2 inches). ALSO READ | Fujianvenator: 'Bizarre' long-legged bird-like dinosaur discovered in China Pampaphoneus is said to belong to the early therapsid clade Dinocephalia, a group of frightening and huge terrestrial animals which thrived before T. rex and pals. All Dinocephalians were not carnivores, however, Pampaphoneus was. "The animal had large, sharp canine teeth adapted for capturing prey," stated Felipe Pinheiro, a palaeontologist from the Federal University of Pampa (UNIPAMPA) in Brazil. "Its dentition and cranial architecture suggest that its bite was strong enough to chew bones, much like modern-day hyenas,” he added. Pampaphoneus survived just before wipeout of 86 per cent of animal species Pampaphoneus survived at the end of the Permian, just before 86 per cent of all animal species were wiped from the Earth in the largest-ever mass extinction event. "The fossil was found in middle Permian rocks, in an area where bones are not so common, but always hold pleasant surprises," stated first author Mateus A. Costa Santos, a palaeontologist at UNIPAMPA. Previously, fossils of other dinocephalians were found in Russia and South Africa, however, Pampaphoneus biccai is Brazil's only known species, and the team said that this well-preserved fossil "reveals new characters previously unknown for the species," since the scientists found a smaller skull in 2008. WATCH | Pig kidney thrives in human body for month | Major medical breakthrough "Finding a new Pampaphoneus skull after so long was extremely important for increasing our knowledge about the animal, which was previously difficult to differentiate from its Russian relatives,” said Santos. "Pampaphoneus played the same ecological role as modern big cats. It was the largest terrestrial predator we know of from the Permian in South America,” Pinheiro said. You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

A terrifying beast roamed Earth long before dinosaurs, a newly found skull proves

Our ancestors mingled with dinosaurs. New study suggests the coexistence of humans & dinosaurs. Researchers analyzed fossil records. As per study, humans, dogs & bats originated in the Cretaceous period. These placental mammals shared the planet with dinosaurs. Until a mass extinction event took place. It was triggered by an asteroid hitting the Earth.

Did early human ancestors walk the Earth alongside dinosaurs but survive the Asteroid impact?

Scientists have made an amazing discovery. In an inhospitable valley in the Chilean Patagonia, they have come across the remains of four species of dinosaurs. The fossils which were discovered and transported to a laboratory in 2021, as per researchers, belong to species that have previously not been identified in the area.&nbsp;

Chilean Antarctic Institute (Inach), in collaboration with the University of Chile and the University of Texas, made this discovery on an expedition.&nbsp;

Talking to AFP, Marcelo Leppe, director of Inach, said, "It’s always super exciting in scientific terms to find something that has not previously been discovered or described."

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Researchers have also found remains of two bird species, an Enantiornithe, believed to be the most plentiful birds of the Mesozoic era; and Ornithurinae, a group which can be directly linked to present-day birds.

The findings have been published in the Journal of South American Earth Sciences.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/an-extremely-rare-evidence-of-dinosaurs-consuming-mammals-spotted-546890">Extremely rare evidence of dinosaurs consuming mammals spotted</a>

As per the findings, the dinosaur species, which includes a megaraptor, inhabited the area at the end of the Cretaceous period, between 66 and 75 million years ago.&nbsp;

Interestingly, the megaraptor belongs to the theropod family, of which the famous T-Rex is also a member. These carnivorous dinosaurs were at the top of the food chain and were equipped with raptor claws, small teeth for tearing their prey, and large upper limbs.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/russian-researchers-attempt-to-re-awaken-ancient-viruses-that-killed-giant-woolly-mammoths-547227">Russian researchers attempt to 're-awaken' ancient viruses that killed giant woolly mammoths</a>

Researchers have also identified two specimens of what could very well be a whole new species of Unenlagiinae, a dinosaur closely related to velociraptors.

As per Jared Amudeo, a researcher with the University of Chile, the Unenlagiinae remains has a "novel evolutionary character, which would indicate that this is a new species of unenlagine or perhaps a representative of a different clade (group)."

(With inputs from agencies)

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Scientists have made an amazing discovery. In an inhospitable valley in the Chilean Patagonia, they have come across the remains of four species of dinosaurs. The fossils which were discovered and transported to a laboratory in 2021, as per researchers, belong to species that have previously not been identified in the area.

Scientists have made an amazing discovery. In an inhospitable valley in the Chilean Patagonia, they have come across the remains of four species of dinosaurs. The fossils which were discovered and transported to a laboratory in 2021, as per researchers, belong to species that have previously not been identified in the area. Chilean Antarctic Institute (Inach), in collaboration with the University of Chile and the University of Texas, made this discovery on an expedition. Talking to AFP, Marcelo Leppe, director of Inach, said, "It’s always super exciting in scientific terms to find something that has not previously been discovered or described." Watch | WION Climate Tracker: Climate change played keyrole in dominance of dinosaurs Researchers have also found remains of two bird species, an Enantiornithe, believed to be the most plentiful birds of the Mesozoic era; and Ornithurinae, a group which can be directly linked to present-day birds. The findings have been published in the Journal of South American Earth Sciences. Also read | Extremely rare evidence of dinosaurs consuming mammals spotted As per the findings, the dinosaur species, which includes a megaraptor, inhabited the area at the end of the Cretaceous period, between 66 and 75 million years ago. Interestingly, the megaraptor belongs to the theropod family, of which the famous T-Rex is also a member. These carnivorous dinosaurs were at the top of the food chain and were equipped with raptor claws, small teeth for tearing their prey, and large upper limbs. Also read | Russian researchers attempt to 're-awaken' ancient viruses that killed giant woolly mammoths Researchers have also identified two specimens of what could very well be a whole new species of Unenlagiinae, a dinosaur closely related to velociraptors. As per Jared Amudeo, a researcher with the University of Chile, the Unenlagiinae remains has a "novel evolutionary character, which would indicate that this is a new species of unenlagine or perhaps a representative of a different clade (group)." (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

'Super exciting' find: Researchers discover four species of dinosaurs, including a potentially new one

Dinosaurs inhabited this planet millions of years ago and in the last&nbsp;200 or so years, humanity has found much evidence of the mighty beasts. You would think that given that the very first evidence of dinosaurs was found in the early 1600s, we would know almost everything there is to know about them.&nbsp;

However, that's far from the truth: we are still finding surprising and fascinating discoveries that add to our knowledge. For example, a scientist recently spotted an extremely rare find that tells us more about what these beasts ate; this time it's a mammal on the menu.

In the first such find of the 21st century Hans Larsson, a professor of biology at McGill University’s Redpath Museum in Montreal while visiting a museum collection in China, spotted a mammal's foot preserved inside the fossilised guts of a Microraptor zhaoianus.

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This is only the 21st known example of a fossilised dinosaur and its last meal. The fossil was discovered in the early 2000s in Liaoning in northeastern China.

The Microraptor zhaoianus was a small, up to three metres long feathered therapod, i.e. a small dinosaur that walked on two legs.

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Image courtesy:&nbsp;Hans Larsson/McGill University

"At first, I couldn’t believe it. There was a tiny rodent-like mammal foot about a centimetre (0.4 inches) long perfectly preserved inside a Microraptor skeleton," said Larsson, as per a CNN report.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/ancestors-of-diplodocus-dinosaur-may-have-been-meat-eaters-research-543954">Ancestors of Diplodocus dinosaur may have been meat eaters: Research</a>

He added that finds like these are the only "solid evidence" researchers have about the food consumption of these long-extinct animals and that even these finds are very rare.

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Image courtesy:&nbsp;Microraptor zhaoianus/Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology&nbsp;

What makes the discovery so amazing is that previous fossilised specimens of the species showed proof of them consuming fish, birds and lizards. However, "this new find adds a small mammal to their diet, suggesting these dinosaurs were opportunistic and not picky eaters,” says Larrson.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/globally-significant-elasmosaur-dinosaur-remains-unearthed-in-australia-540941">'Globally significant' remains of Elasmosaur dinosaur unearthed in Australia</a>

The research that has been published in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology talks of generalist predators like foxes and crows as the stabilisers of today's ecosystems. It adds that the recently uncovered evidence may prove that Microraptor zhaoianus and other dinosaurs from the therapod family, which included the famed Tyrannosaurus rex, may have served a similar function back when the mighty beasts roamed the planet.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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Dinosaurs inhabited this planet millions of years ago and in the last 200 or so years, humanity has found much evidence of the mighty beasts. You would think that given that the very first evidence of dinosaurs was found in the early 1600s, we would know almost everything there is to know about them.

Dinosaurs inhabited this planet millions of years ago and in the last 200 or so years, humanity has found much evidence of the mighty beasts. You would think that given that the very first evidence of dinosaurs was found in the early 1600s, we would know almost everything there is to know about them. However, that's far from the truth: we are still finding surprising and fascinating discoveries that add to our knowledge. For example, a scientist recently spotted an extremely rare find that tells us more about what these beasts ate; this time it's a mammal on the menu. In the first such find of the 21st century Hans Larsson, a professor of biology at McGill University’s Redpath Museum in Montreal while visiting a museum collection in China, spotted a mammal's foot preserved inside the fossilised guts of a Microraptor zhaoianus. Watch | WION Climate Tracker: Climate change played keyrole in dominance of dinosaurs This is only the 21st known example of a fossilised dinosaur and its last meal. The fossil was discovered in the early 2000s in Liaoning in northeastern China. The Microraptor zhaoianus was a small, up to three metres long feathered therapod, i.e. a small dinosaur that walked on two legs. Image courtesy: Hans Larsson/McGill University "At first, I couldn’t believe it. There was a tiny rodent-like mammal foot about a centimetre (0.4 inches) long perfectly preserved inside a Microraptor skeleton," said Larsson, as per a CNN report. Also read | Ancestors of Diplodocus dinosaur may have been meat eaters: Research He added that finds like these are the only "solid evidence" researchers have about the food consumption of these long-extinct animals and that even these finds are very rare. Image courtesy: Microraptor zhaoianus/Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology What makes the discovery so amazing is that previous fossilised specimens of the species showed proof of them consuming fish, birds and lizards. However, "this new find adds a small mammal to their diet, suggesting these dinosaurs were opportunistic and not picky eaters,” says Larrson. Also read | 'Globally significant' remains of Elasmosaur dinosaur unearthed in Australia The research that has been published in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology talks of generalist predators like foxes and crows as the stabilisers of today's ecosystems. It adds that the recently uncovered evidence may prove that Microraptor zhaoianus and other dinosaurs from the therapod family, which included the famed Tyrannosaurus rex, may have served a similar function back when the mighty beasts roamed the planet. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Extremely rare evidence of dinosaurs consuming mammals spotted

Let's go back around 250 million-years-ago when roughly 76% marine and land species were wiped out from the face of Earth. The Triassic Jurassic mass extinction is believed to be what helped dinosaurs eventually dominate the landscape.

WION Climate Tracker: Climate change played keyrole in dominance of dinosaurs

Prehistoric waters were a dangerous place to have your Sunday swim. Not only there were predators, but there&nbsp;were huge predators. Before an asteroid wiped most of them off the face of the planet, dinosaurs were ruling almost every food chain and food web. Land, air and water, nothing could help you escape from these huge killing machines.

Now another, enormous 'saur' has been found in Morocco. Perhaps in a acknowledgement to the predator, its fossil has been found alongside that of its last meal.

The mosasaur, or the animal that has been found, lived 66 million years ago during the Cretaceous period. The announcement of discovery of the fossil has been made in the journal Cretaceous Research on August 24.

The mosasaur, or Thalassotitan atrox, was an apex predator in the oceans. It grew up to 40 feet in length

"Thalassotitan was an amazing, terrifying animal," said Dr. Nick Longrich, lead author of the study and senior lecturer from the Milner Centre for Evolution at the University of Bath in a statement.

"Imagine a komodo dragon crossed with a great white shark crossed with a T. rex crossed with a killer whale," said Longrich as quoted by the Newsweek.

"They were wiped out by the asteroid impact, just like the dinosaurs," Longrich added.&nbsp;

"They seem to have been active, even warm-blooded animals, and this and their large size meant they needed a lot of food. When the debris from the asteroid blocked out the sun, photosynthesis shut down, plankton stopped growing, and the food chain just sort of fell apart. The marine ecosystem was hit extremely hard; a few sea turtles survived and sharks survived pretty well; most marine reptiles and big fish went extinct."

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Prehistoric waters were a dangerous place to have your Sunday swim. Not only there were predators, but there were huge predators. Before an asteroid wiped most of them off the face of the planet, dinosaurs were ruling almost every food chain and food web.

Prehistoric waters were a dangerous place to have your Sunday swim. Not only there were predators, but there were huge predators. Before an asteroid wiped most of them off the face of the planet, dinosaurs were ruling almost every food chain and food web. Land, air and water, nothing could help you escape from these huge killing machines. Now another, enormous 'saur' has been found in Morocco. Perhaps in a acknowledgement to the predator, its fossil has been found alongside that of its last meal. The mosasaur, or the animal that has been found, lived 66 million years ago during the Cretaceous period. The announcement of discovery of the fossil has been made in the journal Cretaceous Research on August 24. The mosasaur, or Thalassotitan atrox, was an apex predator in the oceans. It grew up to 40 feet in length "Thalassotitan was an amazing, terrifying animal," said Dr. Nick Longrich, lead author of the study and senior lecturer from the Milner Centre for Evolution at the University of Bath in a statement. "Imagine a komodo dragon crossed with a great white shark crossed with a T. rex crossed with a killer whale," said Longrich as quoted by the Newsweek. "They were wiped out by the asteroid impact, just like the dinosaurs," Longrich added. "They seem to have been active, even warm-blooded animals, and this and their large size meant they needed a lot of food. When the debris from the asteroid blocked out the sun, photosynthesis shut down, plankton stopped growing, and the food chain just sort of fell apart. The marine ecosystem was hit extremely hard; a few sea turtles survived and sharks survived pretty well; most marine reptiles and big fish went extinct." You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Scientists find fossil of giant sea monster Mosasaur next to its victim

For a new kind of Jurassic experience for fans, a high-tech Jurassic World exhibition has opened up in London. The exhibition is running at London's ExCel arena from 25 August through November.

High-tech Jurassic World exhibition kicks off in London with animatronic dinosaurs

In a new study, scientists have found that horseshoe crabs or Limulidae are vital for vaccine safety. As a result of habitat loss and overharvesting for use in food the "living fossils" are listed as vulnerable in America and endangered in Asia.

While dinosaurs arose and went extinct followed by transitioning of early fish to the land animals that would eventually give rise to humans, horseshoe crabs have patrolled the planet's oceans for 450 million years.

These otherworldly creatures have bright blue blood which replaced rabbit testing to become essential for testing the safety of biomedical products in the 1970s as it clots in the presence of harmful bacterial components called endotoxins.

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Laurel Sullivan, who works for the state government to educate members of the public about the invertebrates, told news agency AFP that "They're really easy to love, once you understand them."&nbsp;

"They're not threatening at all. They're just going about their day, trying to make more horseshoe crabs."&nbsp;

The survey project's environment scientist Taylor Beck explains that recruiting citizen scientists helps engage the public while also scaling up the government's data collection efforts.

Crabs, which are made up of four subspecies, are closely related to spiders and scorpions and are often a misnomer for the animals.

Atlantic horseshoe crabs, which feed by crushing up food, have ten eyes with males being noticeably smaller than females.

"If we can't get people to care and to connect to these animals, then they're less likely to want legislation to protect them," according to Glenn Gauvry, founder of the Ecological Research &amp; Development Group, who helped a campaign that encouraged members of the public to do their part by gently picking up upturned crabs that are still alive.

(With inputs from agencies)

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In a new study, scientists have found that horseshoe crabs or Limulidae are vital for vaccine safety. As a result of habitat loss and overharvesting for use in food the "living fossils" are listed as vulnerable in America and endangered in Asia.

In a new study, scientists have found that horseshoe crabs or Limulidae are vital for vaccine safety. As a result of habitat loss and overharvesting for use in food the "living fossils" are listed as vulnerable in America and endangered in Asia. While dinosaurs arose and went extinct followed by transitioning of early fish to the land animals that would eventually give rise to humans, horseshoe crabs have patrolled the planet's oceans for 450 million years. These otherworldly creatures have bright blue blood which replaced rabbit testing to become essential for testing the safety of biomedical products in the 1970s as it clots in the presence of harmful bacterial components called endotoxins. × Laurel Sullivan, who works for the state government to educate members of the public about the invertebrates, told news agency AFP that "They're really easy to love, once you understand them." "They're not threatening at all. They're just going about their day, trying to make more horseshoe crabs." The survey project's environment scientist Taylor Beck explains that recruiting citizen scientists helps engage the public while also scaling up the government's data collection efforts. Crabs, which are made up of four subspecies, are closely related to spiders and scorpions and are often a misnomer for the animals. Atlantic horseshoe crabs, which feed by crushing up food, have ten eyes with males being noticeably smaller than females. "If we can't get people to care and to connect to these animals, then they're less likely to want legislation to protect them," according to Glenn Gauvry, founder of the Ecological Research & Development Group, who helped a campaign that encouraged members of the public to do their part by gently picking up upturned crabs that are still alive. (With inputs from agencies) Watch WION's live TV here:

'Living fossils': Scientists find that horseshoe crabs are vital for vaccine safety

A video is going viral on the internet purportedly showing baby dinosaurs scurrying across the field, leaving the netizens bewildered.

The viral video purportedly shows a mammal-like figure having long necks and stout bodies, similar to what sauropods look like, only that they are small.&nbsp;

Sauropods are big dinosaurs that weigh up to 62 tons and could grow up to a height of a four-story building.

The 14-second video spread like wildfire with many conspiracy theorists suggesting that perhaps Jurassic Park is real.

“This took me a few seconds,” the caption of the post said.

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This took me a few seconds.. 😅 <a href="https://t.co/dPpTAUeIZ8">pic.twitter.com/dPpTAUeIZ8</a>
— Buitengebieden (@buitengebieden) <a href="https://twitter.com/buitengebieden/status/1521943849656016897?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 4, 2022</a></blockquote>
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However, upon a closer look, it was discovered that the video featured coatis running in reverse.

“At first I thought they were tiny dinosaurs until I looked closer and found they were walking backwards with their tails lifted high. Cute, but weird,” a Twitter user who goes by the name Ann Tran posted.

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So, if you put a video with coati, or coatimundi, in reverse, you are in Jurassic Park. Who made this?!?! 🦕 <a href="https://t.co/cEgUEpCNwl">pic.twitter.com/cEgUEpCNwl</a>
— DAPPER DON DHARSHI • K A M I L • (@SoloFlow786) <a href="https://twitter.com/SoloFlow786/status/1521946338082009088?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 4, 2022</a></blockquote>
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These small mammals are native to South and Central America as well as in Mexico and the southwestern United States.

Coatis are opportunistic omnivores that consume fruits and insects, according to San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance.

They could weigh as much as a large cat but visually look like a cross between a dog, a monkey, and a raccoon.

Coatis sniff along with the forests while their tails are up to search for their prey, like beetles, grubs, ants, termites, spiders, scorpions, centipedes, frogs, and lizards.

Their tail helps them balance in the trees and act as a tracker while the herd is foraging in the vegetation.

A video is going viral on the internet purportedly showing baby dinosaurs scurrying across the field, leaving the netizens bewildered. The viral video purportedly shows a mammal-like figure having long necks and stout bodies, similar to what sauropods look like, only that they are small.

A video is going viral on the internet purportedly showing baby dinosaurs scurrying across the field, leaving the netizens bewildered. The viral video purportedly shows a mammal-like figure having long necks and stout bodies, similar to what sauropods look like, only that they are small. Sauropods are big dinosaurs that weigh up to 62 tons and could grow up to a height of a four-story building. The 14-second video spread like wildfire with many conspiracy theorists suggesting that perhaps Jurassic Park is real. “This took me a few seconds,” the caption of the post said. This took me a few seconds.. 😅 pic.twitter.com/dPpTAUeIZ8 — Buitengebieden (@buitengebieden) May 4, 2022 × However, upon a closer look, it was discovered that the video featured coatis running in reverse. “At first I thought they were tiny dinosaurs until I looked closer and found they were walking backwards with their tails lifted high. Cute, but weird,” a Twitter user who goes by the name Ann Tran posted. So, if you put a video with coati, or coatimundi, in reverse, you are in Jurassic Park. Who made this?!?! 🦕 pic.twitter.com/cEgUEpCNwl — DAPPER DON DHARSHI • K A M I L • (@SoloFlow786) May 4, 2022 × These small mammals are native to South and Central America as well as in Mexico and the southwestern United States. Coatis are opportunistic omnivores that consume fruits and insects, according to San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. They could weigh as much as a large cat but visually look like a cross between a dog, a monkey, and a raccoon. Coatis sniff along with the forests while their tails are up to search for their prey, like beetles, grubs, ants, termites, spiders, scorpions, centipedes, frogs, and lizards. Their tail helps them balance in the trees and act as a tracker while the herd is foraging in the vegetation.

Are those baby dinosaurs? Video of creature scurrying through beach goes viral, netizens confused

Tom Cruise is preparing to walk the red carpet at Cannes, tickets for Marvel`s next film are selling fast, and a new dinosaur adventure looms large on the summer movie schedule. 
 
That gives movie theater operators hope that their business is finally heading toward normal as they meet with Hollywood studios this week in Las Vegas at the annual CinemaCon convention. 
 
"Clearly we have reason for optimism," Cineworld Chief Executive Mooky Greidinger said in an interview, pointing to titles such as "Jurassic World: Dominion" and "Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness." 
 
Cineworld, AMC Entertainment and other theater operators were devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic and are still working to get business back to the levels of a few years ago. 
 
The handful of big-budget sequels will need to do the heavy lifting this summer as Hollywood is releasing fewer movies than a typical summer, the biggest season for moviegoing. 
 
"This is more of a rebuild summer," said Jeff Bock, senior media analyst at Exhibitor Relations Co. "It`s all about sequels and superheroes and dinosaurs." 
 
Bock expects studios to release 40 percent fewer films than they did in the pre-pandemic summer of 2019, when 48 movies lit up screens from May through Labor Day in early September. That same period this year will feature 29 wide releases. 
 
The decline is largely due to filming disruptions during the pandemic. Plus some genres, such as romantic comedies, are now more likely to head straight to streaming. 
During the pandemic, skeptics wondered if theaters would ever recover. Many felt audiences had become so addicted to streaming movies at home that they would shun cinemas. 
The success of last December`s "Spider-Man: No Way Home," which has sold nearly $1.9 billion worth of tickets, quieted those concerns. This year`s "The Batman" and "Sonic the Hedgehog 2" also exceeded expectations. 
 
"Our customers show that they miss the cinema and they want to have the experience on the big screen," Greidinger said. 
 
Other coming summer titles include animated Pixar movie "Lightyear," Marvel`s "Thor: Love and Thunder" and Cruise`s "Top Gun: Maverick," which will make a splashy debut at the Cannes Film Festival next month. 
Greidinger and other operators say they have put COVID challenges behind them as cases decline and vaccines and treatments are widely available. 
 
But previous attempts to kickstart the box office have been interrupted by new COVID waves. Early 2022 was hit by the Omicron variant, and domestic box office receipts are down 37 percent this year compared to 2019, according to Comscore data. 
 
U.S. consumers also are grappling with high inflation. 
 
B. Riley analyst Eric Wold estimates box office receipts in the United States and Canada, the world`s largest movie market, will finish the year at about 80% of 2019 levels. 
 
A survey by ticket-seller Fandango found 83% of movie fans planned to see three or more films on the big screen this summer. Advance ticket sales for the new "Doctor Strange" movie are the highest so far of 2022, Fandango said. 
 
"I just think there`s pent up demand," said Rich Daughtridge, president and chief executive of Warehouse Cinemas in Frederick, Maryland. "People want to get out of the house." 
 
Daughtridge is bullish on the summer slate. 
 
In addition to the blockbusters, he sees potential for mid-budget movies such as an "Elvis" biopic, Brad Pitt action movie "Bullet Train" and horror flick "Nope." The offerings from May to July offer a mix of original films and big-budget sequels in a variety of genres, he said. 
 
"That, in my opinion, is the recipe for a great box office," he said.

Tom Cruise is preparing to walk the red carpet at Cannes, tickets for Marvel`s next film are selling fast, and a new dinosaur adventure looms large on the summer movie schedule.

Tom Cruise is preparing to walk the red carpet at Cannes, tickets for Marvel`s next film are selling fast, and a new dinosaur adventure looms large on the summer movie schedule. That gives movie theater operators hope that their business is finally heading toward normal as they meet with Hollywood studios this week in Las Vegas at the annual CinemaCon convention. "Clearly we have reason for optimism," Cineworld Chief Executive Mooky Greidinger said in an interview, pointing to titles such as "Jurassic World: Dominion" and "Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness." Cineworld, AMC Entertainment and other theater operators were devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic and are still working to get business back to the levels of a few years ago. The handful of big-budget sequels will need to do the heavy lifting this summer as Hollywood is releasing fewer movies than a typical summer, the biggest season for moviegoing. "This is more of a rebuild summer," said Jeff Bock, senior media analyst at Exhibitor Relations Co. "It`s all about sequels and superheroes and dinosaurs." Bock expects studios to release 40 percent fewer films than they did in the pre-pandemic summer of 2019, when 48 movies lit up screens from May through Labor Day in early September. That same period this year will feature 29 wide releases. The decline is largely due to filming disruptions during the pandemic. Plus some genres, such as romantic comedies, are now more likely to head straight to streaming. During the pandemic, skeptics wondered if theaters would ever recover. Many felt audiences had become so addicted to streaming movies at home that they would shun cinemas. The success of last December`s "Spider-Man: No Way Home," which has sold nearly $1.9 billion worth of tickets, quieted those concerns. This year`s "The Batman" and "Sonic the Hedgehog 2" also exceeded expectations. "Our customers show that they miss the cinema and they want to have the experience on the big screen," Greidinger said. Other coming summer titles include animated Pixar movie "Lightyear," Marvel`s "Thor: Love and Thunder" and Cruise`s "Top Gun: Maverick," which will make a splashy debut at the Cannes Film Festival next month. Greidinger and other operators say they have put COVID challenges behind them as cases decline and vaccines and treatments are widely available. But previous attempts to kickstart the box office have been interrupted by new COVID waves. Early 2022 was hit by the Omicron variant, and domestic box office receipts are down 37 percent this year compared to 2019, according to Comscore data. U.S. consumers also are grappling with high inflation. B. Riley analyst Eric Wold estimates box office receipts in the United States and Canada, the world`s largest movie market, will finish the year at about 80% of 2019 levels. A survey by ticket-seller Fandango found 83% of movie fans planned to see three or more films on the big screen this summer. Advance ticket sales for the new "Doctor Strange" movie are the highest so far of 2022, Fandango said. "I just think there`s pent up demand," said Rich Daughtridge, president and chief executive of Warehouse Cinemas in Frederick, Maryland. "People want to get out of the house." Daughtridge is bullish on the summer slate. In addition to the blockbusters, he sees potential for mid-budget movies such as an "Elvis" biopic, Brad Pitt action movie "Bullet Train" and horror flick "Nope." The offerings from May to July offer a mix of original films and big-budget sequels in a variety of genres, he said. "That, in my opinion, is the recipe for a great box office," he said.

Dinosaurs and superheroes return to rebuild summer movie box office

The first evidence of respiratory infection in a dinosaur, which lived over 150 million years ago, has been found by the researchers. &nbsp;

The discovery was made by the palaeontologists when they examined the fossilised neck bones of a diplodocid. &nbsp; &nbsp;

Diplodocid is a huge and long-necked herbivore, which existed on Earth in the late Jurassic period. &nbsp;

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Dr Cary Woodruff, director, palaeontology, Great Plains Dinosaur Museum in Malta, Montana, noticed unusual broccoli-like growths in several neck bones of the dinosaur named Dolly. It happened when Woodruff was inspecting the remains of the dinosaur, which was unearthed over 30 years ago. &nbsp;&nbsp;

“I’ve looked at a lot of sauropod vertebrae and I’ve seen some weird things, but never anything like these structures,” Woodruff told the Guardian. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Woodruff, who was stumped by the finding, put a call out on social media for anyone, who may know what it was. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/in-evolution-humans-noses-have-become-less-sensitive-finds-study-450319" hreflang="en">In evolution, humans’ noses have become less sensitive, finds study</a>

In the immediate response, a number of scientists joined the investigation. They said the bony growths looked similar to protrusions, which can be caused by respiratory infections in birds of today’s era. &nbsp;&nbsp;

“I imagine that Dolly would have been very much like a sick person: coughing, sneezing, experiencing a fever and out of it. We’ve all had many of the same symptoms, and likely felt just as crummy as Dolly did. I don’t personally know of any fossil I’ve been able to sympathetically relate to more,” Woodruff said. &nbsp;&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

The first evidence of respiratory infection in a dinosaur, which lived over 150 million years ago, has been found by the researchers. The discovery was made by the palaeontologists when they examined the fossilised neck bones of a diplodocid.

The first evidence of respiratory infection in a dinosaur, which lived over 150 million years ago, has been found by the researchers. The discovery was made by the palaeontologists when they examined the fossilised neck bones of a diplodocid. Diplodocid is a huge and long-necked herbivore, which existed on Earth in the late Jurassic period. Also Read: NASA releases pictures of Venus’s surface taken by Parker Solar Probe in new light Dr Cary Woodruff, director, palaeontology, Great Plains Dinosaur Museum in Malta, Montana, noticed unusual broccoli-like growths in several neck bones of the dinosaur named Dolly. It happened when Woodruff was inspecting the remains of the dinosaur, which was unearthed over 30 years ago. “I’ve looked at a lot of sauropod vertebrae and I’ve seen some weird things, but never anything like these structures,” Woodruff told the Guardian. Woodruff, who was stumped by the finding, put a call out on social media for anyone, who may know what it was. Also Read: In evolution, humans’ noses have become less sensitive, finds study In the immediate response, a number of scientists joined the investigation. They said the bony growths looked similar to protrusions, which can be caused by respiratory infections in birds of today’s era. “I imagine that Dolly would have been very much like a sick person: coughing, sneezing, experiencing a fever and out of it. We’ve all had many of the same symptoms, and likely felt just as crummy as Dolly did. I don’t personally know of any fossil I’ve been able to sympathetically relate to more,” Woodruff said. (With inputs from agencies)

Did the dinosaurs suffer from respiratory issues? Researchers make breathtaking discovery  

Dinosaurs ruled the Earth millions of years ago. So completer was their dominance that they were present in almost all food chains and food webs on the planet. There were herbivorous dinosaurs just like meat-eating ones. There were dinosaurs in seas and skies.&nbsp;

The scary vertebrates were everywhere.&nbsp;

A study has revealed that hatchlings of pterosaurs, cousins of dinosaurs, were perhaps able to fly shortly after they were hatched. So not only were members of the dino family ruling the Earth, they were also able to get to business quickly after birth.

The study involved analysis of embryonic, newly hatched and adult pterosaurs.&nbsp;

It was found by the researchers that the flight membranes on wings required to fly were present in embryonic pterosaurs. The researchers also focussed on humerus bone found in the wings. The bone was used by the pterosaur to launch itself in the air.

The scientists were surprised to find that the humerus bone was unusually strong even among hatchlings.

The study was published in July in journal Scientific Reports.

So does this mean that the baby pterosaurs would have been more than eager to nip at your flesh moments after hatching, had you been around? They certainly had the capability it appears. In addition to flying, some species of pterosaurs reportedly had opposable thumbs. That means your plans of hiding in a tree were a non-starter as your worst nightmare could climb trees in addition to flying!

Dinosaurs ruled the Earth millions of years ago. So completer was their dominance that they were present in almost all food chains and food webs on the planet. There were herbivorous dinosaurs just like meat-eating ones.

Dinosaurs ruled the Earth millions of years ago. So completer was their dominance that they were present in almost all food chains and food webs on the planet. There were herbivorous dinosaurs just like meat-eating ones. There were dinosaurs in seas and skies. The scary vertebrates were everywhere. A study has revealed that hatchlings of pterosaurs, cousins of dinosaurs, were perhaps able to fly shortly after they were hatched. So not only were members of the dino family ruling the Earth, they were also able to get to business quickly after birth. The study involved analysis of embryonic, newly hatched and adult pterosaurs. It was found by the researchers that the flight membranes on wings required to fly were present in embryonic pterosaurs. The researchers also focussed on humerus bone found in the wings. The bone was used by the pterosaur to launch itself in the air. The scientists were surprised to find that the humerus bone was unusually strong even among hatchlings. The study was published in July in journal Scientific Reports. So does this mean that the baby pterosaurs would have been more than eager to nip at your flesh moments after hatching, had you been around? They certainly had the capability it appears. In addition to flying, some species of pterosaurs reportedly had opposable thumbs. That means your plans of hiding in a tree were a non-starter as your worst nightmare could climb trees in addition to flying!

This dino-vertebrate was able to fly immediately after hatching

On Tuesday, scientists announced that they had discovered an extraordinarily preserved dinosaur embryo dating back to at least 66 million years ago. The embryo was prepared to hatch from an egg just like a chicken.

This toothless theropod dinosaur fossil was found in Ganzhou, southern China, and was dubbed "Baby Yingliang".

Fion Waisum Ma, a University of Birmingham researcher and co-author of the paper published in the journal iScience called the embryo one of the best ever found.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/research-warns-himalayan-glaciers-melting-at-exceptional-rate-438872" hreflang="en">Research warns Himalayan glaciers melting at 'exceptional rate'</a>

Baby Yingliang's head was beneath its body with the feet on either side and the back curled, a position which had never been seen before in dinosaurs, but is similar to modern birds.

In birds, this behaviour is called "tucking." Chicks preparing to hatch tuck their heads under their wings to stabilize them while they crack the shell with their beaks.&nbsp;

Watch | Gravitas: Perfectly preserved baby dinosaur discovered

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-perfectly-preserved-baby-dinosaur-discovered-439142/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The chances of an unsuccessful hatching increase for embryos that fail to tuck.

"This indicates that such behavior in modern birds first evolved and originated among their dinosaur ancestors," said Ma.

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The eggs thief lizard, or Oviraptorosaur, lived in what is now Asia and North America during the Late Cretaceous period.&nbsp;

Variable beak shapes and diets were common to the species, and sizes ranged from modern turkeys at the lower end to eight-meter long Gigantoraptors.

From head to tail, baby Yingliang measures about 27 centimetres (10.6 inches) and resides in a 17-centimetre egg in the Yingliang Stone Nature History Museum.&nbsp;

The egg, believed to be 72 to 66 million years old, was probably preserved by a sudden mudslide that buried it, preventing scavengers from having access to it.

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As an adult, it would have grown to be two to three meters long and probably fed on plants.

The specimen was among several fossilized egg specimens forgotten in storage for decades.

Scientists suspected the eggs might contain dinosaur embryos, so they scraped off a part of Baby Yingliang's eggshell in order to discover its embryo.

"This dinosaur embryo inside its egg is one of the most beautiful fossils I have ever seen," said Professor Steve Brusatte of the University of Edinburgh, part of the research team, in a statement.

"This little prenatal dinosaur looks just like a baby bird curled in its egg, which is yet more evidence that many features characteristic of today's birds first evolved in their dinosaur ancestors."

Using advanced scanning techniques, the team hopes to image Baby Yingliang's full skeleton, including the skull bones, since part of the body is still covered by rock.

(With inputs from agencies)

On Tuesday, scientists announced that they had discovered an extraordinarily preserved dinosaur embryo dating back to at least 66 million years ago. The embryo was prepared to hatch from an egg just like a chicken.

On Tuesday, scientists announced that they had discovered an extraordinarily preserved dinosaur embryo dating back to at least 66 million years ago. The embryo was prepared to hatch from an egg just like a chicken. This toothless theropod dinosaur fossil was found in Ganzhou, southern China, and was dubbed "Baby Yingliang". Fion Waisum Ma, a University of Birmingham researcher and co-author of the paper published in the journal iScience called the embryo one of the best ever found. Also read | Research warns Himalayan glaciers melting at 'exceptional rate' Baby Yingliang's head was beneath its body with the feet on either side and the back curled, a position which had never been seen before in dinosaurs, but is similar to modern birds. In birds, this behaviour is called "tucking." Chicks preparing to hatch tuck their heads under their wings to stabilize them while they crack the shell with their beaks. Watch | Gravitas: Perfectly preserved baby dinosaur discovered The chances of an unsuccessful hatching increase for embryos that fail to tuck. "This indicates that such behavior in modern birds first evolved and originated among their dinosaur ancestors," said Ma. Also read | Worm literally weighing 50 kg found, good thing it is a fossil now, eh? The eggs thief lizard, or Oviraptorosaur, lived in what is now Asia and North America during the Late Cretaceous period. Variable beak shapes and diets were common to the species, and sizes ranged from modern turkeys at the lower end to eight-meter long Gigantoraptors. From head to tail, baby Yingliang measures about 27 centimetres (10.6 inches) and resides in a 17-centimetre egg in the Yingliang Stone Nature History Museum. The egg, believed to be 72 to 66 million years old, was probably preserved by a sudden mudslide that buried it, preventing scavengers from having access to it. Also read | Viking culture in Greenland may have got destroyed due to rising sea As an adult, it would have grown to be two to three meters long and probably fed on plants. The specimen was among several fossilized egg specimens forgotten in storage for decades. Scientists suspected the eggs might contain dinosaur embryos, so they scraped off a part of Baby Yingliang's eggshell in order to discover its embryo. "This dinosaur embryo inside its egg is one of the most beautiful fossils I have ever seen," said Professor Steve Brusatte of the University of Edinburgh, part of the research team, in a statement. "This little prenatal dinosaur looks just like a baby bird curled in its egg, which is yet more evidence that many features characteristic of today's birds first evolved in their dinosaur ancestors." Using advanced scanning techniques, the team hopes to image Baby Yingliang's full skeleton, including the skull bones, since part of the body is still covered by rock. (With inputs from agencies)

This is the most well-preserved Dinosaur egg ever discovered

In what can be a treat for several paleontologists, fossils of a herd of 11 dinosaurs have been found for the first time in Italy. &nbsp;

This treasure trove also includes the biggest and most complete skeleton of a dinosaur ever found in the nation. &nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/kyhytysuka-a-pure-carnivorous-fish-lizard-from-130-million-years-ago-discovered-433422" hreflang="en">Kyhytysuka: A pure carnivorous 'fish lizard' from 130 million years ago discovered</a>

Since the 1990s, isolated dinosaur remains have been discovered in Italy. Now, the palaeontologists have identified a complete group at Villaggio del Pescatore. It is a former limestone quarry, which is near north-eastern port city of Trieste. &nbsp;

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Incidentally that’s exactly what I am working on this <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FossilFriday?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FossilFriday</a> Antonio, Bruno (picture👇) &amp; all their friends (5+ individuals) are part of a big project which includes Federico Fanti, <a href="https://twitter.com/tetaneuron?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@tetaneuron</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/DavidEvans_ROM?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DavidEvans_ROM</a> &amp; others <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Italian?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Italian</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/dinosaurs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#dinosaurs</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/dinosauri?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#dinosauri</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/dinosauriitaliani?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#dinosauriitaliani</a> 🇮🇹 <a href="https://t.co/yqO3kS0KPm">https://t.co/yqO3kS0KPm</a> <a href="https://t.co/OrCViSOoNS">pic.twitter.com/OrCViSOoNS</a>
— Alessandro Chiarenza (@AAlechiarenza) <a href="https://twitter.com/AAlechiarenza/status/1299352155254665216?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 28, 2020</a></blockquote>
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The fossils are of the species Tethyshadros insularis. It lived around 80 million years ago and reached up to five metres in length. &nbsp;

Federico Fanti, professor, University of Bologna and leader of a research team, said, “Italy is not known for dinosaurs and, although we had a few lucky strikes in the past, now, we have a whole herd at one dinosaur site.” &nbsp; &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/battle-axe-for-a-tail-scientists-discover-unique-weaponised-dinosaur-433626" hreflang="en">Battle axe for a tail? Scientists discover unique 'weaponised' dinosaur</a>

The research findings of Fanti's team were published in the ‘Scientific Reports’ journal. &nbsp;

In 1996, Villaggio del Pescatore became known for dinosaurs when palaeontologists discovered a dinosaur skeleton, which was named Antonio. It was initially believed to be of a “dwarf species”. Now, Antonio seems to be a young dinosaur, who was part of the herd that died together. &nbsp;&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

In what can be a treat for several paleontologists, fossils of a herd of 11 dinosaurs have been found for the first time in Italy. This treasure trove also includes the biggest and most complete skeleton of a dinosaur ever found in the nation.

In what can be a treat for several paleontologists, fossils of a herd of 11 dinosaurs have been found for the first time in Italy. This treasure trove also includes the biggest and most complete skeleton of a dinosaur ever found in the nation. Also Read | Kyhytysuka: A pure carnivorous 'fish lizard' from 130 million years ago discovered Since the 1990s, isolated dinosaur remains have been discovered in Italy. Now, the palaeontologists have identified a complete group at Villaggio del Pescatore. It is a former limestone quarry, which is near north-eastern port city of Trieste. Incidentally that’s exactly what I am working on this #FossilFriday Antonio, Bruno (picture👇) & all their friends (5+ individuals) are part of a big project which includes Federico Fanti, @tetaneuron, @DavidEvans_ROM & others #Italian #dinosaurs #dinosauri #dinosauriitaliani 🇮🇹 https://t.co/yqO3kS0KPm pic.twitter.com/OrCViSOoNS — Alessandro Chiarenza (@AAlechiarenza) August 28, 2020 × The fossils are of the species Tethyshadros insularis. It lived around 80 million years ago and reached up to five metres in length. Federico Fanti, professor, University of Bologna and leader of a research team, said, “Italy is not known for dinosaurs and, although we had a few lucky strikes in the past, now, we have a whole herd at one dinosaur site.” Also Read: Battle axe for a tail? Scientists discover unique 'weaponised' dinosaur The research findings of Fanti's team were published in the ‘Scientific Reports’ journal. In 1996, Villaggio del Pescatore became known for dinosaurs when palaeontologists discovered a dinosaur skeleton, which was named Antonio. It was initially believed to be of a “dwarf species”. Now, Antonio seems to be a young dinosaur, who was part of the herd that died together. (With inputs from agencies)

In a first, fossils of a herd of 11 dinosaurs found in Italy

SpaceX founder Elon Musk has asked NASA to ''avenge the dinosaurs'' in its Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission.

It comes after the US space agency did a test run should humanity ever need to stop a giant space rock from wiping out life on Earth.

The mission aims to deliberately smash a spacecraft into an asteroid in a demonstration of the world's first planetary defense system.

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Its target is an asteroid "moonlet" the size of a football stadium that orbits a chunk of rock five times larger in a binary asteroid system named Didymos, the Greek word for twin.

The impact should take place in the fall of 2022 when the binary asteroid system is 6.8 million miles (11 million kilometers) from Earth, almost the nearest point they ever get.

According to Matthew Stuttard, head of R&amp;D for Airbus Defence and Space Ltd in the Space Systems division, ''hitting an asteroid dead on with a direct hit is something that has never been done before, so it would be a first human achievement.''

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"You need a fantastic guidance and navigation system because you're travelling so fast and the asteroid is travelling so fast towards you... It's a very small target, even though it's the size of a pyramid, it's a very small target in the vastness of space to go and rendezvous with and to hit dead on."

The SpaceX rocket carrying DART mission's spacecraft had lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base on Tuesday.

DART is the latest of several NASA missions of recent years to explore and interact with asteroids, primordial rocky remnants from the solar system's formation 4.6 billion years ago.

There are 10,000 known near-Earth asteroids 460 feet in size or greater, but none has a significant chance to hit in the next 100 years.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

SpaceX founder Elon Musk has asked NASA to ''avenge the dinosaurs'' in its Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission. It comes after the US space agency did a test run should humanity ever need to stop a giant space rock from wiping out life on Earth.

SpaceX founder Elon Musk has asked NASA to ''avenge the dinosaurs'' in its Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission. It comes after the US space agency did a test run should humanity ever need to stop a giant space rock from wiping out life on Earth. The mission aims to deliberately smash a spacecraft into an asteroid in a demonstration of the world's first planetary defense system. Also read | Watch | NASA mission to test out Armageddon scenario blasts off Its target is an asteroid "moonlet" the size of a football stadium that orbits a chunk of rock five times larger in a binary asteroid system named Didymos, the Greek word for twin. The impact should take place in the fall of 2022 when the binary asteroid system is 6.8 million miles (11 million kilometers) from Earth, almost the nearest point they ever get. According to Matthew Stuttard, head of R&D for Airbus Defence and Space Ltd in the Space Systems division, ''hitting an asteroid dead on with a direct hit is something that has never been done before, so it would be a first human achievement.'' Also see | Who is winning space tourism race between Bezos, Branson and Musk? "You need a fantastic guidance and navigation system because you're travelling so fast and the asteroid is travelling so fast towards you... It's a very small target, even though it's the size of a pyramid, it's a very small target in the vastness of space to go and rendezvous with and to hit dead on." The SpaceX rocket carrying DART mission's spacecraft had lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base on Tuesday. DART is the latest of several NASA missions of recent years to explore and interact with asteroids, primordial rocky remnants from the solar system's formation 4.6 billion years ago. There are 10,000 known near-Earth asteroids 460 feet in size or greater, but none has a significant chance to hit in the next 100 years. (With inputs from agencies)

SpaceX founder Elon Musk asks NASA to 'avenge the dinosaurs' in its DART mission

Anyone says Antarctica and all we can think of is endless ice sheets and cute-looking penguins. It's hard to imagine anything else happening. Antarctica is a frozen desert with negligible vegetation and limited animal life. Can we even imagine dinosaurs roaming there amid huge wildfires raging? And even volcanic activity?

But apparently that was a thing for the frozen continent around 75 million years ago.&nbsp;

Earth went through one of the warmest periods between 66 to 100 million years ago. This meant that there was ample space for vegetation to grow. This in turn led to forest fires. And this period coincided with that which has the mighty dinosaurs ruling the global ecosystem.

Scientists have found evidence of the forest fire in Antarctica. An international team of researchers led by the Federal University of Pernambuco in Brazil found fossils that tell of these mega forest fires in distant past.

The researchers travelled to Antarctica's James Ross Island (2015-16) where they found fossils that had charcoal-like residue which hinted at forest-fires.

A theory that Antarctica was frequented with forest fires has already been put forward six years ago. The discovery of fossils with charcoal residue was a piece of evidence for this theory.

What triggered the wildfires?

Scientists have given another surprising reason for this. They think that volcanic activity (on Antarctica!) may have led to these frequent forest fires among other factors.

Earth is one freaky planet indeed!

Anyone says Antarctica and all we can think of is endless ice sheets and cute-looking penguins. It's hard to imagine anything else happening. Antarctica is a frozen desert with negligible vegetation and limited animal life.

Anyone says Antarctica and all we can think of is endless ice sheets and cute-looking penguins. It's hard to imagine anything else happening. Antarctica is a frozen desert with negligible vegetation and limited animal life. Can we even imagine dinosaurs roaming there amid huge wildfires raging? And even volcanic activity? But apparently that was a thing for the frozen continent around 75 million years ago. Earth went through one of the warmest periods between 66 to 100 million years ago. This meant that there was ample space for vegetation to grow. This in turn led to forest fires. And this period coincided with that which has the mighty dinosaurs ruling the global ecosystem. Scientists have found evidence of the forest fire in Antarctica. An international team of researchers led by the Federal University of Pernambuco in Brazil found fossils that tell of these mega forest fires in distant past. The researchers travelled to Antarctica's James Ross Island (2015-16) where they found fossils that had charcoal-like residue which hinted at forest-fires. A theory that Antarctica was frequented with forest fires has already been put forward six years ago. The discovery of fossils with charcoal residue was a piece of evidence for this theory. What triggered the wildfires? Scientists have given another surprising reason for this. They think that volcanic activity (on Antarctica!) may have led to these frequent forest fires among other factors. Earth is one freaky planet indeed!

Antarctica burned with forest fires when dinosaurs roamed Earth, says study

Big John the Triceratops skeleton is set to be auctioned at the Drouot auction house in Paris at the end of October. Discovered in 2015 in South Dakota, it is estimated to be more than 66 millions years old and is the largest Triceratops discovered to this date.

66 million year old Triceratops skeleton to be auctioned

Dinosaur species large and small made the Arctic their year-round home and probably developed wintering strategies like hibernation or growing insulating feathers, according to a new study.

The paper, published in the journal Current&nbsp;Biology, is the result of more than a decade's worth of painstaking fossil excavations, and puts to rest the notion that the ancient reptiles lived only in hotter climes.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-meet-cooper-australias-largest-dinosaur-390240/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"A couple of these new sites we found in the last few years turned up something unexpected, and that is they're producing baby bones and teeth," lead author Patrick Druckenmiller of the University of Alaska Museum of the North said

"That's amazing because it demonstrates that these dinosaurs weren't just living in the Arctic, they were actually able to reproduce in the Arctic."

Researchers first discovered dinosaur remains at the frigid polar latitudes in the 1950s, regions once thought to be too hostile for reptilian life.

This led to two competing hypotheses: Either the dinosaurs were permanent polar residents, or they migrated to the Arctic and Antarctic to take advantage of seasonally abundant warm resources, and possibly to reproduce.

The new study is the first to show unequivocal evidence that at least seven dinosaur species were capable of nesting at extremely high latitudes -- in this case the Upper Cretaceous Prince Creek Formation which lies at 80-85 degrees North.

The species uncovered include duck-billed dinosaurs called hadrosaurs, horned dinosaurs such as ceratopsians, and carnivores like tyrannosaurus.

The team are confident the tiny teeth and bones they found, some of which are only a few millimeters in diameter, belong to dinosaurs that were either newly hatched or died just prior to hatching, because of their distinct markings.

"They have a very specific and peculiar kind of surface texture -- it's highly vascularized and the bones are growing quickly, they have a lot of blood vessels flowing into them," explained Druckenmiller.

Unlike some mammals such as caribou that give birth to young that can walk long distances almost immediately, even the largest of dinosaurs had tiny hatchlings that would have been incapable of making migratory treks of thousands of miles (kilometers).

What's more, given what is known about how some species incubated their eggs well into the summer, the dinosaur young would not have had time to mature and be ready for a long journey before winter arrived, the team argues.

The Arctic was warmer in the Late Cretaceous period than today, but conditions were still very challenging.

The average annual temperature was about 6 degrees Celsius (40 degrees Fahrenheit) but there would have been around four months of winter darkness with freezing temperatures and occasional snowfall.

The area was likely forested with conifers, angiosperms, ferns and horsetails.

"We now understand that probably most of the meat eating dinosaur groups we find up there were probably feathered," said Druckenmiller. "You can think of it as their own down parka, to help them survive the winter."

There isn't as strong evidence from current research that the herbivores were feathered, but the team thinks the smaller plant-eaters might have burrowed underground and hibernated.

The larger vegetarians, who had more fat in reserve, could have resorted to low-quality foraging of twigs and bark to make it through the winter.

Additionally, year-round Arctic residency is another clue pointing towards dinosaurs being warm-blooded, as other recent research has suggested, and is in line with the idea that they sit at the evolutionary point between cold-blooded reptiles and warm-blooded birds.

"We think of dinosaurs in these kind of tropical settings, but the whole world was not like that," said Druckenmiller, adding that the Arctic discoveries created a "natural test" of their physiology.

Dinosaurs' ability to survive the Arctic winter is the "most compelling evidence yet" that they can be added&nbsp;to the list of species capable of thermoregulation, concluded co-author Gregory Erickson of Florida State University.

(With inputs from agencies)

Dinosaur species large and small made the Arctic their year-round home and probably developed wintering strategies like hibernation or growing insulating feathers, according to a new study.

Dinosaur species large and small made the Arctic their year-round home and probably developed wintering strategies like hibernation or growing insulating feathers, according to a new study. The paper, published in the journal Current Biology, is the result of more than a decade's worth of painstaking fossil excavations, and puts to rest the notion that the ancient reptiles lived only in hotter climes. "A couple of these new sites we found in the last few years turned up something unexpected, and that is they're producing baby bones and teeth," lead author Patrick Druckenmiller of the University of Alaska Museum of the North said "That's amazing because it demonstrates that these dinosaurs weren't just living in the Arctic, they were actually able to reproduce in the Arctic." Researchers first discovered dinosaur remains at the frigid polar latitudes in the 1950s, regions once thought to be too hostile for reptilian life. This led to two competing hypotheses: Either the dinosaurs were permanent polar residents, or they migrated to the Arctic and Antarctic to take advantage of seasonally abundant warm resources, and possibly to reproduce. The new study is the first to show unequivocal evidence that at least seven dinosaur species were capable of nesting at extremely high latitudes -- in this case the Upper Cretaceous Prince Creek Formation which lies at 80-85 degrees North. The species uncovered include duck-billed dinosaurs called hadrosaurs, horned dinosaurs such as ceratopsians, and carnivores like tyrannosaurus. The team are confident the tiny teeth and bones they found, some of which are only a few millimeters in diameter, belong to dinosaurs that were either newly hatched or died just prior to hatching, because of their distinct markings. "They have a very specific and peculiar kind of surface texture -- it's highly vascularized and the bones are growing quickly, they have a lot of blood vessels flowing into them," explained Druckenmiller. Unlike some mammals such as caribou that give birth to young that can walk long distances almost immediately, even the largest of dinosaurs had tiny hatchlings that would have been incapable of making migratory treks of thousands of miles (kilometers). What's more, given what is known about how some species incubated their eggs well into the summer, the dinosaur young would not have had time to mature and be ready for a long journey before winter arrived, the team argues. The Arctic was warmer in the Late Cretaceous period than today, but conditions were still very challenging. The average annual temperature was about 6 degrees Celsius (40 degrees Fahrenheit) but there would have been around four months of winter darkness with freezing temperatures and occasional snowfall. The area was likely forested with conifers, angiosperms, ferns and horsetails. "We now understand that probably most of the meat eating dinosaur groups we find up there were probably feathered," said Druckenmiller. "You can think of it as their own down parka, to help them survive the winter." There isn't as strong evidence from current research that the herbivores were feathered, but the team thinks the smaller plant-eaters might have burrowed underground and hibernated. The larger vegetarians, who had more fat in reserve, could have resorted to low-quality foraging of twigs and bark to make it through the winter. Additionally, year-round Arctic residency is another clue pointing towards dinosaurs being warm-blooded, as other recent research has suggested, and is in line with the idea that they sit at the evolutionary point between cold-blooded reptiles and warm-blooded birds. "We think of dinosaurs in these kind of tropical settings, but the whole world was not like that," said Druckenmiller, adding that the Arctic discoveries created a "natural test" of their physiology. Dinosaurs' ability to survive the Arctic winter is the "most compelling evidence yet" that they can be added to the list of species capable of thermoregulation, concluded co-author Gregory Erickson of Florida State University. (With inputs from agencies)

'Polar dinosaurs' reproduced in Arctic over 70 million years ago: Study

Absurdist-in-chief and Tesla CEO Elon Musk has struck again! Known for using Twitter to push out uncanny takes, Musk has now inspired confusion among many.

In pure-Musk style, no one could decipher the tone of the Tweet wherein Musk suggested that dinosaurs wouldn’t have perished millions of years ago if they had access to spaceships.

Was he being sarcastic or is this a belief clutched close to his heart? We’ll never know. But we do know that the tech billionaire believes spaceship development could prevent future mass extinction events from causing massive population erasures.

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If only they had spaceships, they’d still be around
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1397625923256549376?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 26, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Musk’s Tweet was in response to a meme about dinosaurs which he had himself shared. Twitterati were quick to respond - staying true to the ambivalent tone. One user wondered whether&nbsp;some dinosaurs actually left Earth on spaceships, saying “Maybe the opposite. They had spaceships &amp; left :)”.

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Maybe the opposite. They had spaceships &amp; left :)
— Mike McCulloch (@memcculloch) <a href="https://twitter.com/memcculloch/status/1397628071633690627?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 26, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Another user wondered how the creatures would operate the spaceship.

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But how would they fly it?
— David Gokhshtein (@davidgokhshtein) <a href="https://twitter.com/davidgokhshtein/status/1397645626201055236?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 26, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Scientists blame the extinction of dinosaurs on an asteroid collision, but have never explored what would have happened had the creatures developed spaceships to escape the planet.

Even then, new research continues to shed light on varying factors that caused the extinction of dinosaurs. Earlier this year, experts found that volcanic activities may have played a considerable role in the extinction process. 
 
Published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a research claimed that harmful gases released from a volcano in India may have considerably contribution to mass extinction of dinosaurs.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/technology/eyeing-mars-elon-musk-wants-humans-to-be-multi-planet-species-379777" hreflang="en">Eyeing Mars, Elon Musk wants humans to be 'multi-planet species'</a>

Regardless, Musk is Twitter famous for such hot takes. The space enthusiast recently suggested establishing permanent colonies on different planets, starting with Mars.&nbsp;

“We don’t want to be one of those single planet species, we want to be a multi-planet species,” Musk said in April&nbsp;after the launch of SpaceX’s “Crew-2” mission. Musk added how it had been almost 50 years since human beings set foot on the moon. “That’s too long”, he said.

Absurdist-in-chief and Tesla CEO Elon Musk has struck again! Known for using Twitter to push out uncanny takes, Musk has now inspired confusion among many. In pure-Musk style, no one could decipher the tone of the Tweet wherein Musk suggested that dinosaurs wouldn’t have perished millions of years ago if they had access to spaceships.

Absurdist-in-chief and Tesla CEO Elon Musk has struck again! Known for using Twitter to push out uncanny takes, Musk has now inspired confusion among many. In pure-Musk style, no one could decipher the tone of the Tweet wherein Musk suggested that dinosaurs wouldn’t have perished millions of years ago if they had access to spaceships. Was he being sarcastic or is this a belief clutched close to his heart? We’ll never know. But we do know that the tech billionaire believes spaceship development could prevent future mass extinction events from causing massive population erasures. If only they had spaceships, they’d still be around — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 26, 2021 × Musk’s Tweet was in response to a meme about dinosaurs which he had himself shared. Twitterati were quick to respond - staying true to the ambivalent tone. One user wondered whether some dinosaurs actually left Earth on spaceships, saying “Maybe the opposite. They had spaceships & left :)”. Maybe the opposite. They had spaceships & left :) — Mike McCulloch (@memcculloch) May 26, 2021 × Another user wondered how the creatures would operate the spaceship. But how would they fly it? — David Gokhshtein (@davidgokhshtein) May 26, 2021 × Scientists blame the extinction of dinosaurs on an asteroid collision, but have never explored what would have happened had the creatures developed spaceships to escape the planet. Even then, new research continues to shed light on varying factors that caused the extinction of dinosaurs. Earlier this year, experts found that volcanic activities may have played a considerable role in the extinction process. Published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a research claimed that harmful gases released from a volcano in India may have considerably contribution to mass extinction of dinosaurs. Also read: Eyeing Mars, Elon Musk wants humans to be 'multi-planet species' Regardless, Musk is Twitter famous for such hot takes. The space enthusiast recently suggested establishing permanent colonies on different planets, starting with Mars. “We don’t want to be one of those single planet species, we want to be a multi-planet species,” Musk said in April after the launch of SpaceX’s “Crew-2” mission. Musk added how it had been almost 50 years since human beings set foot on the moon. “That’s too long”, he said.

Would dinosaurs be alive if they had spaceships? Tech mogul Elon Musk believes so

In the age of the Dinosaurs, they ruled supreme. Almost every food chain or food web on land, water and even in air had at least one dinosaur or its 'distant cousin' as the apex prdator. There were mammals yes, but they were not as dominant as they are now.

Now, a group of researchers from Chile have found a new mammal from the era of dinosaurs. This mammal could date back as far back as 74 million years.

This fox-like mammal is called the Orretherium tzen. It inhabited southetrn Chile's Magellan's region during the Mesozoic era of the dinosaurs.

Palaeontologist Sergio Soto told Reuters on Thursday (April 8) that the discovery of this fox-like species helps to fill in evolutionary gaps over different eras.

Melting ice in southern Chile as a result of global warming is giving researchers new insights into this part of the world. What sets this finding apart from others is the discovery of a well preserved jaw belonging to the Orretherium tzen.

It has allowed researchers to conclude that this mammal was likely an omnivore, living alongside dinosaurs.

In the age of the Dinosaurs, they ruled supreme. Almost every food chain or food web on land, water and even in air had at least one dinosaur or its 'distant cousin' as the apex prdator.

In the age of the Dinosaurs, they ruled supreme. Almost every food chain or food web on land, water and even in air had at least one dinosaur or its 'distant cousin' as the apex prdator. There were mammals yes, but they were not as dominant as they are now. Now, a group of researchers from Chile have found a new mammal from the era of dinosaurs. This mammal could date back as far back as 74 million years. This fox-like mammal is called the Orretherium tzen. It inhabited southetrn Chile's Magellan's region during the Mesozoic era of the dinosaurs. Palaeontologist Sergio Soto told Reuters on Thursday (April 8) that the discovery of this fox-like species helps to fill in evolutionary gaps over different eras. Melting ice in southern Chile as a result of global warming is giving researchers new insights into this part of the world. What sets this finding apart from others is the discovery of a well preserved jaw belonging to the Orretherium tzen. It has allowed researchers to conclude that this mammal was likely an omnivore, living alongside dinosaurs.

Researchers find 74-million-year-old mammal which lived alongside dinosaurs

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