Scientists have unearthed in Argentina's Patagonian wilderness fossils of what may be the oldest-known member of the dinosaur group known as Titanosaurs that includes the largest land animals in Earth's history.

Researchers said on Monday the fossils represent a dinosaur species named Ninjatitan zapatai that lived 140 million years ago during the Cretaceous Period. They identified Ninjatitan as a Titanosaur, a group of long-necked plant-eating dinosaurs that walked on four pillar-like legs.

The dinosaur's incomplete skeletal remains were discovered south of the city of Neuquen. The researchers said Ninjatitan demonstrated that the Titanosaurs as a group first appeared longer ago than previously known.

"It is the oldest record known, not only from Argentina but worldwide," study lead author Pablo Gallina, a researcher at the National Council for Scientific and Technical Research of Argentina (CONICET), told Reuters. "Titanosaurs are recorded on various sides of the world, but the oldest-known records were more modern than this find."

At a length of about 65 feet (20 meters), Ninjatitan was a large dinosaur, but much smaller than later Titanosaurs such as Argentinosaurus that reached a length of around 115 feet (35 meters). The researchers also said the presence of such an early Titanosaur in Patagonia supports the idea that Titanosaurs originated in the Southern Hemisphere.

The findings were published in the scientific journal Ameghiniana.

Titanosaurs are part of a larger dinosaur group called sauropods that includes others with similar body designs such as Brontosaurus and Diplodocus that lived in North America during the Jurassic Period, which preceded the Cretaceous Period.

A number of the titanosaurs that inhabited Patagonia achieved gigantic proportions such as Argentinosaurus, Patagotitan and Dreadnoughtus.

José Luis Carbadillo, another CONICET researcher, told a local university publication that the age of Ninjatitan's remains could have led people to assume that the bones belonged to a dinosaur group that pre-dated Titanosaurs.

"In Patagonia, Titanosaurs are only known about from less than 120 million years ago," he said.

(With inputs from agencies)

Scientists have unearthed in Argentina's Patagonian wilderness fossils of what may be the oldest-known member of the dinosaur group known as Titanosaurs that includes the largest land animals in Earth's history.

Scientists have unearthed in Argentina's Patagonian wilderness fossils of what may be the oldest-known member of the dinosaur group known as Titanosaurs that includes the largest land animals in Earth's history. Researchers said on Monday the fossils represent a dinosaur species named Ninjatitan zapatai that lived 140 million years ago during the Cretaceous Period. They identified Ninjatitan as a Titanosaur, a group of long-necked plant-eating dinosaurs that walked on four pillar-like legs. The dinosaur's incomplete skeletal remains were discovered south of the city of Neuquen. The researchers said Ninjatitan demonstrated that the Titanosaurs as a group first appeared longer ago than previously known. "It is the oldest record known, not only from Argentina but worldwide," study lead author Pablo Gallina, a researcher at the National Council for Scientific and Technical Research of Argentina (CONICET), told Reuters. "Titanosaurs are recorded on various sides of the world, but the oldest-known records were more modern than this find." At a length of about 65 feet (20 meters), Ninjatitan was a large dinosaur, but much smaller than later Titanosaurs such as Argentinosaurus that reached a length of around 115 feet (35 meters). The researchers also said the presence of such an early Titanosaur in Patagonia supports the idea that Titanosaurs originated in the Southern Hemisphere. The findings were published in the scientific journal Ameghiniana. Titanosaurs are part of a larger dinosaur group called sauropods that includes others with similar body designs such as Brontosaurus and Diplodocus that lived in North America during the Jurassic Period, which preceded the Cretaceous Period. A number of the titanosaurs that inhabited Patagonia achieved gigantic proportions such as Argentinosaurus, Patagotitan and Dreadnoughtus. José Luis Carbadillo, another CONICET researcher, told a local university publication that the age of Ninjatitan's remains could have led people to assume that the bones belonged to a dinosaur group that pre-dated Titanosaurs. "In Patagonia, Titanosaurs are only known about from less than 120 million years ago," he said. (With inputs from agencies)

Fossils of Titanosaur, oldest member of dinosaur group, unearthed in Argentina

If you thought climate change is a recent problem, then you might have to rethink your belief because an interesting study has recently revealed that climate change may have been the reason behind late emergence of plant-eating dinosaurs.

It is being believed that plant-eating dinosaurs probably arrived in the northern hemisphere millions of years after the meat-eating species.

This delay of millions of years in the emergence and the migration of dinosaurs was probably caused due to climate change, scientists believe.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/where-did-the-asteroid-which-wiped-out-dinosaurs-came-from-scientists-answer-363987" hreflang="en">Where did the asteroid which wiped out dinosaurs came from? Scientists answer</a>

A new way of calculating the dates of dinosaur fossils revealed that plant-eating dinosaurs, sauropodomorphs, were actually 215m years old and not 228m years old, as it was previously believed.

This has changed the previous belief and has revealed that there might not be any plant-eating dinosaur family in the northern hemisphere which was more than 215m years old.

On the other hand, examples of meat-eating dinosaurs have been found dating back to at least 220m years ago.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-an-accidental-discovery-of-life-in-antarctica-364133">WATCH|</a>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-an-accidental-discovery-of-life-in-antarctica-364133/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The study lead author Dennis Kent of Columbia University believes the plant-eating dinosaurs were latecomers in the northern hemisphere.

As per his team's research, during the Triassic era — which was nearly 230m years ago, carbon dioxide levels were 10 times higher than the present day. the atmosphere was hotter with no ice sheets at the poles and two bands of extreme deserts on both sides of the equator — north and south.

This dryness might have led to fewer plants for the sauropodomorphs, making it difficult for them to survive the journey. The meat-eaters, on the other hand, had enough insects to survive.

Later, when carbon dioxide levels dropped to half nearly 215m years ago, plants started growing in the deserts, which led to the emergence of sauropodomorphs in the area.

If you thought climate change is a recent problem, then you might have to rethink your belief because an interesting study has recently revealed that climate change may have been the reason behind late emergence of plant-eating dinosaurs.

If you thought climate change is a recent problem, then you might have to rethink your belief because an interesting study has recently revealed that climate change may have been the reason behind late emergence of plant-eating dinosaurs. It is being believed that plant-eating dinosaurs probably arrived in the northern hemisphere millions of years after the meat-eating species. This delay of millions of years in the emergence and the migration of dinosaurs was probably caused due to climate change, scientists believe. Also read| Where did the asteroid which wiped out dinosaurs came from? Scientists answer A new way of calculating the dates of dinosaur fossils revealed that plant-eating dinosaurs, sauropodomorphs, were actually 215m years old and not 228m years old, as it was previously believed. This has changed the previous belief and has revealed that there might not be any plant-eating dinosaur family in the northern hemisphere which was more than 215m years old. On the other hand, examples of meat-eating dinosaurs have been found dating back to at least 220m years ago. WATCH| The study lead author Dennis Kent of Columbia University believes the plant-eating dinosaurs were latecomers in the northern hemisphere. As per his team's research, during the Triassic era — which was nearly 230m years ago, carbon dioxide levels were 10 times higher than the present day. the atmosphere was hotter with no ice sheets at the poles and two bands of extreme deserts on both sides of the equator — north and south. This dryness might have led to fewer plants for the sauropodomorphs, making it difficult for them to survive the journey. The meat-eaters, on the other hand, had enough insects to survive. Later, when carbon dioxide levels dropped to half nearly 215m years ago, plants started growing in the deserts, which led to the emergence of sauropodomorphs in the area.

Migration of meat-eating dinosaurs was delayed by million years. Why?

2020 has given us a lot to clutch our heads and scream. While coronavirus pandemic was the major reason, the year will live in infamy due to many horrible reasons. And just as when we thought we were slipping past its grip, the news has arrived that five asteroids are slated to make a close call to Earth in a single week. And two of them are going to flyby at a distance less than that between Earth and the Moon

Remember what happened last time an asteroid struck Earth? It wiped out 95 per cent of life on the planet including the dinosaurs who were the dominant species then.

No prize for guessing which dominant species on Earth will be wiped out now if a space rock is to strike our planet at a speed of thousands of kilometres per hour

So let's take a look

Asteroid 2020 XF4 is just 11 metres across but its superspeed gives it a deadly momentum. It's a good thing then it is going to miss the Earth. However, it will come closer to Earth than the Moon. It will fly past Earth at a distance of 343,047 km. Distance between Earth and the Moon is 386,000 km

Asteroid 2020 VY1 is slightly bigger. This 24-metre space-rock will fly by at a distance of 5 million kilometres.

Then there is asteroid 2020 XS5 which will hurtle past Earth at distance of 2 million km&nbsp;

Watch: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/watch-nasa-captures-himalayan-mountains-delhis-city-lights-from-space-350259">NASA captures Himalayan mountains, Delhi's city lights from space</a>

However, asteroid 2020 XX3 will come much much closer. It will give Earth a miss at only 57 thousand kilometres. This distance may appear to be a lot but considering measurements in Space, this is not much.

Finally, asteroid 2020 XF3 will pass by Earth. But it will cut a wide berth at 6.9 million kilometres.

Let's hope the year 2020 does not have any more surprises.

2020 has given us a lot to clutch our heads and scream. While coronavirus pandemic was the major reason, the year will live in infamy due to many horrible reasons.

2020 has given us a lot to clutch our heads and scream. While coronavirus pandemic was the major reason, the year will live in infamy due to many horrible reasons. And just as when we thought we were slipping past its grip, the news has arrived that five asteroids are slated to make a close call to Earth in a single week. And two of them are going to flyby at a distance less than that between Earth and the Moon Remember what happened last time an asteroid struck Earth? It wiped out 95 per cent of life on the planet including the dinosaurs who were the dominant species then. No prize for guessing which dominant species on Earth will be wiped out now if a space rock is to strike our planet at a speed of thousands of kilometres per hour So let's take a look Asteroid 2020 XF4 is just 11 metres across but its superspeed gives it a deadly momentum. It's a good thing then it is going to miss the Earth. However, it will come closer to Earth than the Moon. It will fly past Earth at a distance of 343,047 km. Distance between Earth and the Moon is 386,000 km Asteroid 2020 VY1 is slightly bigger. This 24-metre space-rock will fly by at a distance of 5 million kilometres. Then there is asteroid 2020 XS5 which will hurtle past Earth at distance of 2 million km Watch: NASA captures Himalayan mountains, Delhi's city lights from space However, asteroid 2020 XX3 will come much much closer. It will give Earth a miss at only 57 thousand kilometres. This distance may appear to be a lot but considering measurements in Space, this is not much. Finally, asteroid 2020 XF3 will pass by Earth. But it will cut a wide berth at 6.9 million kilometres. Let's hope the year 2020 does not have any more surprises.

Five asteroids to make close call to Earth this week

The famous West Coast Halloween parades may be canceled, but residents of Los Angeles can still enjoy some pumpkin fun at a drive through ranch in Calabasas. 'Nights of the Jacks' allows cars to drive through numerous themed displays made from pumpkins. Hollywood, Alice in Wonderland, dinosaurs as well as ghosts and ghouls are all part of the illuminated event at King Gillette Ranch.

Halloween Jack O'Lantern celebration transformed into contactless drive-thru event

A new study has found another mass extinction other than the five already-known events that led to the domination of dinosaurs in our planet for more than 200 million years.&nbsp;

The researchers said most likely huge volcanic eruptions in what is now western Canada have taken place, pumping out huge amounts of greenhouse gases.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/gnarly-tumor-shows-dinosaurs-got-cancer-too-318009#:~:text=A%20fresh%20examination%2C%20researchers%20said,dinosaur%20afflicted%20by%20malignant%20cancer.">'Gnarly' tumor shows dinosaurs got cancer, too</a>

The extinction took place 232 million to 234 million years ago and has been named as the Carnian Pluvial Episode.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/dinosaur-era-microbes-lying-dormant-in-ocean-resuscitated-by-scientists-316620#:~:text=done%20the%20unthinkable.-,A%20team%20at%20Japan's%20Agency%20for%20Marine-Earth%20Science%20and,since%20the%20age%20of%20dinosaurs.&amp;text=When%20resuscitated%2C%20the%20microbes%20were%20able%20to">Dinosaur-era microbes lying dormant in ocean resuscitated by scientists</a>

"We have identified another great extinction event, and it evidently had a major role in helping to reset life on land and in the oceans, marking the origins of modern ecosystems." said study co-author Jacopo Dal Corso, a geologist at the China University of Geosciences in Wuhan, China, reported CNN.&nbsp;

The event led to a lot of biodiversity loss in the oceans and land and after it was over, a new type of species came to existence.&nbsp;

It also formed ecosystems much similar to what is with us now and led to a spurt in the growth of plans and expansion of coniferous forests.&nbsp;

Other than dinosaurs, flora and fauna that we see today, such as crocodiles, lizards, turtles and the first mammals came into existence during this time.&nbsp;

A new study has found another mass extinction other than the five already-known events that led to the domination of dinosaurs in our planet for more than 200 million years.

A new study has found another mass extinction other than the five already-known events that led to the domination of dinosaurs in our planet for more than 200 million years. The researchers said most likely huge volcanic eruptions in what is now western Canada have taken place, pumping out huge amounts of greenhouse gases. Also read | 'Gnarly' tumor shows dinosaurs got cancer, too The extinction took place 232 million to 234 million years ago and has been named as the Carnian Pluvial Episode. Also read | Dinosaur-era microbes lying dormant in ocean resuscitated by scientists "We have identified another great extinction event, and it evidently had a major role in helping to reset life on land and in the oceans, marking the origins of modern ecosystems." said study co-author Jacopo Dal Corso, a geologist at the China University of Geosciences in Wuhan, China, reported CNN. The event led to a lot of biodiversity loss in the oceans and land and after it was over, a new type of species came to existence. It also formed ecosystems much similar to what is with us now and led to a spurt in the growth of plans and expansion of coniferous forests. Other than dinosaurs, flora and fauna that we see today, such as crocodiles, lizards, turtles and the first mammals came into existence during this time.

Another mass extinction led to rise in number of dinosaurs: Study

Herbivores face a higher risk of extinction than predators, whether they are mammals, birds or reptiles, according to an extensive study of 24,500 species both living and extinct that was published Wednesday.

The paper, which appeared in Science Advances, suggests herbivores have suffered a higher extinction rate over the past 50,000 years compared to other parts of the food web and the trend continues to this day.

This contradicts the idea, based on anecdotal evidence, that predators are the most vulnerable because they have extensive home ranges and slow population growth rates.

The threat is greatest for reptile herbivores, such as turtles, and large herbivores, like elephants.

"There is so much data out there and sometimes you just need someone to organize it," said Trisha Atwood, an ecologist at Utah State University and the first author of the study.

Researchers first looked at modern day extinction risk patterns among herbivores, omnivores and predators in mammals, birds and reptiles at different levels of the food web.

They performed the same analysis on species from the late Pleistocene epoch, beginning 11,000 years ago for Africa, North America and South America, and 50,000 years ago for Australia

Finally, they examined how body size and position in the food web affected the threat status among 22,166 living species.

The authors wrote that though there are probably several reasons for the trend, certain man made interventions seemed to affect herbivores more than others.

"Invasive vertebrates (e.g., rats), insects (e.g., fire ants), and plants (e.g., Hottentot fig) have all been implicated in the decline and even extinction of several reptiles," they said.

What's more, invasive species, pollution and habitat alteration appeared to affect&nbsp;small herbivorous birds disproportionately.

There are certain exceptions: predators living in marine habitats did face an elevated extinction risk, suggesting they faced existential pressures than their land-dwelling counterparts.

Herbivores face a higher risk of extinction than predators, whether they are mammals, birds or reptiles, according to an extensive study of 24,500 species both living and extinct that was published Wednesday.

Herbivores face a higher risk of extinction than predators, whether they are mammals, birds or reptiles, according to an extensive study of 24,500 species both living and extinct that was published Wednesday. The paper, which appeared in Science Advances, suggests herbivores have suffered a higher extinction rate over the past 50,000 years compared to other parts of the food web and the trend continues to this day. This contradicts the idea, based on anecdotal evidence, that predators are the most vulnerable because they have extensive home ranges and slow population growth rates. The threat is greatest for reptile herbivores, such as turtles, and large herbivores, like elephants. "There is so much data out there and sometimes you just need someone to organize it," said Trisha Atwood, an ecologist at Utah State University and the first author of the study. Researchers first looked at modern day extinction risk patterns among herbivores, omnivores and predators in mammals, birds and reptiles at different levels of the food web. They performed the same analysis on species from the late Pleistocene epoch, beginning 11,000 years ago for Africa, North America and South America, and 50,000 years ago for Australia Finally, they examined how body size and position in the food web affected the threat status among 22,166 living species. The authors wrote that though there are probably several reasons for the trend, certain man made interventions seemed to affect herbivores more than others. "Invasive vertebrates (e.g., rats), insects (e.g., fire ants), and plants (e.g., Hottentot fig) have all been implicated in the decline and even extinction of several reptiles," they said. What's more, invasive species, pollution and habitat alteration appeared to affect small herbivorous birds disproportionately. There are certain exceptions: predators living in marine habitats did face an elevated extinction risk, suggesting they faced existential pressures than their land-dwelling counterparts.

Herbivores face higher extinction risk than predators: Study

When scientists first unearthed fossils of a horned dinosaur called Centrosaurus in the badlands of Dinosaur Provincial Park in Canada’s Alberta province in 1989, they spotted a badly malformed leg bone they figured was a healed fracture.

A fresh examination, researchers said on Monday, shows something different. The malformation was a manifestation of osteosarcoma, an aggressive bone cancer, making this Centrosaurus, which lived 76 million years ago, the first known example of a dinosaur afflicted by malignant cancer.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/star-wars-inspires-scientists-to-create-sense-capable-artificial-skin-317905">Also read:&nbsp;Star Wars inspires scientists to create sense-capable artificial skin</a>

About 20 feet (6 meters) long, Centrosaurus was a four-legged beaked plant-eating Cretaceous Period dinosaur possessing a long horn above its nose and a bony frill above its neck with two smaller hooked horns.

The Centrosaurus fibula, a lower leg bone, contained “a massive gnarly tumor larger than an apple,” said paleontologist David Evans of the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto, one of the researchers in the study published in the journal Lancet Oncology.

“This particular Centrosaurus was likely weak and lamed by the cancer prior to its death. This remarkable find shows that no matter how big or powerful some dinosaurs may seem, they were affected by many of the same diseases we see in humans and other animals today, including cancer. Dinosaurs seem like mythical beasts, but they were living, breathing animals that suffered through horrible injuries and diseases,” he added.

Because most tumors occur in soft tissue that does not readily fossilize, there is scant evidence of cancer in the fossil record.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/black-holes-may-be-repositories-of-all-of-universes-history-317780">Also read:&nbsp;Black holes may be repositories of all of universe's history!</a>

“This finding speaks to the biology of cancer. It is not something novel or new, but probably has occurred since time immemorial and is an expected complication in all animals,” said study co-author Dr. Mark Crowther, a professor of medicine, pathology and molecular medicine at McMaster University in Ontario.

“Osteosarcoma generally occurs in rapidly growing bones and as such is found in children and young adults. Presumably dinosaurs were also at risk because of the fact that they grew at enormous rates,” Crowther added.

The tumor destroys the bone and can spread to other tissues, Crowther said. In people, treatment consists of chemotherapy and surgery that sometimes involves amputation.

The researchers confirmed it was a tumor using high-resolution CT scans and by looking at thin sections of it under the microscope. “We were not only able to demonstrate that the bone tissue showed the hallmarks of osteosarcoma, but that the tumor spiraled through the cortex of bone, discounting its original identification of a healed fracture,” Evans said.

Cancer, however, may not have killed the Centrosaurus. Its body was found in a vast bonebed containing the remains of hundreds of Centrosaurus individuals, suggesting they died as part of a herd caught in a flood, Evans said.

Its cancer may have reduced its mobility to make it an inviting target for big predators like Gorgosaurus and Daspletosaurus. But living within a large herd, Evans said, may have provided safety in numbers that enabled the Centrosaurus to avoid predation as the cancer progressed.

When scientists first unearthed fossils of a horned dinosaur called Centrosaurus in the badlands of Dinosaur Provincial Park in Canada’s Alberta province in 1989, they spotted a badly malformed leg bone they figured was a healed fracture.

When scientists first unearthed fossils of a horned dinosaur called Centrosaurus in the badlands of Dinosaur Provincial Park in Canada’s Alberta province in 1989, they spotted a badly malformed leg bone they figured was a healed fracture. A fresh examination, researchers said on Monday, shows something different. The malformation was a manifestation of osteosarcoma, an aggressive bone cancer, making this Centrosaurus, which lived 76 million years ago, the first known example of a dinosaur afflicted by malignant cancer. Also read: Star Wars inspires scientists to create sense-capable artificial skin About 20 feet (6 meters) long, Centrosaurus was a four-legged beaked plant-eating Cretaceous Period dinosaur possessing a long horn above its nose and a bony frill above its neck with two smaller hooked horns. The Centrosaurus fibula, a lower leg bone, contained “a massive gnarly tumor larger than an apple,” said paleontologist David Evans of the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto, one of the researchers in the study published in the journal Lancet Oncology. “This particular Centrosaurus was likely weak and lamed by the cancer prior to its death. This remarkable find shows that no matter how big or powerful some dinosaurs may seem, they were affected by many of the same diseases we see in humans and other animals today, including cancer. Dinosaurs seem like mythical beasts, but they were living, breathing animals that suffered through horrible injuries and diseases,” he added. Because most tumors occur in soft tissue that does not readily fossilize, there is scant evidence of cancer in the fossil record. Also read: Black holes may be repositories of all of universe's history! “This finding speaks to the biology of cancer. It is not something novel or new, but probably has occurred since time immemorial and is an expected complication in all animals,” said study co-author Dr. Mark Crowther, a professor of medicine, pathology and molecular medicine at McMaster University in Ontario. “Osteosarcoma generally occurs in rapidly growing bones and as such is found in children and young adults. Presumably dinosaurs were also at risk because of the fact that they grew at enormous rates,” Crowther added. The tumor destroys the bone and can spread to other tissues, Crowther said. In people, treatment consists of chemotherapy and surgery that sometimes involves amputation. The researchers confirmed it was a tumor using high-resolution CT scans and by looking at thin sections of it under the microscope. “We were not only able to demonstrate that the bone tissue showed the hallmarks of osteosarcoma, but that the tumor spiraled through the cortex of bone, discounting its original identification of a healed fracture,” Evans said. Cancer, however, may not have killed the Centrosaurus. Its body was found in a vast bonebed containing the remains of hundreds of Centrosaurus individuals, suggesting they died as part of a herd caught in a flood, Evans said. Its cancer may have reduced its mobility to make it an inviting target for big predators like Gorgosaurus and Daspletosaurus. But living within a large herd, Evans said, may have provided safety in numbers that enabled the Centrosaurus to avoid predation as the cancer progressed.

'Gnarly' tumor shows dinosaurs got cancer, too

In a forest rebounding after a wildfire 110 million years ago, an armoured dinosaur devoured a meal of tender ferns in western Canada before suffering a sudden death - perhaps drowning in a river or a flash flood - and being washed out to sea.

That unfortunate Cretaceous Period beast is now providing unique insight into the dietary habits of plant-eating dinosaurs. Scientists said on Wednesday the fossilised stomach contents of the dinosaur, called Borealopelta markmitchelli, were preserved in exquisite detail with its skeleton, revealing what was on the menu for its last meal.

The fossil, from the province of Alberta, represents the best-preserved stomach contents of any plant-eating dinosaur, revealing even the cellular structure of the leaves and intact spores.

"Direct evidence of diet in herbivorous dinosaurs is very rare," said paleontologist Caleb Brown of the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology in Alberta, lead author of the research published in the journal Royal Society Open Science. "Almost everything we think we know about the diet of these animals is based on indirect data such as tooth wear, jaw biomechanics, the available plants and the nutritional content and digestibility of those plants."

Borealopelta, 18 feet long (5.5 meters) and 1-1/2 tons, was a member of a group called nodosaurs. It had a wide body, small head and walked on four short legs. As protection from large meat-eating dinosaurs, its body was studded with osteoderms - bones embedded in the skin - and it boasted a large spike on each shoulder.

Its stomach contents were comprised mostly of leaves of a particular type of fern, with very few leaves of conifers and cycads - a type of evergreen. A sizable amount of charcoal was found in the stomach, indicating it was browsing in a recently burned area.

Also found were dozens of gastroliths, or gizzard stones, swallowed by certain animals including some modern birds and crocodilians to aid digestion.

In a forest rebounding after a wildfire 110 million years ago, an armoured dinosaur devoured a meal of tender ferns in western Canada before suffering a sudden death - perhaps drowning in a river or a flash flood - and being washed out to sea.

In a forest rebounding after a wildfire 110 million years ago, an armoured dinosaur devoured a meal of tender ferns in western Canada before suffering a sudden death - perhaps drowning in a river or a flash flood - and being washed out to sea. That unfortunate Cretaceous Period beast is now providing unique insight into the dietary habits of plant-eating dinosaurs. Scientists said on Wednesday the fossilised stomach contents of the dinosaur, called Borealopelta markmitchelli, were preserved in exquisite detail with its skeleton, revealing what was on the menu for its last meal. The fossil, from the province of Alberta, represents the best-preserved stomach contents of any plant-eating dinosaur, revealing even the cellular structure of the leaves and intact spores. "Direct evidence of diet in herbivorous dinosaurs is very rare," said paleontologist Caleb Brown of the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology in Alberta, lead author of the research published in the journal Royal Society Open Science. "Almost everything we think we know about the diet of these animals is based on indirect data such as tooth wear, jaw biomechanics, the available plants and the nutritional content and digestibility of those plants." Borealopelta, 18 feet long (5.5 meters) and 1-1/2 tons, was a member of a group called nodosaurs. It had a wide body, small head and walked on four short legs. As protection from large meat-eating dinosaurs, its body was studded with osteoderms - bones embedded in the skin - and it boasted a large spike on each shoulder. Its stomach contents were comprised mostly of leaves of a particular type of fern, with very few leaves of conifers and cycads - a type of evergreen. A sizable amount of charcoal was found in the stomach, indicating it was browsing in a recently burned area. Also found were dozens of gastroliths, or gizzard stones, swallowed by certain animals including some modern birds and crocodilians to aid digestion.

Fossilised stomach contents show armoured dinosaur's leafy last meal

Paleontologists from the Argentine Museum of Natural Sciences said on Monday (May 18) they found the 70-million-year-old remains of a megaraptor, making it one of the last carnivorous dinosaurs to inhabit the earth.

Fossil of one of the last megaraptors on the planet found in Argentina

A new research from Yale University suggests that <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/latest-world-news-fossil-footprints-reveal-existence-of-dinosaurs-in-south-africa-183-million-years-ago-277473">dinosaurs </a>might have been warm-blooded creatures.

The findings have come from an analysis of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/latest-world-news-fossil-footprints-reveal-existence-of-dinosaurs-in-south-africa-183-million-years-ago-277473">fossilized </a>eggshells of dinosaurs.

The study was published in the journal of Science Advances.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/latest-world-news-fossil-footprints-reveal-existence-of-dinosaurs-in-south-africa-183-million-years-ago-277473">Fossil footprints reveal existence of dinosaurs in South Africa 183 million years ago</a>

This is contrary to the general image of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/latest-world-news-fossil-footprints-reveal-existence-of-dinosaurs-in-south-africa-183-million-years-ago-277473">dinosaurs </a>who are considered as cold-blooded and scaly reptiles.

"Dinosaurs are at an evolutionary point between birds, which are warm-blooded, and reptiles, which are cold-blooded," said Robin Dawson, who conducted the research while she was a doctoral student in geology and geophysics at Yale.&nbsp;

"Our results suggest that all major groups of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/latest-world-news-fossil-footprints-reveal-existence-of-dinosaurs-in-south-africa-183-million-years-ago-277473">dinosaurs </a>had warmer body temperatures than their environment," she added.

The researchers tested eggshell fossils from a Troodon, a small, meat-eating Therapod (the same family as the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/researchers-find-distant-relative-of-t-rex-in-argentina-280975">T-Rex</a>), a duck-billed, plant-eating dinosaur called a Maiasaura and a Megaloolithus, a sauropod known for its huge size.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/researchers-find-distant-relative-of-t-rex-in-argentina-280975">Researchers find distant relative of T-Rex in Argentina</a>

The internal temperature of dinosaurs can be analyzed by assessing the oxygen and the carbon atoms in fossilized egg shells.

This process is called as "clumped isotope paleothermometry."

"Eggs, because they are formed inside dinosaurs, act like ancient thermometers," said Pincelli Hull, an assistant professor at Yale University's Department of Geology and Geophysics, and a co-author of the study.

On the analysis of their fossilized egg shells researchers discovered that the dinosaurs' body temperatures were warmer than their surroundings would have been.&nbsp;

So unlike reptiles, which rely on heat from the environment, the research indicates that dinosaurs were capable of internally generating heat.

Whether dinosaurs were cold or warm-blooded has been a long-running debate among paleontologists.&nbsp;

A new research from Yale University suggests that dinosaurs might have been warm-blooded creatures. The findings have come from an analysis of fossilized eggshells of dinosaurs.

A new research from Yale University suggests that dinosaurs might have been warm-blooded creatures. The findings have come from an analysis of fossilized eggshells of dinosaurs. The study was published in the journal of Science Advances. Also read: Fossil footprints reveal existence of dinosaurs in South Africa 183 million years ago This is contrary to the general image of dinosaurs who are considered as cold-blooded and scaly reptiles. "Dinosaurs are at an evolutionary point between birds, which are warm-blooded, and reptiles, which are cold-blooded," said Robin Dawson, who conducted the research while she was a doctoral student in geology and geophysics at Yale. "Our results suggest that all major groups of dinosaurs had warmer body temperatures than their environment," she added. The researchers tested eggshell fossils from a Troodon, a small, meat-eating Therapod (the same family as the T-Rex), a duck-billed, plant-eating dinosaur called a Maiasaura and a Megaloolithus, a sauropod known for its huge size. Also read: Researchers find distant relative of T-Rex in Argentina The internal temperature of dinosaurs can be analyzed by assessing the oxygen and the carbon atoms in fossilized egg shells. This process is called as "clumped isotope paleothermometry." "Eggs, because they are formed inside dinosaurs, act like ancient thermometers," said Pincelli Hull, an assistant professor at Yale University's Department of Geology and Geophysics, and a co-author of the study. On the analysis of their fossilized egg shells researchers discovered that the dinosaurs' body temperatures were warmer than their surroundings would have been. So unlike reptiles, which rely on heat from the environment, the research indicates that dinosaurs were capable of internally generating heat. Whether dinosaurs were cold or warm-blooded has been a long-running debate among paleontologists.

Dinosaurs might have been warm-blooded creatures: Research

A distant relative of the Tyrannosaurus Rex has been discovered in the plains of Patagonia, Argentina – albeit much smaller than the ferocious monster we’ve come to know from the big screen.

Remains Of Thunder Reptile Discovered

The environment of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/how-social-media-saved-sudans-starving-lions-277278">South Africa</a> was transformed into a land of fire due to the huge massive amounts of lava flowed across the landscape approximately 183 million years ago during the early part of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/the-front-runner-actor-mamoudou-athie-joins-jurassic-world-3-cast-256602">Jurassic</a> Period.&nbsp;

The research was published on Wednesday in&nbsp;the science and medicine&nbsp;journal called ''PLOS&nbsp;One''.

Scientists described fossil footprints which revealed&nbsp;that dauntless&nbsp;dinosaurs and other animals managed to inhabit the semiarid region of South Africa called Karoo during the time period&nbsp;between the volcanic eruptions.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/fossils-of-early-giant-dinosaur-discovered-in-argentina-150589">Fossils of early giant dinosaur discovered in Argentina</a>

They&nbsp;were termed as ''karoo firewalkers'' by Emese Bordy, a&nbsp;geologist from&nbsp;the University of Cape Town.

They were some of the last animals known to have lived in this inhospitable region before it ultimately was engulfed by molten rock.

The researchers found a sandstone layer on a farm in the centre of South Africa with five fossils trackways that were left by at least three different animals that walked across the moist sandy banks of a stream.

One was a relatively small two-legged meat-eating dinosaur, another was a similarly small four-legged apparently plant-eating dinosaur and the third may have been a primitive mammal.

Watch:&nbsp;Discovery of spiky-necked dinosaur divulged

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/discovery-of-spiky-necked-dinosaur-divulged-195283/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"The evidence of dinosaurs&nbsp;grazing and hunting&nbsp;is attested by the vertebrate footprints of both meat&nbsp;and plant-eating <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science-tech/scientists-discover-ferocious-meat-eating-dinosaur-in-argentina-2494">dinosaurs</a>, plant remains, sediment deposits of streams and lakes, to name just a few,''&nbsp;lead researcher&nbsp;Bordy said.

"The properties of the sandstone allow us to tell that the tracks were deposited in seasonal streams that run during flash flood events," he added.

"This story helps us change the way we see life in stressful and hostile environments, and thus improves our understanding of the history of life on Earth," he reported.

&nbsp;During this time, there were major extinctions of species, especially in the oceans, caused mostly by gases emitted from immense lava flows that poured onto the land surface in South Africa. Even as it incinerated the landscape, the lava flows changed the chemistry of the atmosphere and seas.

Fossil footprints, in the absence of skeletal fossils, sometimes offer the only evidence that animals were present in an ancient environment. The sandstone containing the tracks was sandwiched in between layers of volcanic rock, revealing a picture of a functioning ecosystem that survived despite threats of devastation from further eruptions.

The environment of South Africa was transformed into a land of fire due to the huge massive amounts of lava flowed across the landscape approximately 183 million years ago during the early part of the Jurassic Period.

The environment of South Africa was transformed into a land of fire due to the huge massive amounts of lava flowed across the landscape approximately 183 million years ago during the early part of the Jurassic Period. The research was published on Wednesday in the science and medicine journal called ''PLOS One''. Scientists described fossil footprints which revealed that dauntless dinosaurs and other animals managed to inhabit the semiarid region of South Africa called Karoo during the time period between the volcanic eruptions. Also read: Fossils of early giant dinosaur discovered in Argentina They were termed as ''karoo firewalkers'' by Emese Bordy, a geologist from the University of Cape Town. They were some of the last animals known to have lived in this inhospitable region before it ultimately was engulfed by molten rock. The researchers found a sandstone layer on a farm in the centre of South Africa with five fossils trackways that were left by at least three different animals that walked across the moist sandy banks of a stream. One was a relatively small two-legged meat-eating dinosaur, another was a similarly small four-legged apparently plant-eating dinosaur and the third may have been a primitive mammal. Watch: Discovery of spiky-necked dinosaur divulged "The evidence of dinosaurs grazing and hunting is attested by the vertebrate footprints of both meat and plant-eating dinosaurs, plant remains, sediment deposits of streams and lakes, to name just a few,'' lead researcher Bordy said. "The properties of the sandstone allow us to tell that the tracks were deposited in seasonal streams that run during flash flood events," he added. "This story helps us change the way we see life in stressful and hostile environments, and thus improves our understanding of the history of life on Earth," he reported. During this time, there were major extinctions of species, especially in the oceans, caused mostly by gases emitted from immense lava flows that poured onto the land surface in South Africa. Even as it incinerated the landscape, the lava flows changed the chemistry of the atmosphere and seas. Fossil footprints, in the absence of skeletal fossils, sometimes offer the only evidence that animals were present in an ancient environment. The sandstone containing the tracks was sandwiched in between layers of volcanic rock, revealing a picture of a functioning ecosystem that survived despite threats of devastation from further eruptions.

Fossil footprints reveal existence of dinosaurs in South Africa 183 million years ago

Dinosaurs on the loose! First look at the touring Jurassic World Live show

As the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) prepares to unveil a thorough diagnosis of the health of Earth&#39;s plant and animal species, here are some already known facts about the Earth.&nbsp;

Two species of vertebrate, animals with a backbone, have gone extinct every year, on average, for the past century.

Scientists say Earth is undergoing a &quot;mass extinction event&quot;, the first since the dinosaurs disappeared some 65 million years ago, and only the sixth in the last half-a-billion years.&nbsp;

About 41 per cent of amphibian species and more than a quarter of mammals are threatened with extinction.

About half of coral reefs have been lost in the last 30 years.

The global populations of 3,706 monitored vertebrate species -- fish, birds, mammals, amphibians, and reptiles -- declined by nearly 60 per cent from 1970 to 2012.

25,821 species of 91,523 assessed for the 2017 &quot;Red List&quot; update were classified as &quot;threatened&quot;.

Of these, 5,583 were &quot;critically&quot; endangered, 8,455 &quot;endangered&quot;, and 11,783 &quot;vulnerable&quot;.

African elephant numbers dropped to 415,000 in 2016, down about 111,000 over 10 years.

There are an estimated 8.7 million plant and animal species on our planet. This means about 86 per cent of land species and 91 per cent of sea species remain undiscovered.

Of the ones we do know, 1,204 mammal, 1,469 bird, 1,215 reptile, 2,100 amphibian, and 2,386 fish species are considered threatened.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Also threatened are 1,414 insect, 2,187 mollusc, 732 crustacean, 237 coral, 12,505 plant, 33 mushroom, and six brown algae species.

Annual economic losses as a result of deforestation and forest degradation alone may be as high as $4.5 trillion (3.6 trillion euros).

A conference of the UN&#39;s Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) agreed in Nagoya, Japan in 2010 on a 20-point plan to turn back biodiversity loss by 2020.

The plan&#39;s so-called &quot;Aichi Biodiversity Targets&quot; include halving the rate of habitat loss, expanding water and land areas under conservation, preventing the extinction of species on the threatened list, and restoring at least 15 per cent of degraded ecosystems.

SOURCES: WWF Living Planet Report, IUCN Red List, PLoS Biology, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, CBD, UNEP.

&nbsp;

About 41 per cent of amphibian species and more than a quarter of mammals are threatened with extinction

As the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) prepares to unveil a thorough diagnosis of the health of Earth's plant and animal species, here are some already known facts about the Earth. Two species of vertebrate, animals with a backbone, have gone extinct every year, on average, for the past century. Scientists say Earth is undergoing a "mass extinction event", the first since the dinosaurs disappeared some 65 million years ago, and only the sixth in the last half-a-billion years. About 41 per cent of amphibian species and more than a quarter of mammals are threatened with extinction. About half of coral reefs have been lost in the last 30 years. The global populations of 3,706 monitored vertebrate species -- fish, birds, mammals, amphibians, and reptiles -- declined by nearly 60 per cent from 1970 to 2012. 25,821 species of 91,523 assessed for the 2017 "Red List" update were classified as "threatened". Of these, 5,583 were "critically" endangered, 8,455 "endangered", and 11,783 "vulnerable". African elephant numbers dropped to 415,000 in 2016, down about 111,000 over 10 years. There are an estimated 8.7 million plant and animal species on our planet. This means about 86 per cent of land species and 91 per cent of sea species remain undiscovered. Of the ones we do know, 1,204 mammal, 1,469 bird, 1,215 reptile, 2,100 amphibian, and 2,386 fish species are considered threatened. Also threatened are 1,414 insect, 2,187 mollusc, 732 crustacean, 237 coral, 12,505 plant, 33 mushroom, and six brown algae species. Annual economic losses as a result of deforestation and forest degradation alone may be as high as $4.5 trillion (3.6 trillion euros). A conference of the UN's Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) agreed in Nagoya, Japan in 2010 on a 20-point plan to turn back biodiversity loss by 2020. The plan's so-called "Aichi Biodiversity Targets" include halving the rate of habitat loss, expanding water and land areas under conservation, preventing the extinction of species on the threatened list, and restoring at least 15 per cent of degraded ecosystems. SOURCES: WWF Living Planet Report, IUCN Red List, PLoS Biology, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, CBD, UNEP.

Earth is undergoing 'mass extinction event', the first since dinosaurs disappeared, Scientists say

In a new teaser released for the film &quot;Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom&quot;, actor Chris Pratt can be seen petting an adorable raptor.&nbsp;

Showing off his talent for soothing dangerous dinosaurs in a sneak peek of the movie, Chris Pratt looks like he knows how to do his job in the jungle.&nbsp;

The teaser was released by the film&#39;s screenwriter Colin Trevorrow on Wednesday.&nbsp;

Chris plays the role of a dinosaur-whisperer Owen Grady. He will be seen in the movie along with actors Bryce Dallas Howard, Jeff Goldblum and B.D. Wong. They&nbsp;will be seen returning to the dinosaur-infested island of Isla Nubar when the film debuts in theatres on June 22, 2018.

The movie is the second installment of the box-office hit.&nbsp;

Watch the teaser here:&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
From our Jurassic family to yours. <a href="https://twitter.com/FilmBayona?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FilmBayona</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/prattprattpratt?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PrattPrattPratt</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/BryceDHoward?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BryceDHoward</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/LeDoctor?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LeDoctor</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FALLENKINGDOM?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FALLENKINGDOM</a> <a href="https://t.co/KiR3et9Vx1">pic.twitter.com/KiR3et9Vx1</a>
&mdash; Colin Trevorrow (@colintrevorrow) <a href="https://twitter.com/colintrevorrow/status/933364285446729733?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 22, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

&nbsp;

The movie is scheduled for a release in theatres on June 22, 2018

In a new teaser released for the film "Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom", actor Chris Pratt can be seen petting an adorable raptor. Showing off his talent for soothing dangerous dinosaurs in a sneak peek of the movie, Chris Pratt looks like he knows how to do his job in the jungle. The teaser was released by the film's screenwriter Colin Trevorrow on Wednesday. Chris plays the role of a dinosaur-whisperer Owen Grady. He will be seen in the movie along with actors Bryce Dallas Howard, Jeff Goldblum and B.D. Wong. They will be seen returning to the dinosaur-infested island of Isla Nubar when the film debuts in theatres on June 22, 2018. The movie is the second installment of the box-office hit. Watch the teaser here: From our Jurassic family to yours. @FilmBayona @PrattPrattPratt @BryceDHoward @LeDoctor #FALLENKINGDOM pic.twitter.com/KiR3et9Vx1 — Colin Trevorrow (@colintrevorrow) November 22, 2017 ×

Watch: Chris Pratt pet raptor in new teaser for 'Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom'

The Natural History Museum in Berlin is a leading science research institute and a world-class visitor attraction.

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bh5h0EX7ulI?list=PLmWa9ZZLlCjt0Jlg7kN3JBNX4LH1sRsGh" width="970"></iframe>

It recently joined hands with Google&rsquo;s Cultural Institute to bring dinosaurs to life through virtual reality.&nbsp;The museum only has space to display 25,000 of its 80 million specimens at one time. But with virtual reality, visitors can now view 300,000 digital specimens, including fossils from dinosaurs, mammoths and the dodo.&nbsp;

The initiative comes with the motive of inspiring the next generation to think critically about sustainability and nature, while expanding the scope of scientific research.&nbsp;NHM is just one of 60 natural history museums around the world to partner with Google.

Berlin's Natural History Museum has partnered with Google to create a virtual reality experience

The Natural History Museum in Berlin is a leading science research institute and a world-class visitor attraction. It recently joined hands with Google’s Cultural Institute to bring dinosaurs to life through virtual reality. The museum only has space to display 25,000 of its 80 million specimens at one time. But with virtual reality, visitors can now view 300,000 digital specimens, including fossils from dinosaurs, mammoths and the dodo. The initiative comes with the motive of inspiring the next generation to think critically about sustainability and nature, while expanding the scope of scientific research. NHM is just one of 60 natural history museums around the world to partner with Google.

Video: Dinosaurs roar back to life through virtual reality

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