A recent study on fossilised remains of the largest ape suggests that a “real king kong” like ape might have lived in Southern China centuries ago, before disappearing. This ape, as the study says, was almost 10 feet tall and weighed twice as much as a gorilla.&nbsp;

The research team believes that the study shed more light on the mystery of the ape’s sudden disappearance, which is still one of the greatest mysteries of palaeontology.

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The study was conducted on the fossils of the first identified Gigantopithecus blacki, which was discovered by German-Dutch palaeontologist G.H.R von Koenigswald. These teeth and four jawbones are from an extinct species that were unearthed in caves in southern China.

<h2>‘King Kong’ like apes used to roam in southern China</h2>

The team of Chinese and Australian scientists believe that Gigantopithecus used to live in the Guangxi region of southern China that borders Vietnam. They examined 22 caves in the region and found the fossils of Gigantopithecus in half of them.

Several techniques were used to obtain accurate dates for the fossils that panned out a detailed timeline of this ape species' life, disappearance and death.

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“The early caves at 2 million years old have hundreds of teeth, but the younger caves around the extinction period — there are only 3-4 … teeth,” said Kira Westaway, &nbsp;a professor and geochronologist at Macquarie University in Australia.

Next, the team analysed pollen traces in the sediment samples to understand what plants and trees dominated the landscape. Isotope analysis of elements such as carbon and oxygen contained in the Gigantopithecus teeth helped the researchers understand how the animal’s diet may have changed over time.

<h2>What caused their disappearance?</h2>

The authors of the study, which was published in the journal Nature, believe that the colossal creature went extinct between 295,000 and 215,000 years ago. The team deduced from research that they went extinct due to changing climate that became more seasonal, and they struggled to adapt to it.

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Before Gigantopithecus populations dwindled due to climate change, the species flourished starting from about 2 million years ago in a rich and diverse forest environment, primarily eating fruit, said study co-author Westaway.

“Around (700,000 or) 600,000 years ago we start to see large environmental changes and during that period we see a decline in the availability of fruit,” she explained.

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“Giganto (ate) less nutritious fall-back foods. We’ve got evidence from looking at the teeth structure,” Westaway added. “Pits and scratches on the teeth suggest it was eating fibrous food such as bark and twigs from the forest floor.”

The study though still cannot find out about how Gigantopithecus might have looked exactly due to the lack of non-cranial fossils, but the study led to a more robust timeline for their life and extinction.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

A recent study on fossilised remains of the largest ape suggests that a “real king kong” like ape might have lived in Southern China centuries ago, before disappearing.

A recent study on fossilised remains of the largest ape suggests that a “real king kong” like ape might have lived in Southern China centuries ago, before disappearing. This ape, as the study says, was almost 10 feet tall and weighed twice as much as a gorilla. The research team believes that the study shed more light on the mystery of the ape’s sudden disappearance, which is still one of the greatest mysteries of palaeontology. Also Read | Scientists just witnessed a supernova turn into a black hole for the first time The study was conducted on the fossils of the first identified Gigantopithecus blacki, which was discovered by German-Dutch palaeontologist G.H.R von Koenigswald. These teeth and four jawbones are from an extinct species that were unearthed in caves in southern China. ‘King Kong’ like apes used to roam in southern China The team of Chinese and Australian scientists believe that Gigantopithecus used to live in the Guangxi region of southern China that borders Vietnam. They examined 22 caves in the region and found the fossils of Gigantopithecus in half of them. Several techniques were used to obtain accurate dates for the fossils that panned out a detailed timeline of this ape species' life, disappearance and death. Also Read | Study finds diamond rain is a possibility on Uranus, Neptune, and thousands of exoplanets “The early caves at 2 million years old have hundreds of teeth, but the younger caves around the extinction period — there are only 3-4 … teeth,” said Kira Westaway, a professor and geochronologist at Macquarie University in Australia. Next, the team analysed pollen traces in the sediment samples to understand what plants and trees dominated the landscape. Isotope analysis of elements such as carbon and oxygen contained in the Gigantopithecus teeth helped the researchers understand how the animal’s diet may have changed over time. What caused their disappearance? The authors of the study, which was published in the journal Nature, believe that the colossal creature went extinct between 295,000 and 215,000 years ago. The team deduced from research that they went extinct due to changing climate that became more seasonal, and they struggled to adapt to it. Also Read | A failed star is witnessing mysterious auroras, leaving scientists perplexed Before Gigantopithecus populations dwindled due to climate change, the species flourished starting from about 2 million years ago in a rich and diverse forest environment, primarily eating fruit, said study co-author Westaway. “Around (700,000 or) 600,000 years ago we start to see large environmental changes and during that period we see a decline in the availability of fruit,” she explained. Also Read | Radio signal that took 8 billion years to reach Earth came from seven interacting galaxies “Giganto (ate) less nutritious fall-back foods. We’ve got evidence from looking at the teeth structure,” Westaway added. “Pits and scratches on the teeth suggest it was eating fibrous food such as bark and twigs from the forest floor.” The study though still cannot find out about how Gigantopithecus might have looked exactly due to the lack of non-cranial fossils, but the study led to a more robust timeline for their life and extinction. (With inputs from agencies)

A 10-foot-tall ape once roamed Earth but fell victim to climate change: Study

Tiny unicorns and cartoon girls in clown costumes line the shelves of Wang Zhaoxue's study in Beijing,&nbsp;tokens of China's mania for "blind boxes" that has made fortunes for toymakers and even caught the attention of those in power.

The 18-year-old music student is one of the legions of young Chinese hooked on snaffling up the toys,&nbsp;from pop art-inspired figurines to mini-archaeological treasures,&nbsp;to complete whole "ranges" through endless purchases.

The toys, first popularised in Japan, have fixated China in recent years, also driving a booming second-hand market and decorating the desks of white-collar workers and livestreams of box-opening influencers across the country.

The blind box market was worth 7.4 billion yuan ($1.14 billion) in 2019, according to market research firm Qianzhan Intelligence, which added that could soar to 30 billion yuan by 2024.

Similar to the collectibility of baseball cards, most fist-sized packages hold toys, from fairies to miniature King Kongs, but buyers can often be landed with one they already have.

But once in a while, a rare or even "hidden" item,&nbsp;one that does not appear in advertisements for the range,&nbsp;will emerge from the box, the holy grail of the collecting craze.

Wang said she&nbsp;has in the past queued overnight for new releases at toy conventions and proudly shows off autographed limited-edition figurines in her family's Beijing apartment.

Her older family members are also fervent toy collectors -- her mother displays by the front door a group of baby-faced figures riding cats.

"It was something quite novel, which got my attention," said Wang, who has now amassed hundreds of the toys.

The element of mystery is a big part of the fun, although "if you shake it, and then feel the box, you can sometimes deduce what's inside".

Wang has turned her passion into a small business, customising duplicates and selling them online for hundreds of yuan apiece.

On the vibrant second-hand market, rare figures can fetch dozens of times the original price of an unopened box, which usually costs $10-$20.

Liu Xiaoli, a nickname, has been collecting blind box toys since 2018.

The advertising professional, in her thirties, pulls thousands of followers to a Bilibili video channel where she documents her box-opening adventures.

She has adopted a technique of weighing some boxes before opening them to build the anticipation of what might be inside.&nbsp;

"It feels good to see them all arranged neatly," said Liu, who has more than 200 toys.

Her favourites are modelled after a cherubic, doe-eyed character called Molly, produced by Beijing-based mystery toymaker Pop Mart, which made its $670 million debut on the Hong Kong stock exchange last year.

The competition is so intense that the most sought-after toys, such as the archaeology-themed blind boxes sold by Henan province's official museum, sell out almost immediately after their online release.

But the craze has not escaped criticism, with state media earlier this year comparing the trend to gambling and warning that the products bred addiction.

In a commentary in January, Xinhua called for more regulation of the sector and said the boxes should not be sold "blindly" to consumers, accusing some brands of "persuading consumers to keep buying and even hyping up a speculative second-hand market".

"One of the reasons behind the success of&nbsp;blind&nbsp;boxes&nbsp;is that they divide their products into different categories of rarity," Steffi Noel, a consumer analyst at Shanghai-based Daxue Consulting&nbsp;said.

"They set a barrier, expressing the idea that not everyone can get the most special&nbsp;boxes. It generates a sense of competition."&nbsp;

Tiny unicorns and cartoon girls in clown costumes line the shelves of Wang Zhaoxue's study in Beijing, tokens of China's mania for "blind boxes" that has made fortunes for toymakers and even caught the attention of those in power.

Tiny unicorns and cartoon girls in clown costumes line the shelves of Wang Zhaoxue's study in Beijing, tokens of China's mania for "blind boxes" that has made fortunes for toymakers and even caught the attention of those in power. The 18-year-old music student is one of the legions of young Chinese hooked on snaffling up the toys, from pop art-inspired figurines to mini-archaeological treasures, to complete whole "ranges" through endless purchases. The toys, first popularised in Japan, have fixated China in recent years, also driving a booming second-hand market and decorating the desks of white-collar workers and livestreams of box-opening influencers across the country. The blind box market was worth 7.4 billion yuan ($1.14 billion) in 2019, according to market research firm Qianzhan Intelligence, which added that could soar to 30 billion yuan by 2024. Similar to the collectibility of baseball cards, most fist-sized packages hold toys, from fairies to miniature King Kongs, but buyers can often be landed with one they already have. But once in a while, a rare or even "hidden" item, one that does not appear in advertisements for the range, will emerge from the box, the holy grail of the collecting craze. Wang said she has in the past queued overnight for new releases at toy conventions and proudly shows off autographed limited-edition figurines in her family's Beijing apartment. Her older family members are also fervent toy collectors -- her mother displays by the front door a group of baby-faced figures riding cats. "It was something quite novel, which got my attention," said Wang, who has now amassed hundreds of the toys. The element of mystery is a big part of the fun, although "if you shake it, and then feel the box, you can sometimes deduce what's inside". Wang has turned her passion into a small business, customising duplicates and selling them online for hundreds of yuan apiece. On the vibrant second-hand market, rare figures can fetch dozens of times the original price of an unopened box, which usually costs $10-$20. Liu Xiaoli, a nickname, has been collecting blind box toys since 2018. The advertising professional, in her thirties, pulls thousands of followers to a Bilibili video channel where she documents her box-opening adventures. She has adopted a technique of weighing some boxes before opening them to build the anticipation of what might be inside. "It feels good to see them all arranged neatly," said Liu, who has more than 200 toys. Her favourites are modelled after a cherubic, doe-eyed character called Molly, produced by Beijing-based mystery toymaker Pop Mart, which made its $670 million debut on the Hong Kong stock exchange last year. The competition is so intense that the most sought-after toys, such as the archaeology-themed blind boxes sold by Henan province's official museum, sell out almost immediately after their online release. But the craze has not escaped criticism, with state media earlier this year comparing the trend to gambling and warning that the products bred addiction. In a commentary in January, Xinhua called for more regulation of the sector and said the boxes should not be sold "blindly" to consumers, accusing some brands of "persuading consumers to keep buying and even hyping up a speculative second-hand market". "One of the reasons behind the success of blind boxes is that they divide their products into different categories of rarity," Steffi Noel, a consumer analyst at Shanghai-based Daxue Consulting said. "They set a barrier, expressing the idea that not everyone can get the most special boxes. It generates a sense of competition."

'Blind box' craze grips China's youth and mints toymakers a fortune

Godzilla goes head to head with King Kong in the fourth film in Legendary's MonsterVerse and sequel to 2019's "Godzilla: King of Monsters".

Godzilla fights King Kong in trailer for fourth Legendary MonsterVerse film

'Godzilla vs. Kong'&nbsp;trailer is finally here and it promises a fierce&nbsp;battle between two of cinema's most iconic monsters. 
 
A sequel to 'Kong: Skull Island'&nbsp;and 'Godzilla: King of the Monsters', 'Godzilla vs. Kong'&nbsp;is the long-awaited continuation of Legendary's Monsterverse. Reprising their roles in the film are Millie Bobby Brown and Kyle Chandler. Rebecca Hall, Alexander Skarsgård, and Brian Tyree Henry join the&nbsp;franchise.

Godzilla vs. Kong is set to release both in theaters and on HBO Max on March 26 as part of Warner Bros.' simultaneous release strategy.&nbsp;The trailer begins with Kong in chains before showing off scenes from the battle aboard military aircraft carriers. The trailer positions Kong as the hero and Godzilla as the villain, with many characters concerned about Godzilla's destructive behavior. They pin all their hopes on Kong to stop Godzilla and the trailer shows off the massive battles that await fans. 
 
&nbsp;

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/odM92ap8_c0" width="560"></iframe>

Godzilla vs Kong trailer previews the massive scale of the globetrotting film, with the return of familiar faces fans will recognize from the previous films. Brown's character is positioned to be rooting for Godzilla, or at least figure out why he's so adamant in beating Kong, while Kong has some cheerleaders of his own in franchise newcomers Hall, Skarsgård, and an unnamed child. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/death-on-the-nile-to-the-batman-movies-to-look-forward-to-in-2021-315679#death-on-the-nile-341045">'Death on the Nile' to 'The Batman': Movies to look forward to in 2021</a>

The trailer itself only shows off three battle sequences: the one aboard the military aircraft carriers, one, seemingly set in the past, featuring Kong, and what looks to be the final battle between the titular characters in a neon-lit cityscape. The film looks to be making Kong the main focus, fittingly enough. Godzilla and his origins have been explored in two previous movies, while Kong: Skull Island is the only film in the current Monsterverse to explore Kong's backstory. 
 
'Godzilla vs Kong'&nbsp;looks to be filling that backstory in while serving up some truly gigantic fights. If the trailer is anything to go by, the gigantic beasts face-off is sure to get monsterverse junkies excited for the ultimate battle.&nbsp;

'Godzilla vs. Kong' trailer is finally here and it promises a fierce battle between two of cinema's most iconic monsters. A sequel to 'Kong: Skull Island' and 'Godzilla: King of the Monsters', 'Godzilla vs.

'Godzilla vs. Kong' trailer is finally here and it promises a fierce battle between two of cinema's most iconic monsters. A sequel to 'Kong: Skull Island' and 'Godzilla: King of the Monsters', 'Godzilla vs. Kong' is the long-awaited continuation of Legendary's Monsterverse. Reprising their roles in the film are Millie Bobby Brown and Kyle Chandler. Rebecca Hall, Alexander Skarsgård, and Brian Tyree Henry join the franchise. Godzilla vs. Kong is set to release both in theaters and on HBO Max on March 26 as part of Warner Bros.' simultaneous release strategy. The trailer begins with Kong in chains before showing off scenes from the battle aboard military aircraft carriers. The trailer positions Kong as the hero and Godzilla as the villain, with many characters concerned about Godzilla's destructive behavior. They pin all their hopes on Kong to stop Godzilla and the trailer shows off the massive battles that await fans. Godzilla vs Kong trailer previews the massive scale of the globetrotting film, with the return of familiar faces fans will recognize from the previous films. Brown's character is positioned to be rooting for Godzilla, or at least figure out why he's so adamant in beating Kong, while Kong has some cheerleaders of his own in franchise newcomers Hall, Skarsgård, and an unnamed child. 'Death on the Nile' to 'The Batman': Movies to look forward to in 2021 The trailer itself only shows off three battle sequences: the one aboard the military aircraft carriers, one, seemingly set in the past, featuring Kong, and what looks to be the final battle between the titular characters in a neon-lit cityscape. The film looks to be making Kong the main focus, fittingly enough. Godzilla and his origins have been explored in two previous movies, while Kong: Skull Island is the only film in the current Monsterverse to explore Kong's backstory. 'Godzilla vs Kong' looks to be filling that backstory in while serving up some truly gigantic fights. If the trailer is anything to go by, the gigantic beasts face-off is sure to get monsterverse junkies excited for the ultimate battle.

'Godzilla vs. Kong' trailer: It's the fight between two of the greatest beasts from monsterverse

The wait for the most epic battle between Godzilla and King Kong will have to wait for another year as the makers recently announced that the much-anticipated film will not release in March next year but 8 months later.&nbsp;

The release date for the film has been pushed from March 13, 2020 to November 20, 2020.&nbsp;

‘Godzilla vs Kong’ is to be a crossover of the two monsters in one film as they are pitted against one another. It is likely to follow ‘Godzilla’ (2014), ‘Kong: Skull Island’ (2017) and this year's ‘Godzilla: King of the Monsters’. While the first two films did wonders at the box office, the third had a lacklustre time at the box office.&nbsp;

‘Godzilla vs Kong’ is helmed by Adam Wingard and will star Julian Dennison, Brian Tyree Henry, &nbsp;Alexander Skarsgard and Demian Bichir.

The wait for the most epic battle between Godzilla and King Kong will have to wait for another year as the makers recently announced that the much-anticipated film will not release in March next year but 8 months later.

The wait for the most epic battle between Godzilla and King Kong will have to wait for another year as the makers recently announced that the much-anticipated film will not release in March next year but 8 months later. The release date for the film has been pushed from March 13, 2020 to November 20, 2020. ‘Godzilla vs Kong’ is to be a crossover of the two monsters in one film as they are pitted against one another. It is likely to follow ‘Godzilla’ (2014), ‘Kong: Skull Island’ (2017) and this year's ‘Godzilla: King of the Monsters’. While the first two films did wonders at the box office, the third had a lacklustre time at the box office. ‘Godzilla vs Kong’ is helmed by Adam Wingard and will star Julian Dennison, Brian Tyree Henry, Alexander Skarsgard and Demian Bichir.

'Godzilla vs. Kong' release date pushed to November 2020

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