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Categories: Chemistry: Thermodynamics, Paleontology: General

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Anthropology: General Archaeology: General Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Botany Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Nature Paleontology: Fossils Paleontology: General
Published

Fossil study sheds light on famous spirals found in nature      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A 3D model of a 407-million-year-old plant fossil has overturned thinking on the evolution of leaves. The research has also led to fresh insights about spectacular patterns found in plants.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: Thermodynamics Energy: Technology Engineering: Nanotechnology
Published

Energy harvesting via vibrations: Researchers develop highly durable and efficient device      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

An international research group has engineered a new energy-generating device by combining piezoelectric composites with carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP), a commonly used material that is both light and strong. The new device transforms vibrations from the surrounding environment into electricity, providing an efficient and reliable means for self-powered sensors.

Anthropology: Early Humans Anthropology: General Offbeat: General Offbeat: Paleontology and Archeology Paleontology: General
Published

First hominin muscle reconstruction shows 3.2 million-year-old 'Lucy' could stand as erect as we can      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Digital modelling of legendary fossil's soft tissue suggests Australopithecus afarensis had powerful leg and pelvic muscles suited to tree dwelling, but knee muscles that allowed fully erect walking.

Anthropology: General Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Developmental Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Marine Biology: Microbiology Biology: Zoology Ecology: Sea Life Geoscience: Earth Science Paleontology: General
Published

Scientists investigate the evolution of animal developmental mechanisms, show how some of Earth's earliest animals evolved      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Lacking bones, brains, and even a complete gut, the body plans of simple animals like sea anemones appear to have little in common with humans and their vertebrate kin. Nevertheless, new research shows that appearances can be deceiving, and that a common genetic toolkit can be deployed in different ways to drive embryological development to produce very different adult body plans. It is well established that sea anemones, corals, and their jellyfish relatives shared a common ancestor with humans that plied the Earth's ancient oceans over 600 million years ago. A new study from the Gibson Lab, published in Current Biology on June 13, 2023, illuminates the genetic basis for body plan development in the starlet sea anemone, Nematostella vectensis. This new knowledge paints a vivid picture of how some of the earliest animals on earth progressed from egg to embryo to adult.

Offbeat: General Offbeat: Paleontology and Archeology Offbeat: Plants and Animals Paleontology: Dinosaurs Paleontology: Fossils Paleontology: General
Published

First side-necked turtle ever discovered in UK      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The first side-necked turtle ever to be found in the UK has been discovered by an amateur fossil collector and palaeontologists.

Biology: Developmental Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Zoology Paleontology: General
Published

Which came first: The reptile or the egg?      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The earliest reptiles, birds and mammals may have borne live young, researchers have revealed.

Biology: Zoology Ecology: Extinction Environmental: Ecosystems Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Paleontology: Dinosaurs Paleontology: Fossils Paleontology: General
Published

Ancient herbivore's diet weakened teeth leading to eventual starvation, study suggests      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have shed light on the life of the ancient reptile Rhynchosaur, which walked the earth between 250-225 million years ago, before being replaced by the dinosaurs.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Chemistry: Thermodynamics
Published

Sustainable technique to manufacture chemicals      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A newly published study details a novel mechanochemistry method that can produce chemicals using less energy and without the use of solvents that produce toxic waste.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Zoology Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Extinction Ecology: Nature Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: Ecosystems Paleontology: Early Mammals and Birds Paleontology: Fossils Paleontology: General
Published

Lost giants: New study reveals the abundance decline of African megafauna      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A groundbreaking new paper focuses on the size and abundance of living and fossil African large mammals, shedding light on the ecological dynamics behind the decline of these iconic creatures. The findings challenge previous assumptions about the causes of megafaunal extinctions in Africa and provide new insights into the restructuring of ecosystems over millions of years.

Environmental: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Paleontology: Climate Paleontology: General
Published

Greenhouse gas emissions at 'an all-time high' -- and it is causing an unprecedented rate of global warming, say scientists      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Human-induced warming, largely caused by the burning of fossil fuels, reached an average of 1.14°C for the most recent decade (2013 to 2022) above pre-industrial levels. This is up from 1.07°C between 2010 and 2019. Human-induced warming is now increasing at a pace of over 0.2°C per decade. The analysis also found that greenhouse gas emissions were 'at an all-time high', with human activity resulting in the equivalent of 54 (+/-5.3) gigatonnes (or billion metric tonnes) of carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere on average every year over the last decade (2012-2021). Given the speed at which the global climate system is changing, the scientists argue that policymakers, climate negotiators and civil society groups need to have access to up-to-date and robust scientific evidence on which to base decisions.

Archaeology: General Ecology: Nature Offbeat: General Offbeat: Paleontology and Archeology Offbeat: Plants and Animals Paleontology: Dinosaurs Paleontology: General
Published

New dino, 'Iani,' was face of a changing planet      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A newly discovered plant-eating dinosaur may have been a species' 'last gasp' during a period when Earth's warming climate forced massive changes to global dinosaur populations.

Anthropology: Early Humans Anthropology: General Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Paleontology: Fossils Paleontology: General
Published

Remains of an extinct world of organisms discovered      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Newly discovered biomarker signatures point to a whole range of previously unknown organisms that dominated complex life on Earth about a billion years ago. They differed from complex eukaryotic life as we know it, such as animals, plants and algae in their cell structure and likely metabolism, which was adapted to a world that had far less oxygen in the atmosphere than today.

Chemistry: Thermodynamics Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Scientists use seaweed to create new material that can store heat for reuse      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scientists have created a new material derived from seaweed that can store heat for re-use. It could be used to capture summer sun for use in winter, or to store heat from industry that currently goes up the chimney, potentially slashing carbon emissions. The material is in the form of small beads made from alginate, which is cheap, abundant and non-toxic. It stores heat four times more efficiently than a previous material the team had developed.

Chemistry: Thermodynamics Engineering: Nanotechnology
Published

'Heat highways' could keep electronics cool      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

As smart electronic devices become smaller and more powerful, they can generate a lot of heat, leading to slower processing times and sudden shutdowns. Now researchers use an electrospinning approach to produce a new nanocomposite film. In tests, the film dissipated heat four times more efficiently than similar materials, showing that it could one day be used to keep electronics cool.

Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Chemistry: Thermodynamics Engineering: Nanotechnology Physics: General
Published

Researchers finds a way to reduce the overheating of semiconductor devices      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scientists have identified a method for improving the thermal conductivity of thin metal films in semiconductors using surface waves for the first time in the world.

Paleontology: Dinosaurs Paleontology: General
Published

Multiple species of semi-aquatic dinosaur may have roamed pre-historic Britain      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Palaeontologists studying a British dinosaur tooth have concluded that several distinct groups of spinosaurs -- dinosaurs with fearsome crocodile-like skulls -- inhabited southern England over 100 million years ago.

Chemistry: General Chemistry: Thermodynamics Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry Geoscience: Geography
Published

Thermal energy stored by land masses has increased significantly      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

There are many effects of climate change. Perhaps the most broadly known is global warming, which is caused by heat building up in various parts of the Earth system, such as the atmosphere, the ocean, the cryosphere and the land. 89 percent of this excess heat is stored in the oceans, with the rest in ice and glaciers, the atmosphere and land masses (including inland water bodies). An international research team has now studied the quantity of heat stored on land, showing the distribution of land heat among the continental ground, permafrost soils, and inland water bodies. The calculations show that more than 20 times as much heat has been stored there since the 1960s, with the largest increase being in the ground.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Marine Ecology: Extinction Paleontology: Climate Paleontology: Fossils Paleontology: General
Published

The clams that fell behind, and what they can tell us about evolution and extinction      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new study examined how bivalves -- the group that includes clams, mussels, scallops, and oysters -- evolved among many others in the period of rapid evolution known as the Cambrian Explosion. The team found that though many other lineages burst into action and quickly evolved a wide variety of forms and functions, the bivalves lagged behind. The study has implications for how we understand evolution and the impact of extinctions.

Chemistry: Thermodynamics Energy: Alternative Fuels Energy: Technology Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

The next generation of solar energy collectors could be rocks      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The next generation of sustainable energy technology might be built from some low-tech materials: rocks and the sun. Using a new approach known as concentrated solar power, heat from the sun is stored then used to dry foods or create electricity. A team has found that certain soapstone and granite samples from Tanzania are well suited for storing this solar heat, featuring high energy densities and stability even at high temperatures.