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Categories: Chemistry: Thermodynamics, Paleontology: Fossils

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Anthropology: General Archaeology: General Paleontology: Fossils
Published

Ancient DNA from medieval Germany tells the origin story of Ashkenazi Jews      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Extracting ancient DNA from teeth, an international group of scientists peered into the lives of a once-thriving medieval Ashkenazi Jewish community in Erfurt, Germany. The findings show that the Erfurt Jewish community was more genetically diverse than modern day Ashkenazi Jews.

Offbeat: Earth and Climate Offbeat: Paleontology and Archeology Paleontology: Dinosaurs Paleontology: Early Mammals and Birds Paleontology: Fossils
Published

Fossil overturns more than a century of knowledge about the origin of modern birds      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Fossilized fragments of a skeleton, hidden within a rock the size of a grapefruit, have helped upend one of the longest-standing assumptions about the origins of modern birds.

Ecology: Endangered Species Offbeat: Paleontology and Archeology Paleontology: Climate Paleontology: Early Mammals and Birds Paleontology: Fossils
Published

Mammoth problem with extinction timeline      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Paleontologists say environmental DNA is not always helpful in identifying when animals like mammoths went extinct because genetic material found in sediment could have come from animals that died thousands of years earlier.

Chemistry: Thermodynamics
Published

Researchers introduce an energy-efficient method to enhance thermal conductivity of polymer composites      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Thermally conductive polymer composites consist of fillers oriented in certain directions that form pathways for heat flow. However, conventional methods to control the orientation of these fillers are energy-intensive and require surface modifications that can deteriorate the quality and properties of these materials. Now, researchers have developed an energy-efficient method to control the orientation of the fillers without the need for surface modification, resulting in improvement in thermal conductivity.

Chemistry: Thermodynamics
Published

Engineers use quantum computing to develop transparent window coating that blocks heat, saves energy      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Scientists have devised a transparent coating for windows that could help cool the room, use no energy and preserve the view.

Chemistry: Thermodynamics Energy: Alternative Fuels
Published

Cooling down solar cells, naturally      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Too much sun and too much heat can reduce the efficiency of photovoltaics. A solar farm with optimally spaced panels facing the correct direction could cool itself through convection using the surrounding wind. Researchers explored how to exploit the geometry of solar farms to enhance natural cooling mechanisms.

Chemistry: Thermodynamics
Published

High-performance and compact vibration energy harvester created for self-charging wearable devices      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A research team has developed a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) piezoelectric vibration energy harvester, which is only about 2 cm in diameter with a U-shaped metal vibration amplification component. The device allows for an increase of approximately 90 times in the power generation performance from impulsive vibration. Since the power generation performance can be improved without increasing the device size, the technology is expected to generate power to drive small wearable devices from non-steady vibrations, such as walking motion.

Paleontology: Dinosaurs Paleontology: Fossils
Published

Oldest Pterodactylus fossil found in Germany      (via sciencedaily.com) 

The oldest Pterodactylus specimen was found near Painten, Germany. The fossil is about one million years older than other Pterodactylus specimens. The specimen is a complete, well-preserved skeleton of a small-sized individual. With a 5-cm-long skull, it represents a rare 'sub-adult' individual.

Paleontology: Climate Paleontology: Fossils
Published

What ancient underwater food webs can tell us about the future of climate change      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Have humans wreaked too much havoc on marine life to halt damage? A new analysis challenges the idea that ocean ecosystems have barely changed over millions of years, pointing scientists down a new path on conservation efforts and policy.

Chemistry: Thermodynamics
Published

Research unearths obscure heat transfer behaviors      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Researchers have found that boron arsenide, which has already been viewed as a highly promising material for heat management and advanced electronics, also has a unique property. After reaching an extremely high pressure that is hundreds of times greater than the pressure found at the bottom of the ocean, boron arsenide's thermal conductivity actually begins to decrease. The results suggest that there might be other materials experiencing the same phenomenon under extreme conditions.

Chemistry: Thermodynamics
Published

A life-inspired system dynamically adjusts to its environment      (via sciencedaily.com) 

The system regulates its own temperature in response to environmental disturbances.

Offbeat: Paleontology and Archeology Paleontology: Fossils
Published

525-million-year-old fossil defies textbook explanation for brain evolution      (via sciencedaily.com) 

According to a new study, fossils of a tiny sea creature with a delicately preserved nervous system solve a century-old debate over how the brain evolved in arthropods, the most species-rich group in the animal kingdom. Combining detailed anatomical studies of the fossilized nervous system with analyses of gene expression patterns in living descendants, they conclude that a shared blueprint of brain organization has been maintained from the Cambrian until today.

Chemistry: Thermodynamics
Published

A nanoscale view of bubble formation      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A nanoscale view of bubble formation: Using computer simulation, a research team succeeded in modeling the behavior of molecules at the liquid -- gas interface at the nanometer scale, enabling them to describe the boiling process with extreme precision. The findings could be applied to future cooling systems for microprocessors, or to the production of carbon-neutral hydrogen, known as green hydrogen.

Paleontology: Fossils
Published

Decrease in crucial trace element preceded ancient mass extinction      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A decline in the element molybdenum across the planet's oceans preceded a significant extinction event approximately 183 million years ago, new research shows.

Paleontology: Fossils
Published

World's oldest meal helps unravel mystery of our earliest animal ancestors      (via sciencedaily.com) 

The contents of the last meal consumed by the earliest animals known to inhabit Earth more than 550 million years ago has unearthed new clues about the physiology of our earliest animal ancestors, according to scientists.

Chemistry: Thermodynamics
Published

Great potential for aquifer thermal energy storage systems      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Aquifer thermal energy storage systems can largely contribute to climate-friendly heating and cooling of buildings: Heated water is stored in the underground and pumped up, if needed. Researchers have now found that low-temperature aquifer thermal energy storage is of great potential in Germany. This potential is expected to grow in future due to climate change.

Paleontology: Fossils
Published

Earth might be experiencing 7th mass extinction, not 6th      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Earth is currently in the midst of a mass extinction, losing thousands of species each year. New research suggests environmental changes caused the first such event in history, which occurred millions of years earlier than scientists previously realized.

Anthropology: General Archaeology: General Offbeat: Paleontology and Archeology Paleontology: Fossils
Published

1,700-year-old spider monkey remains discovered in Teotihuacán, Mexico      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The complete skeletal remains of a spider monkey -- seen as an exotic curiosity in pre-Hispanic Mexico -- grants researchers new evidence regarding social-political ties between two ancient powerhouses: Teotihuacán and Maya Indigenous rulers. The remains of other animals were also discovered, as well as thousands of Maya-style mural fragments and over 14,000 ceramic sherds from a grand feast. These pieces are more than 1,700 years old.

Paleontology: Fossils
Published

Solid salamander: Prehistoric amphibian was as heavy as a pygmy hippo      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Scientists have calculated the body mass of two ancient amphibians.

Paleontology: Fossils
Published

Rapid fluctuations in oxygen levels coincided with Earth's first mass extinction      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Rapid changes in marine oxygen levels may have played a significant role in driving Earth's first mass extinction, according to a new study.