Biology: Marine Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Extinction Ecology: Nature Ecology: Sea Life Paleontology: Fossils Paleontology: General
Published

Waves of change: How sea-levels and climate altered the marine ecosystems at the South Pole 390-385 million years ago      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

New research reveals a chain of environmental disasters. These took place in what is today's South Africa, during an ancient time period called the Early-Middle Devonian. The crises led to the extinction of a unique group of marine animals called the Malvinoxhosan biota.

Anthropology: Cultures Anthropology: General Archaeology: General Paleontology: Fossils
Published

Researchers identify the oldest pieces of Baltic amber found on the Iberian Peninsula: imports began over 5,000 years ago      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Baltic amber is a luxury material used in jewellery and handicrafts all over the world. Researchers have shown that Baltic amber arrived on the Iberian Peninsula at least in the 4th millennium BC, more than a millennium earlier than previously thought.

Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Geochemistry Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Geology Paleontology: Fossils
Published

Ancient diamonds shine light on the evolution of Earth      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Formed millions to billions of years ago, diamonds can shine light into the darkest and oldest parts of the Earth's mantle. The analysis of ancient, superdeep diamonds dug up from mines in Brazil and Western Africa, has exposed new processes of how continents evolved and moved during the early evolution of complex life on Earth. These diamonds that were formed between 650 and 450 million years ago on the base of the supercontinent Gondwana, were analysed by an international team of experts, and have shown how supercontinents such as Gondwana were formed, stabilised, and how they move around the planet.

Computer Science: Virtual Reality (VR)
Published

Virtual reality helps people with hoarding disorder practice decluttering      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new study lets patients practice letting go of treasured objects in simulations of their own homes.

Anthropology: Early Humans Anthropology: General Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Ecology: Nature Offbeat: General Offbeat: Paleontology and Archeology Offbeat: Plants and Animals Paleontology: Fossils Paleontology: General
Published

Extinct ape gets a facelift, 12 million years later      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new study has reconstructed the well-preserved but damaged skull of a great ape species that lived about 12 million years ago. The species, Pierolapithecus catalaunicus, may be crucial to understanding great ape and human evolution.

Computer Science: Virtual Reality (VR)
Published

Virtual driving assessment predicts risk of crashing for newly licensed teen drivers      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

New research found that driving skills measured at the time of licensure on a virtual driving assessment (VDA), which exposes drivers to common serious crash scenarios, helps predict crash risk in newly licensed young drivers. This study brings the research community one step closer to identifying which skill deficits put young new drivers at higher risk for crashes. With this cutting-edge information, more personalized interventions can be developed to improve the driving skills that prevent crashes.

Biology: Zoology Ecology: Extinction Paleontology: Early Mammals and Birds Paleontology: Fossils Paleontology: General
Published

Extraordinary fossil find reveals details about the weight and diet of extinct saber-toothed marsupial      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A 13-million-year-old saber-toothed marsupial skeleton discovered during paleontological explorations in Colombia is the most complete specimen recovered in the region.

Biology: Biochemistry Paleontology: Early Mammals and Birds Paleontology: Fossils Paleontology: General
Published

Race to find world's oldest mammal fossils led to mud-slinging      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The hunt for the world’s most ancient mammals descended into academic warfare in the seventies, researchers have discovered.

Environmental: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Geomagnetic Storms Geoscience: Severe Weather Paleontology: Fossils
Published

Researchers identify largest ever solar storm in ancient 14,300-year-old tree rings      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

An international team of scientists have discovered a huge spike in radiocarbon levels 14,300 years ago by analyzing ancient tree-rings found in the French Alps. The radiocarbon spike was caused by a massive solar storm, the biggest ever identified.  A similar solar storm today would be catastrophic for modern technological society – potentially wiping out telecommunications and satellite systems, causing massive electricity grid blackouts, and costing us billions. The academics are warning of the importance of understanding such storms to protect our global communications and energy infrastructure for the future.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Offbeat: General Offbeat: Paleontology and Archeology Offbeat: Plants and Animals Paleontology: Fossils Paleontology: General
Published

Ginger pigment molecules found in fossil frogs      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Palaeontologists discover molecular evidence of phaeomelanin, the pigment that produces ginger coloration. Phaeomelanin is now toxic to animals – this discovery may be first step in understand its evolution. 

Computer Science: Virtual Reality (VR)
Published

New internet addiction spectrum: Where are you on the scale?      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Young people (24 years and younger) spend an average of six hours a day online, primarily using their smartphones, according to new research. Older people (those 24 years and older) spend 4.6 hours online.

Anthropology: General Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Zoology Paleontology: Fossils Paleontology: General
Published

Insights into early snake evolution through brain analysis      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Recent study sheds new light on the enigmatic early evolution of snakes by examining an unexpected source: their brains. The results emphasize the significance of studying both the soft parts of animals’ bodies and their bones for understanding how animals evolved.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Computer Science: General Computer Science: Virtual Reality (VR) Mathematics: Modeling
Published

Drug discovery on an unprecedented scale      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Boosting virtual screening with machine learning allowed for a 10-fold time reduction in the processing of 1.56 billion drug-like molecules. Researchers teamed up with industry and supercomputers to carry out one of the world's largest virtual drug screens.

Anthropology: Cultures Anthropology: Early Humans Anthropology: General Archaeology: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Paleontology: Fossils Paleontology: General
Published

Pollen analysis suggests peopling of Siberia and Europe by modern humans occurred during a major Pleistocene warming spell      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new study appearing in Science Advances compares Pleistocene vegetation communities around Lake Baikal in Siberia, Russia, to the oldest archeological traces of Homo sapiens in the region. The researchers use the 'remarkable evidence' to tell a compelling story from 45,000-50,000 years ago with new detail: how the first humans migrated across Europe and Asia.

Anthropology: General Archaeology: General Paleontology: Fossils
Published

New study reveals a long history of violence in ancient hunter-gatherer societies      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Violence was a consistent part of life among ancient communities of hunter-gatherers, according to a new study that looked for signs of trauma on 10,000-year-old skeletal remains from burial sites in northern Chile.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Computer Science: General Computer Science: Virtual Reality (VR)
Published

Let it flow: Recreating water flow for virtual reality      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A research team has harnessed the power of deep reinforcement learning to replicate the flow of water when disturbed. The replication allowed for recreating water flow in real time based on only a small amount of data, opening up the possibility for virtual reality interactions involving water.