Latest science news in Paleontology & Archaeology
Mammals beat reptiles in battle of evolution
Mammals, birds and fish are among evolution’s "winners," while crocodiles and other reptiles have ended up on the losing end, a new study suggests.
Thai Hill Farmers Help Preserve Genetic Diversity of Rice
Traditional rice cultivation methods practiced in the isolated hillside farms of Thailand are helping preserve the genetic diversity of rice, one of the world's most important food crops, according to...
Bizarre walking bat has ancient heritage
A bizarre New Zealand bat that is as much at home walking four-legged on the ground as winging through the air had an Australian ancestor 20 million years ago with...
Study finds human population expanded during late Stone Age
Genetic evidence is revealing that human populations began to expand in size in Africa during the Late Stone Age approximately 40,000 years ago. A research team led by Michael F....
Environmental change drives evolutionary change - eventually
Hungry, sexual organisms replaced well-fed, clonal organisms in the Caribbean Sea as the Isthmus of Panama arose, separating the Caribbean from the Pacific, report researchers from the Smithsonian Tropical Research...
Field Museum scientist describes first vertebrate to live in trees
In the Late Palaeozoic (260 million years ago), long before dinosaurs dominated the Earth, ancient precursors to mammals took to the trees to feed on leaves and live high above...
'Microfluidic palette' may paint clearer picture of biological processes
The masterpieces that spring from the talents of Rembrandt, Van Gogh and other artists often begin with the creation of a gradient of colors on a palette.
Scientists discover Amazon river is 11 million years old
LIVERPOOL, UK -- 29 July 2009: Researchers at the University of Liverpool have discovered that the Amazon river, and its transcontinental drainage, is around 11 million years old and...
A fossil records the oldest known creature to live in the trees
A 260-million-year-old fossil is oldest known creature to live in the trees, according to scientists.
Human activity driving Earth's 'sixth great extinction event'
Population growth, pollution and invasive species are having a disastrous effect on species in the southern hemisphere, a major
After Dinosaurs, Mammals Rise But Their Genomes Get Smaller
Evidence buried in the chromosomes of animals and plants strongly suggests only one group -- mammals -- have seen their genomes shrink after the dinosaurs' extinction. What's more, that trend...
Extinct rodent species discovered
An international team of scientists has discovered an extinct rodent species, based on fossil tooth remains found in Alborache, Valencia. Eomyops noeliae, from the Eomyidae family, represents the oldest find...
Secrets of swing unveiled by science
Most of us never stray from the basic swing. A few of us dabble with the double swing. And then there are the curious few who indulge in an ungainly swing that...
First Animals Evolved in Lakes, Not Oceans, Study Hints
Vast amounts of a mineral that doesn't form in seawater surround some of the earliest known animal fossils, suggesting that complex life arose in salty, alkaline lakes.
51 Headless Vikings Found in English Execution Pit?
Naked, beheaded, and tangled, the bodies of 51 young men—their heads stacked neatly to the side—have been found in a thousand-year-old pit in England.
100 is not such a big deal anymore!
With the recent news of the loss of the oldest man who was 113 when he died, attention is being paid to the fact that more people are living to...
Freshwater fish at the top of the food chain evolve more slowly
Durham, NC -- For avid fishermen and anglers, the largemouth bass is a favorite freshwater fish with an appetite for minnows. A new study finds that once they evolved...
Graphic and ghoulish: The Wellcome's cadaverous Exquisite Bodies show
Part fairground attraction, part science lesson, a new exhibition of grotesquely lifelike waxworks lifts the curtain on
One cheer for Camp Quest
A summer camp dedicated to Darwin and scepticism has been launched. Nothing wrong with that, but is it really needed?
Do You Believe In 'Tooth Worms?' Micro-images Of Strange, Worm-like Structures Uncovered Inside Dissected Molar
New, micro-images of strange, worm-like structures uncovered inside a dissected molar might have been held in ancient times as proof that gnawing tooth worms were the cause of tooth decay,...
Earliest animals lived in a lake environment
Evidence for life on Earth stretches back billions of years, with simple single-celled organisms like bacteria dominating the record. When multi-celled animal life appeared on the planet after 3 billion...
Study: Colder climate tied to longer animal lives
The colder your environment, the longer you might live — if you're cold-blooded — a new study finds. This relationship between temperature and lifespan could have implications for cold-blooded species...
Rare Angolan antelope tracked by research team
A rare Angolan antelope feared to have been killed off during a 27-year civil war has been located, giving hope for the future preservation of the species, a government official...
Scientist at Work: Tucker Childs: Linguist’s Preservation Kit Has New Digital Tools
Tucker Childs, a field linguist, is studying one of Africa’s many dying languages.
When did humans return after last Ice Age?
(PhysOrg.com) -- The Cheddar Gorge in Somerset was one of the first sites to be inhabited by humans when they returned to Britain near the end of the last Ice...
GIANT CAVE PICTURES: World's Biggest Found in Vietnam
The recently explored Son Doong cave, filled with poisonous centipedes and towering stalagmites, beats out the previous world-record holder for the largest single cave passage ever found, British explorers report.
Statistics Help Tell Evolutionary Tale
A new study has statistically proven what paleontologists have believed for years: new species emerge just as often as they die out, most evolution occurs in small bursts and crocodiles...
Germany outlines synthetic biology strategy
Scientific opportunities must be balanced with ethical debate, says report.