A groundbreaking study led by Professor Kenshu Shimada of DePaul University has provided new insights into the biology of the prehistoric giant shark Megalodon (Otodus megalodon), which once roamed the oceans globally from about 15 million to 3.6 million years ago. The study, conducted in collaboration with 28 experts in shark biology, paleontology, and vertebrate … Read more
A groundbreaking new study led by researchers at the University of Bristol has shed light on the mysterious evolution of the iconic prehistoric shark Megalodon, suggesting that the massive size of its teeth was less about changing dietary habits and more a side effect of the shark’s monumental growth. This discovery challenges long-held assumptions about … Read more
The ocean is home to some of the most awe-inspiring creatures ever to exist, but few have captured human imagination quite like the megalodon. Revered as the largest predatory shark to ever roam the seas, the megalodon has often been imagined as an unstoppable, cold-blooded killer lurking in prehistoric waters. However, a new scientific analysis … Read more
For centuries, the megalodon has dominated both scientific imagination and pop culture as a massive, fearsome version of today’s great white shark. Its sheer size, combined with its reputation as one of the most formidable predators ever to roam the oceans, has made it a subject of endless fascination. Hollywood has reinforced this image with … Read more
In the context of climate change, the Arctic is experiencing some of the most rapid and pronounced warming in the world. As a result, ecosystems in the region are undergoing significant transformations. In an interdisciplinary cooperation project involving three major EU-funded initiatives—FACE-IT, ECOTIP, and SEA-Quester—scientists have explored the ecological consequences of this warming, with a … Read more
Roughly 105 million years ago, deep in what is now northern Spain, a small beetle became trapped in a droplet of sticky tree resin. As it struggled and thrashed in vain to free itself, the resin slowly encased its body, preserving it in a golden tomb that would endure for over a hundred million years. … Read more
Flowering plants have long been known for their intricate relationship with pollinators like insects, birds, and mammals. These interactions are central to the reproduction of most angiosperms, or flowering plants, with pollination often involving specialized mechanisms that ensure the transfer of pollen between plants. However, before flowering plants evolved and took over the Earth’s ecosystems, … Read more
Myrmeleontiformia, an ancient and fascinating group of lacewing insects, includes species such as antlions and their relatives. These insects are known for their remarkable predatory larvae, which exhibit unique morphologies and behaviors. A recent study led by Professor Wang Bo from the Chinese Academy of Sciences (NIGPAS), in collaboration with two Italian researchers, has made … Read more
A team of paleontologists at the Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, along with a researcher from the State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, has made a remarkable discovery: the oldest known fossil record of larval neuropterans. This groundbreaking find, unearthed in the Daohugou Beds of Inner Mongolia, China, provides new insights into the … Read more
The survival of ancient amphibian relatives of modern frogs after Earth’s most catastrophic mass extinction has long intrigued paleontologists. New research from the University of Bristol sheds light on why these amphibians, known as temnospondyls, thrived in the aftermath of the Permian-Triassic mass extinction, while many other species perished. Their ability to exploit freshwater ecosystems, … Read more