Clues from fossilized mating turtles (pictured left) point to an enormous and sudden geological event. In last week’s edition of Biology Letters published by the Royal Society, Walter Joyce (pictured right) of Geosciences at the University of Tübingen in Germany.
The letter, entitled “Caught in the act: the first record of copulating fossil vertebrates,” updates information on the fossilized turtles discovered 30 years ago.
In the paper, Wendruff and Wilson present a newly discovered coelacanth species found surprisingly on the rocky slopes of the Canadian Rockies, British Columbia.
The sequence of biological events leading to hominin locomotion has long intrigued evolution scientists.
Last week, the journal of Nature reported on a hominin-like foot discovered in Eastern Africa. Entitled “A new hominin foot from Ethiopia shows multiple Pliocene bipedal adaptations,” the finding draws into question the evolution of hominin locomotion.
Anomalocaris, an ancient three-foot-long shrimp-like creature, is an evolution anomaly. Anomalocaris (pictured left) is Greek for “anomaly shrimp.”
The origin of this marine creature’s compound eye, a species first discovered by Charles Doolittle Walcott in the Canadian Rockies at an elevation of over 7,000 feet above sea level, has long puzzled evolution scientists. Where did the freakish eyes originate, and how did it end up in the Canadian Rockies?
In the journal Science September 9 edition, a collection of reports generated a storm of controversy on the evolution status of Australopithecus sediba. Nicknamed Karabo, meaning “answers,” the fossils have emerged as the latest human ancestor candidate.
While last week’s topic focused on Karabo’s transitional links, this week examines the dating of these two remarkable fossilized skeletons recovered from the Malapa site in South Africa. The dating of Karabo was surprising.
Darwin, Then and Now, the Most Amazing Story in the History of Science, is a chronicle of who Darwin was, how he developed his theory, specifically what he said, and what scientists have discovered since the publication of The Origin of Species in 1859.
The book traces the rise and fall of evolution's popularity as a scientifically valid theory. With over 1,000 references from Darwin and scientists, Darwin Then and Now retraces developments in the most amazing story in the history of science. DarwinThenandNow.com focuses on understanding the intersection of biological evolution and science.