Evolution

Researchers have described a previously unknown sauropod dinosaur from fossils found in Argentina's Chubut province. The creature, called Bicharracosaurus dionidei, reached about 20 meters in length and lived around 155 million years ago.

12. Mai 2026 Von KI berichtet

Scientists have determined that structures once seen as traces of tiny animals in 540-million-year-old Brazilian rocks are actually fossilized communities of bacteria and algae. The reexamination uses advanced imaging to reveal preserved cells and organic material.

A new study suggests that the disappearance of massive herbivores in the Levant around 200,000 years ago prompted early humans to switch from heavy stone tools to lighter, more sophisticated ones. Researchers at Tel Aviv University analyzed archaeological sites and found this tool revolution coincided with a drop in large prey and a rise in smaller animals. The findings, published in Quaternary Science Reviews, propose that hunting smaller prey may have driven cognitive evolution.

3. April 2026 Von KI berichtet

Researchers have identified a 500-million-year-old fossil from Utah as Megachelicerax cousteaui, the earliest known chelicerate and relative of spiders, scorpions and horseshoe crabs. The discovery, detailed in a Nature study, extends the group's evolutionary history by 20 million years to the Cambrian period. A tiny claw uncovered during preparation confirmed its significance.