Evolution
Evolution may explain why women outlive men
A new study suggests that the evolution of menopause plays a key role in women's longer lifespans compared to men. Researchers propose that post-reproductive life in women allows investment in grandchildren, contrasting with men's continued reproduction. This theory draws on data from hunter-gatherer societies and modern populations.
New ancient crocodile species discovered in Egypt's Western Desert
A team of Egyptian palaeontologists has discovered a new species of ancient crocodile in Egypt's Western Desert that lived around 80 million years ago, reshaping scientists' understanding of crocodile evolution. The find, published in The Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, describes Wadisuchus kassabi as the earliest known member of the extinct Dyrosauridae family. It highlights adaptations for coastal and marine environments unlike modern river-dwelling relatives.
Dinosaur fossil reveals earlier evolution of sauropod long necks
Reported by AI
A newly discovered 230-million-year-old dinosaur fossil from Argentina suggests that the evolution of long necks in sauropods began much earlier than previously thought. Named Huayracursor jaguensis, the specimen shows early signs of neck elongation in a small, bipedal dinosaur. This finding challenges the idea of a gradual transition in sauropodomorph evolution.
Breakup of supercontinent Nuna enabled complex life evolution
The breakup of the ancient supercontinent Nuna around 1.5 billion years ago reshaped Earth's surface, reducing volcanic carbon emissions and expanding shallow seas that fostered oxygen-rich environments. Scientists from the University of Sydney and the University of Adelaide link this tectonic event to the rise of early eukaryotic life. Their study challenges the notion of a stagnant 'Boring Billion' period in Earth's history.