https://www.sciencedaily.com/news/fossils_ruins/early_climate/ News about ancient climates and how they help us understand climate change. Read science articles on the climate record of planet Earth. Updated frequently. en-us Sun, 11 Oct 2026 02:29:09 EDT Sun, 11 Oct 2026 02:29:09 EDT 60 https://www.sciencedaily.com/images/scidaily-logo-rss.png https://www.sciencedaily.com/news/fossils_ruins/early_climate/ For more science news, visit ScienceDaily. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/10/261003234023.htm New research suggests animals could have evolved as early as 800 to 700 million years ago, roughly 200 million years earlier than some previous estimates. If so, the first animals may have lived before or during Snowball Earth, leaving behind little trace because their soft bodies were rarely preserved. Tue, 06 Oct 2026 22:29:56 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/10/261003234023.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260925005447.htm Scientists studying ancient Australian rocks uncovered more than 12,000 fossils from some of the oldest known eukaryotes on Earth. These early complex cells lived in settings ranging from coastal mudflats to the open sea, but only where oxygen was available. Oxygen-free environments contained simpler microbes instead. The findings strengthen the idea that oxygen played a crucial role in the emergence of complex life. Sun, 27 Sep 2026 07:55:50 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260925005447.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260912220100.htm Mount Etna’s ancient eruptions followed radically different paths, with some magma lingering near the surface for weeks while other magma raced upward from nearly 30 kilometers deep in just hours. Scientists traced the difference to volcanic gases such as carbon dioxide and water, offering a powerful new way to understand and potentially anticipate explosive eruptions. Sun, 13 Sep 2026 23:18:35 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260912220100.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/08/260831015200.htm A meter-long scorpion with massive pincers stalked ancient Britain 415 million years ago, long before forests and the better-known age of giant insects. Its surprising size and possible semi-aquatic lifestyle could reshape ideas about how early arthropods became giants. Wed, 02 Sep 2026 09:23:16 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/08/260831015200.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/08/260814235837.htm Scientists have discovered a new extinct amphibian species hiding in the fossil collections of Los Angeles’ La Brea Tar Pits. Named Spea labreae, the Ice Age spadefoot toad is an exceptionally rare find—only one other extinct Pleistocene amphibian has ever been identified in North America. Its bones had been sitting in collections since the 1950s before a researcher noticed features that set it apart from known species. Sun, 16 Aug 2026 03:33:36 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/08/260814235837.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/08/260810015723.htm Researchers can now recover DNA from centuries-old parchment without damaging the manuscripts, turning historic documents into unexpected genetic time capsules. The hidden clues could reveal ancient trade routes, livestock history, manuscript origins, and details of everyday life stretching back more than a thousand years. Mon, 10 Aug 2026 22:08:08 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/08/260810015723.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260722032105.htm Ancient fern savannahs may have transformed parts of Europe into a wildfire-prone inferno during the end-Triassic mass extinction. New fossil evidence suggests the ferns repeatedly regrew after fires, creating fresh fuel that helped prolong the devastation. Wed, 22 Jul 2026 09:10:01 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260722032105.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260711010122.htm Why do beaches today have seashells from clams and snails instead of brachiopods? A new study suggests the answer lies in Earth's greatest mass extinction, when warming oceans and falling oxygen levels wiped out animals that couldn't adapt. Species with body plans and metabolisms better suited to the changing conditions survived and went on to dominate the seas, offering a glimpse of how modern marine life could respond to climate change. Sun, 12 Jul 2026 00:02:00 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260711010122.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/06/260625060216.htm A stunning fossil discovery shows that ancient bees used the empty tooth sockets of mammal bones as tiny nests after owls scattered the bones across a cave floor 20,000 years ago. It's the first known evidence of bees nesting inside animal bones, revealing an astonishingly creative survival strategy. Sun, 05 Jul 2026 15:23:32 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/06/260625060216.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/06/260623011230.htm Scientists have finally confirmed the origin of the mysterious Silverpit Crater beneath the North Sea. New evidence shows that an asteroid about 160 meters wide struck the seabed roughly 43 to 46 million years ago. The impact triggered a tsunami more than 100 meters high and left behind a crater that geologists debated for years. Mon, 29 Jun 2026 23:44:40 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/06/260623011230.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/06/260621111234.htm Scientists exploring ancient seafloor rocks in Morocco discovered mysterious wrinkle patterns where they were never expected to occur. These structures are normally linked to microbial mats in shallow, sunlit waters, yet the rocks formed hundreds of feet below the surface in darkness. Evidence indicates that chemosynthetic microbes created the wrinkles, revealing that deep-ocean microbial ecosystems may have been more widespread than previously thought. Fri, 26 Jun 2026 16:45:50 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/06/260621111234.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/06/260610003056.htm For nearly 700 years, Indigenous hunters repeatedly used a bison kill site in central Montana—then suddenly stopped, even though bison were still abundant. Researchers uncovered evidence that recurring, decades-long droughts likely made the site less practical by reducing access to the water needed to process large numbers of animals. At the same time, hunting groups were shifting toward larger, more coordinated operations that required dependable resources and specialized locations. Thu, 11 Jun 2026 09:08:56 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/06/260610003056.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/05/260515234644.htm A stunning fossil discovery in Ethiopia shows that early Homo and a previously unknown Australopithecus species lived together around 2.6 to 2.8 million years ago. The find overturns the classic “ape-to-human” progression and paints human evolution as a crowded, branching tree with multiple species coexisting. Scientists dated the fossils using volcanic ash deposits and are now investigating what these ancient relatives ate and whether they competed for resources. Sat, 16 May 2026 07:20:39 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/05/260515234644.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/05/260511213158.htm Humans may have returned to Britain far earlier than scientists once believed — not long after the last ice sheet began retreating. New evidence suggests people were already moving into the British Isles around 15,200 years ago, tracking herds of reindeer and horses across a landscape that was suddenly becoming warmer and greener. Mon, 11 May 2026 21:31:58 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/05/260511213158.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/05/260510234711.htm The Toba supereruption 74,000 years ago was so massive it may have plunged Earth into years of darkness and cold, leading some scientists to believe humanity nearly went extinct. Yet archaeological evidence from Africa and Asia suggests early humans were far more resilient than once thought. Instead of disappearing, some communities adapted with new tools, new survival strategies, and remarkable flexibility. The disaster may not have destroyed humanity — it may have revealed just how tough humans really are. Sun, 10 May 2026 23:47:11 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/05/260510234711.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/05/260508003113.htm Scientists in China discovered that ancient humans were making surprisingly advanced stone tools during a harsh ice age 146,000 years ago. The tools, created by Homo juluensis, show careful planning and complex thinking rather than simple stone-chipping. Researchers dated the site using tiny calcite crystals inside animal bones, revealing the tools are much older than expected. The discovery challenges the idea that human creativity only thrives in easy, prosperous times. Sat, 09 May 2026 06:22:50 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/05/260508003113.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/04/260427050637.htm The mysterious collapse of the Maya civilization may not have been driven solely by drought after all. New evidence from lake sediments in Guatemala reveals that one key city, Itzan, enjoyed a stable climate even as its population abruptly vanished. Instead of environmental collapse, the findings point to something more complex: a tightly interconnected network of cities unraveling under pressure. As drought struck neighboring regions, wars, migration, and economic breakdown likely rippled outward, dragging even stable communities into decline. Mon, 27 Apr 2026 23:44:14 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/04/260427050637.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/04/260424233204.htm Beneath East Africa’s Turkana Rift, scientists have found the crust is thinning to a critical point, suggesting the continent is gradually breaking apart. This “necking” process marks an advanced stage of rifting that could eventually lead to a new ocean forming millions of years from now. Surprisingly, the same geological forces that are splitting the land may also explain why the region holds such a rich fossil record. Instead of being the birthplace of humanity, Turkana may just be where the story was best preserved. Sat, 25 Apr 2026 12:26:15 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/04/260424233204.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/04/260423031536.htm Beneath the dry farmland of New South Wales lies a hidden window into a lost rainforest teeming with life from 11-16 million years ago. At McGraths Flat, scientists have uncovered fossils preserved in astonishing detail—not in typical rock like shale or sandstone, but in iron-rich sediment once thought incapable of such preservation. Tiny iron particles filled and captured entire cells, preserving everything from insect organs to fish eye pigments and delicate spider hairs. Thu, 23 Apr 2026 03:15:36 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/04/260423031536.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/04/260402042807.htm A puzzling wrinkled rock formation in Morocco has led scientists to rethink where ancient microbes could live. Instead of shallow, sunlit waters, these microbes may have thrived deep in the ocean, fueled by chemicals delivered by underwater landslides. The discovery suggests that dark, nutrient-rich environments hosted thriving ecosystems much earlier than expected. It also raises the possibility that many similar fossils have been overlooked or misinterpreted. Fri, 03 Apr 2026 02:28:45 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/04/260402042807.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/04/260402042748.htm Thousands of years ago in a cave on Hispaniola, an unusual chain of events left behind a rare scientific treasure: bees nesting inside fossilized bones. After giant barn owls repeatedly brought prey like hutias into the cave, their remains accumulated in silt-rich chambers—creating a strange underground environment. Later, burrowing bees took advantage of the soft sediment and even reused tiny cavities in fossilized jaws and bones as ready-made nests, coating them with a smooth, waterproof lining. Fri, 03 Apr 2026 04:17:20 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/04/260402042748.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/04/260402042731.htm More than 12,000 years ago, Native American hunter-gatherers were already making and using dice—thousands of years before similar tools appeared elsewhere. These bone “binary lots” acted like primitive coins, producing random outcomes for games of chance. A new study shows these weren’t accidental objects but carefully designed tools used across many regions and cultures. Thu, 02 Apr 2026 04:27:31 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/04/260402042731.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/03/260324024245.htm Scientists have uncovered a new species of rhinoceros in the Canadian High Arctic, revealing that rhinos once lived far farther north than expected. The fossil, dating back 23 million years, is unusually complete and has helped reshape ideas about how these animals migrated between continents. Evidence suggests rhinos crossed from Europe to North America more recently than scientists once thought. Tue, 24 Mar 2026 07:13:14 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/03/260324024245.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/03/260311213444.htm Scientists at Curtin University have uncovered a new way to read the deep history of Earth’s landscapes using microscopic zircon crystals from ancient beach sands. These incredibly durable minerals trap traces of krypton gas created when cosmic rays strike them at Earth’s surface, effectively turning each crystal into a “cosmic clock.” By measuring that krypton, researchers can determine how long sediments lingered near the surface before burial, revealing how landscapes eroded, shifted, and stabilized over millions of years. Thu, 12 Mar 2026 01:53:19 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/03/260311213444.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/03/260311004836.htm A long-running debate about the Silverpit Crater beneath the North Sea has finally been resolved. Scientists now confirm it formed when a roughly 160-meter asteroid struck the seabed about 43–46 million years ago. New seismic imaging and rare shocked minerals in rock samples provided the crucial proof. The impact would have sent a massive plume skyward and unleashed a tsunami over 100 meters (330 feet) high. Wed, 11 Mar 2026 01:34:49 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/03/260311004836.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/03/260307213247.htm While exploring ancient seabeds in Morocco, scientists discovered strange wrinkle-like textures in deep-water sediments that shouldn’t have been there. These structures are usually made by sunlight-loving microbial mats in shallow waters. But the rocks formed far below the reach of light, suggesting a different explanation. Evidence points to chemosynthetic microbes—organisms powered by chemical reactions—creating the mats in the dark depths of an ancient ocean. Sun, 08 Mar 2026 17:31:54 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/03/260307213247.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/02/260227071918.htm Scientists at MIT have found compelling chemical evidence that Earth’s earliest animals were likely ancient sea sponges. Hidden inside rocks over 541 million years old are rare molecular “fingerprints” that match compounds made by modern demosponges. After testing rocks, living sponges, and lab-made molecules, researchers confirmed the signals came from life — not geology. The discovery suggests sponges were thriving in the oceans well before most other animal groups appeared. Fri, 27 Feb 2026 09:45:38 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/02/260227071918.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/02/260218031502.htm Deep inside a Romanian ice cave, locked away in a 5,000-year-old layer of ice, scientists have uncovered a bacterium with a startling secret: it’s resistant to many modern antibiotics. Despite predating the antibiotic era, this cold-loving microbe carries more than 100 resistance-related genes and can survive drugs used today to treat serious infections like tuberculosis and UTIs. Sat, 21 Feb 2026 22:38:58 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/02/260218031502.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/02/260212234220.htm A remarkable Roman mosaic found in Rutland turns out to tell a forgotten version of the Trojan War. Rather than Homer’s famous epic, it reflects a lost Greek tragedy by Aeschylus, featuring vivid scenes of Achilles and Hector. Its artistic patterns echo designs from across the ancient Mediterranean, some dating back 800 years before the mosaic was made. The discovery suggests Roman Britain was deeply plugged into the wider classical world. Fri, 13 Feb 2026 03:40:10 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/02/260212234220.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/02/260212025613.htm Long before agriculture, humans were transforming Europe’s wild landscapes. Advanced simulations show that hunting and fire use by Neanderthals and Mesolithic hunter-gatherers reshaped forests and grasslands in measurable ways. By reducing populations of giant herbivores, people indirectly altered how dense vegetation became. The findings challenge the idea that prehistoric Europe was an untouched natural world. Thu, 12 Feb 2026 09:14:45 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/02/260212025613.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/02/260206012221.htm Fossils from a Moroccan cave have been dated with remarkable accuracy to about 773,000 years ago, thanks to a magnetic signature locked into the surrounding sediments. The hominin remains show a blend of ancient and more modern features, placing them near a pivotal branching point in human evolution. These individuals likely represent an African population close to the last common ancestor of Homo sapiens, Neandertals, and Denisovans. Sat, 07 Feb 2026 11:58:14 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/02/260206012221.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/01/260127010151.htm The Ediacara Biota are some of the strangest fossils ever found—soft-bodied organisms preserved in remarkable detail where preservation shouldn’t be possible. Scientists now think their survival in sandstone came from unusual ancient seawater chemistry that created clay “cements” around their bodies after burial. This process captured delicate shapes that would normally vanish. The finding helps clarify how complex life emerged before the Cambrian Explosion. Tue, 27 Jan 2026 03:46:28 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/01/260127010151.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/12/251225080736.htm Scientists are uncovering new clues that a cosmic explosion may have rocked Earth at the end of the last ice age. At major Clovis-era sites, researchers found shocked quartz—evidence of intense heat and pressure consistent with a comet airburst rather than volcanism or human activity. The event could have sparked massive fires, blocked sunlight, and triggered a rapid return to ice-age conditions. These harsh changes may explain the sudden loss of megafauna and the disappearance of the Clovis culture. Thu, 01 Jan 2026 23:12:42 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/12/251225080736.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/12/251221043221.htm Sediments from a Roman latrine at Vindolanda show soldiers were infected with multiple intestinal parasites, including roundworm, whipworm, and Giardia — the first time Giardia has been identified in Roman Britain. These parasites spread through contaminated food and water, causing diarrhea, weakness, and long-term illness. Even with sewers and communal toilets, infections passed easily between soldiers. The discovery highlights how harsh and unhealthy life could be on Rome’s northern frontier. Sun, 21 Dec 2025 08:59:23 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/12/251221043221.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/12/251212022244.htm Fossils from Qatar have revealed a small, newly identified sea cow species that lived in the Arabian Gulf more than 20 million years ago. The site contains the densest known collection of fossil sea cow bones, showing that these animals once thrived in rich seagrass meadows. Their ecological role mirrors that of modern dugongs, which still reshape the Gulf’s seafloor as they graze. The findings may help researchers understand how seagrass ecosystems respond to long-term environmental change. Fri, 12 Dec 2025 02:58:26 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/12/251212022244.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/11/251110021048.htm In Peru’s mysterious Pisco Valley, thousands of perfectly aligned holes known as Monte Sierpe have long puzzled scientists. New drone mapping and microbotanical analysis reveal that these holes may once have served as a bustling pre-Inca barter market—later transformed into an accounting system under the Inca Empire. Mon, 10 Nov 2025 09:46:48 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/11/251110021048.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/10/251026021740.htm New research shows that hippos lived in central Europe tens of thousands of years longer than previously thought. Ancient DNA and radiocarbon dating confirm they survived in Germany’s Upper Rhine Graben during a milder Ice Age phase. Closely related to modern African hippos, they shared the landscape with cold-adapted giants like mammoths. The finding rewrites Ice Age history and suggests regional climates were far more diverse. Sun, 26 Oct 2025 08:29:01 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/10/251026021740.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/10/251026021732.htm Dinosaurs weren’t dying out before the asteroid hit—they were thriving in vibrant, diverse habitats across North America. Fossil evidence from New Mexico shows that distinct “bioprovinces” of dinosaurs existed until the very end. Their extinction was sudden, not gradual, and the recovery of life afterward mirrored climate-driven patterns. It’s a powerful reminder of life’s adaptability and fragility. Sun, 26 Oct 2025 11:05:11 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/10/251026021732.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/10/251010091557.htm Archaeologists in Saudi Arabia discovered over 170 ancient rock engravings that may be among the earliest monumental artworks in the region. Created between 12,800 and 11,400 years ago, the massive figures were carved when water and life returned to the desert. The art likely marked territories and migration routes, revealing social and symbolic sophistication. Artifacts found nearby show early Arabian peoples connected to distant Neolithic communities. Fri, 10 Oct 2025 09:15:57 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/10/251010091557.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/09/250911073141.htm Dating dinosaur eggs has always been tricky because traditional methods rely on surrounding rocks or minerals that may have shifted over time. Now, for the first time, scientists have directly dated dinosaur eggs by firing lasers at tiny eggshell fragments. The technique revealed that fossils in central China are about 85 million years old, placing them in the late Cretaceous period. This breakthrough not only sharpens our timeline of dinosaur history but also offers fresh clues about ancient populations and the climate they lived in. Thu, 11 Sep 2025 20:14:29 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/09/250911073141.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/08/250821094506.htm In the deserts of Ethiopia, scientists uncovered fossils showing that early members of our genus Homo lived side by side with a newly identified species of Australopithecus nearly three million years ago. These finds challenge the old idea of a straight evolutionary ladder, revealing instead a tangled web of ancient relatives. Thu, 21 Aug 2025 21:33:39 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/08/250821094506.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/08/250814094654.htm Chemical evidence from a stalagmite in Mexico has revealed that the Classic Maya civilization’s decline coincided with repeated severe wet-season droughts, including one that lasted 13 years. These prolonged droughts corresponded with halted monument construction and political disruption at key Maya sites, suggesting that climate stress played a major role in the collapse. The findings demonstrate how stalagmites offer unmatched precision for linking environmental change to historical events. Sat, 16 Aug 2025 00:44:53 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/08/250814094654.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/07/250708045700.htm In the remote reaches of Arizona s Petrified Forest National Park, scientists have unearthed North America's oldest known pterosaur a small, gull-sized flier that once soared above Triassic ecosystems. This exciting find, alongside ancient turtles and armored amphibians, sheds light on a key moment in Earth's history when older animal groups overlapped with evolutionary newcomers. The remarkably preserved fossils, including over 1,200 specimens, offer a rare glimpse into a vibrant world just before a mass extinction reshaped life on Earth. Tue, 08 Jul 2025 04:57:00 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/07/250708045700.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/07/250702214202.htm When Siberian volcanoes kicked off the Great Dying, the real climate villain turned out to be the rainforests themselves: once they collapsed, Earth’s biggest carbon sponge vanished, CO₂ rocketed, and a five-million-year heatwave followed. Fossils from China and clever climate models now link that botanical wipe-out to runaway warming, hinting that losing today’s tropical forests could lock us in a furnace we can’t easily cool. Thu, 03 Jul 2025 09:07:42 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/07/250702214202.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/06/250607231844.htm In the dense forests of Michigan s Upper Peninsula, archaeologists have uncovered a massive ancient agricultural system that rewrites what we thought we knew about Native American farming. Dating back as far as the 10th century, the raised ridged fields built by the ancestors of the Menominee Indian Tribe covered a vast area and were used for cultivating staple crops like corn and squash. Using drone-mounted lidar and excavations, researchers found evidence of a complex and labor-intensive system, defying the stereotype that small, egalitarian societies lacked such agricultural sophistication. Alongside farming ridges, they also discovered burial mounds, dance rings, and possible colonial-era foundations, hinting at a once-thriving cultural landscape previously obscured by forest. Sat, 07 Jun 2025 23:18:44 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/06/250607231844.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/06/250603115018.htm Collapse of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet could be triggered with very little ocean warming above present-day, leading to a devastating four meters of global sea level rise to play out over hundreds of years according to a new study. However, the authors emphasize that immediate actions to reduce emissions could still avoid a catastrophic outcome. Tue, 03 Jun 2025 11:50:18 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/06/250603115018.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/06/250602155513.htm New research adds to our understanding of how rapidly rising sea levels due to climate change foreshadow the end of the Great Barrier Reef as we know it. The findings suggest the reef can withstand rising sea levels in isolation but is vulnerable to associated environmental stressors arising from global climate change. Mon, 02 Jun 2025 15:55:13 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/06/250602155513.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250529194648.htm The fossils of ancient salamander-like creatures in Scotland are among the most well-preserved examples of early stem tetrapods -- some of the first animals to make the transition from water to land. Thanks to new research, scientists believe that these creatures are 14 million years older than previously thought. The new age -- dating back to 346 million years ago -- adds to the significance of the find because it places the specimens in a mysterious hole in the fossil record called Romer's Gap. Thu, 29 May 2025 19:46:48 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250529194648.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250529140125.htm A new study reveals that the aerobic nitrogen cycle in the ocean may have occurred about 100 million years before oxygen began to significantly accumulate in the atmosphere, based on nitrogen isotope analysis from ancient South African rock cores. These findings not only refine the timeline of Earth's oxygenation but also highlight a critical evolutionary shift, where life began adapting to oxygen-rich conditions -- paving the way for the emergence of complex, multicellular organisms like humans. Thu, 29 May 2025 14:01:25 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250529140125.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250522162538.htm Scientists have analyzed ancient DNA and compared more than 400 fossils from 17 natural history museums to figure out how and why extinct sloths got so big. Thu, 22 May 2025 16:25:38 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250522162538.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250522133522.htm Deep beneath our feet, the Earth holds a hidden treasure trove of gold and rare metals more than 99.999% of it locked away in the planet s core. But a surprising new discovery in Hawaiian lava is shaking up what scientists thought they knew. Researchers have found traces of the metal ruthenium with a rare isotope signature that points directly to the core, suggesting that precious metals are leaking upward through the mantle. This breakthrough opens a tantalizing window into the dynamic, molten processes at Earth s center and might just change how we understand the planet s inner workings. Thu, 26 Jun 2025 10:40:37 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250522133522.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250522125530.htm New research examining 11,700 years of bowhead whale persistence throughout the Arctic projects that sea ice loss due to climate change will cause their habitat to severely contract by up to 75 per cent. Thu, 22 May 2025 12:55:30 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250522125530.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250516134410.htm New research from an international group looking at ancient sediment cores in the North Atlantic has for the first time shown a strong correlation between sediment changes and a marked period of global cooling that occurred in the Northern Hemisphere some 3.6 million years ago. The changes in sediments imply profound changes in the circulation of deep water currents occurred at this time. This crucial piece of work, which showed sediments changed in multiple sites east of the mid-Atlantic ridge but not west of that important geographical feature, opens multiple doors to future research aimed at better understanding the link between deep water currents, Atlantic Ocean heat and salt distribution and ice-sheet expansion, and climatic change. Fri, 16 May 2025 13:44:10 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250516134410.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250515131745.htm A new study shows that seagrass ecosystems along the northern half of Florida's Gulf Coast have remained relatively healthy and undisturbed for the last several thousand years. Thu, 15 May 2025 13:17:45 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250515131745.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250514150149.htm Using advanced technology that analyzes tiny gas bubbles trapped in crystal, a team of scientists has precisely mapped how magma storage evolves as Hawaiian volcanoes age. Wed, 14 May 2025 15:01:49 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250514150149.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250512153825.htm Originally from South America, the charismatic tegu made its way to the United States via the pet trade of the 1990s. But a recent discovery shows these reptiles are no strangers to the region -- tegus were here millions of years before their modern relatives arrived in pet carriers. Mon, 12 May 2025 15:38:25 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250512153825.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250505204924.htm Hydrologists show most streamflow out of the West's mountains is old snowmelt on a multi-year underground journey. New study finds that spring runoff is on average 5 years old. Mon, 05 May 2025 20:49:24 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250505204924.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250502133938.htm The highest trophic niches in Mesozoic oceans were filled by diverse marine reptiles, including ichthyosaurians, plesiosaurians, and thalattosuchians, dominating food webs during the Jurassic and Early Cretaceous. Yet during the mid-Cretaceous, ichthyosaurs, thalattosuchians, and pliosaurids vanished, replaced by mosasaurs, xenopsarian plesiosaurians, and new groups like sharks, fish, turtles, and birds. This shift restructured marine ecosystems. Fri, 02 May 2025 13:39:38 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250502133938.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/04/250430142248.htm The very first cells obtained their energy from geochemical reactions. Researchers have now managed to recreate this ancient metabolic process in their laboratory. Wed, 30 Apr 2025 14:22:48 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/04/250430142248.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/04/250428220444.htm Scientists have collaborated to analyze the inner workings of Bolivia's 'zombie' volcano, Uturuncu. By combining seismology, physics models and analysis of rock composition, researchers identify the causes of Uturuncu's unrest, alleviating fears of an imminent eruption. Mon, 28 Apr 2025 22:04:44 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/04/250428220444.htm