Scientists from China, Germany and the UK led by Prof. LIU Feng from the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (NIGPAS) have revealed that pollen preserved in 250-million-year-old rocks contains abundant compounds that function like sunscreen but are produced by plants to protect themselves from harmful ultraviolet (UV-B) radiation.
Acoustic communication has played a key role in the evolution of animals especially vertebrates and insects, ranging from mating to warning calls and even social learning. The reconstruction of ancient acoustic signals is challenging, however, due to the extreme rarity of fossilized organs.
Chinese researchers have unveiled the earliest flower bud fossil from the Early Cretaceous (1.25 million years ago), which was found in the Yixian Formation of Lingyuan City, Northeast China's Liaoning Province, according to Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology on Monday.
An international research team led by Dr. ZHANG Huaqiao from the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (NIGPAS) has used hundreds of new fossil specimens to clarify the anatomy and evolutionary affinity of Saccorhytus, originally thought to be a deuterostome.
Western Sichuan Basin . Scale bar = 20 μ m . ？ Fig . 2 Carnian palynofloral composition revealing paleoclimatic setting in Jiangyou area ？ Fig . 3 Correlation of the carbon-isotope records and palaeoclimate proxies between eastern and western Tethys during the mid-Carnian .H/X ratio : hygrophyte/xerophyte ratio . ？ Contact : LIU Yun , PropagandistEmail : yunliu @ nigpas . ac . cnNanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology , Chinese Academy of SciencesNanjing , Jiangsu 210008 , China.
Triprojectacites is an extinct fossil pollen group characterized by three projections at the equator, which mainly thrived during the Late Cretaceous. The Northern Hemisphere palynofloras during the Late Cretaceous can be divided into a Normapolles province and an Aquilapollenites province, the latter of which is represented by the existence of Triprojectacites.
The reconstructed complex ecosystem based on the present Liexi fauna provides new evidence for the significant biotic turnover from Cambrian to the Palaeozoic evolutionary faunas, by showing a mixture of Cambrian relics, and the Ordovician new arrivals.
The so-called Triassic-Jurassic Extinction(~202millionyearsago) killed off the big reptiles that up until then had ruled the planet, thus clearing the way for dinosaurs to take over. But why did dinosaurs thrive when other creatures died?
What would happen in the near future with continued global warming? What environmental conditions would the life on Earth most likely confront? The episodes of climate changes in the Earth’s deep past, similar to the current global warming, may provide valuable clues to these questions.
Assembly of Gondwana commenced in the Neoproterozoic with final disassembly of the supercontinent completed by the Cretaceous. The configuration of major continental blocks (e.g., India, Australia, East Antarctica, and Africa) of Gondwana has been well reconstructed. However, paleopositions of some small continental fragments along the periphery of Gondwana are still in controversy.
【EurekAlert】 Fossil pollen 'sunscreen' proves role of ozone depletion in largest mass extinctionScientists from China, Germany and the UK led by Prof. LIU Feng from the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (NIGPAS) have revealed that pollen preserved in 250-million-year-old rocks contains abundant compounds that function like sunscreen but are produced by plants to protect themselves from harmful ultraviolet (UV-B) radiation.2023-01-09
【EurekAlert】 Study of fossil katydids provides new insights on evolution of Mesozoic soundscapeAcoustic communication has played a key role in the evolution of animals especially vertebrates and insects, ranging from mating to warning calls and even social learning. The reconstruction of ancient acoustic signals is challenging, however, due to the extreme rarity of fossilized organs.2022-12-22
Earliest flower bud fossil from 1.25 million years ago discovered in ChinaChinese researchers have unveiled the earliest flower bud fossil from the Early Cretaceous (1.25 million years ago), which was found in the Yixian Formation of Lingyuan City, Northeast China's Liaoning Province, according to Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology on Monday.2022-11-23
【EurekAlert】New evidence proves saccorhytus is ecdysozoanAn international research team led by Dr. ZHANG Huaqiao from the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (NIGPAS) has used hundreds of new fossil specimens to clarify the anatomy and evolutionary affinity of Saccorhytus, originally thought to be a deuterostome.2022-08-18
First palynological record of Carnian Pluvial Episode from South ChinaWestern Sichuan Basin . Scale bar = 20 μ m . ？ Fig . 2 Carnian palynofloral composition revealing paleoclimatic setting in Jiangyou area ？ Fig . 3 Correlation of the carbon-isotope records and palaeoclimate proxies between eastern and western Tethys during the mid-Carnian .H/X ratio : hygrophyte/xerophyte ratio . ？ Contact : LIU Yun , PropagandistEmail : yunliu @ nigpas . ac . cnNanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology , Chinese Academy of SciencesNanjing , Jiangsu 210008 , China.2022-07-18
Comprehensive progress has been made on the Late Cretaceouspollen group of TriprojectacitesTriprojectacites is an extinct fossil pollen group characterized by three projections at the equator, which mainly thrived during the Late Cretaceous. The Northern Hemisphere palynofloras during the Late Cretaceous can be divided into a Normapolles province and an Aquilapollenites province, the latter of which is represented by the existence of Triprojectacites.2022-07-15
A new Early Ordovician Lagerst？tte reveals the early stage of the Great Ordovician Biodiversification EventThe reconstructed complex ecosystem based on the present Liexi fauna provides new evidence for the significant biotic turnover from Cambrian to the Palaeozoic evolutionary faunas, by showing a mixture of Cambrian relics, and the Ordovician new arrivals.2022-07-14
Feathery Insulation Helped Dinosaurs Survive and Thrive: StudyThe so-called Triassic-Jurassic Extinction(~202millionyearsago) killed off the big reptiles that up until then had ruled the planet, thus clearing the way for dinosaurs to take over. But why did dinosaurs thrive when other creatures died?2022-07-11
Massive carbon emission caused marine anoxia and biodiversity loss 300 million years agoWhat would happen in the near future with continued global warming? What environmental conditions would the life on Earth most likely confront? The episodes of climate changes in the Earth’s deep past, similar to the current global warming, may provide valuable clues to these questions.2022-05-05
Paleogeographic framework of northeastern Gondwana in the late PaleozoicAssembly of Gondwana commenced in the Neoproterozoic with final disassembly of the supercontinent completed by the Cretaceous. The configuration of major continental blocks (e.g., India, Australia, East Antarctica, and Africa) of Gondwana has been well reconstructed. However, paleopositions of some small continental fragments along the periphery of Gondwana are still in controversy.2022-04-18