A new study challenges the view that ammonites declined before their extinction 66 million years ago, showing instead that they remained globally diverse and robust. The research highlights that their extinction was influenced by a range of geographic and environmental factors, rather than an inevitable outcome. Ammonites bask in the Late Cretaceous sun. Credit: Artwork … Read more
A quarry with bands of layered limestone from the ancient seabed in what is now Mercato San Severino, Italy. Credit: Mariano RemÃrez, George Mason University Approximately 183 million years ago, during the Toarcian Oceanic Anoxic Event (T-OAE), volcanic eruptions in what is now South Africa released approximately 20,500 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the … Read more
A special high-speed winch that the researchers used to quickly raise and lower instruments to track the movements of the dye underwater. Credit: San Nguyen Until now, no large-scale ocean circulation in which deep water rises to the surface had ever been observed. For the first time, researchers from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at … Read more
Researchers have used a detailed global dataset of foraminifera fossils to study shifts in marine community structures before mass extinctions, providing an early warning system for future biodiversity losses due to climate change. Led by Anshuman Swain and Adam Woodhouse, the study highlights the importance of monitoring ecological changes to predict future extinctions, potentially shaping … Read more
New research has found that shipworms digest wood using symbiotic microbes in their guts, a discovery that overturns previous insights and has significant implications for biotechnology and environmental modeling. A cross-section of Belfast dock pilings, riddled with shipwormholes. Credit: Barry Goodell Unlocking the secrets of the world’s most fascinating and destructive mollusk could impact everything … Read more
Sea anemones catch small animals floating along the bottom. This species belongs to the order Actiniaria. Credit: SMARTEX/NHM/NOC Transparent sea cucumbers, pink sea pigs and bowl-shaped sponges are some of the fascinating animals discovered during a deep-sea expedition to the Pacific Ocean’s Abyssal Plains. A 45-day research expedition to the Clarion Clipperton Zone between Mexico … Read more