All articles tagged with #gondwana
Canada’s RADARSAT satellite surfaced a buried, 34-million-year-old landscape under East Antarctica’s ice, including an ancient riverbed and forested terrain preserved before glaciation, offering new clues on Earth’s past climates and how ice sheets may respond to warming and sea‑level rise.
The discovery of the fossil Telmatomyia talbragarica in Australia challenges previous beliefs that certain freshwater midges originated in Laurasia, suggesting instead a Gondwanan origin and providing new insights into insect evolution and the breakup of Gondwana.
A new filter-feeding pterosaur species, Bakiribu waridza, has been discovered in the Santana Group of Northeast Brazil, representing the first archaeopterodactyloid from this formation and providing insights into the evolution and paleobiogeography of ctenochasmatids in Gondwana. The specimen, preserved as a regurgitalite, exhibits unique dental features, including dense, elongated, and subquadrangular teeth, and suggests a complex trophic interaction involving likely predation by spinosaurid dinosaurs.
Scientists discovered 112-million-year-old amber in Ecuador containing well-preserved insects and plant fossils, offering new insights into the prehistoric ecosystems of Gondwana and filling a significant gap in Southern Hemisphere paleontology.
Scientists discovered 112-million-year-old insects and plant material preserved in amber from Ecuador, providing valuable insights into Gondwana's Cretaceous ecosystem and the biodiversity of the southern Hemisphere during that period.
Fossilized dinosaur footprints found in Cameroon and Brazil, dating to about 120 million years ago, reveal a once-connected land corridor across the Atlantic, providing new insights into dinosaur migration and the breakup of Gondwana.
Geologists have completed mapping Zealandia, a submerged landmass considered Earth's eighth continent, covering nearly two million square miles. The research involved analyzing rock samples from North Zealandia, revealing its geological history tied to the ancient supercontinent Gondwana. Despite being mostly underwater, Zealandia's mapping highlights its significance as a geological entity.
New research suggests that a major extinction event 513 million years ago, known as the Sinsk event, was triggered by tectonic activity around the supercontinent Gondwana, causing the drowning of ancient reefs and altering the oceans. The study, led by sedimentologist Paul Myrow, found links between rock layers in Antarctica and Australia, indicating similar geological dynamics at the time of the extinction. The uplift of mountains and the release of greenhouse gases from large igneous provinces led to a decrease in ocean circulation, resulting in the death of many organisms. This sheds light on the role of tectonics in driving mass die-offs and provides insights into potential parallels with modern climate change.
Ten newly discovered species of trilobites, ancient arthropods that lived nearly 490 million years ago, may hold the key to understanding Thailand's position on the former supercontinent Gondwana. The trilobite fossils, found in tuffs containing zircon crystals, can be used to determine the age of the fossils and the eruption that formed the tuffs. This discovery not only helps date the fossils in Thailand but also provides insights into other parts of the world, such as China and Australia, where similar fossils have been found. The findings contribute to unraveling the complex puzzle of ancient geography and offer valuable information for understanding our planet's history.
Fossils of 490-million-year-old trilobites discovered in Thailand's Ko Tarutao region could provide insights into the ancient supercontinent of Gondwana. The fossils were found in a layer of volcanic rock called tuff, which contained zircon crystals that allowed researchers to date the eruption and the trilobites. The discovery of 10 new trilobite species and their correlation with other regions could shed light on the geological history of Gondwana. This finding may also help in dating similar fossils in other parts of the world and provide valuable information for understanding evolutionary change and extinctions.
Researchers have discovered the oldest bird footprints ever found in the Southern Hemisphere in Wonthaggi, Australia, dating back to around 120 million years ago. The tracks provide evidence that birds once lived in the southern polar regions of the supercontinent Gondwana. The findings shed light on how early birds dispersed across landmasses and biomes, suggesting that they may have migrated seasonally to and from other environments. The discovery of these tracks may inspire further exploration for evidence of Cretaceous birds in the Southern Hemisphere.
Geologists from Utrecht University have located the long-lost continent of Argoland, which broke off from western Australia and drifted to sea 155 million years ago. The continent, once part of the supercontinent Gondwana, has since broken into several shards and is now located beneath the jungles of Indonesia and Myanmar. The discovery of Argoland, similar to the rediscovery of Greater Adria in 2019, provides valuable insights into Earth science and helps understand processes such as the evolution of biodiversity, climate, mountain formation, and plate tectonics.
Geoscientists have discovered Zealandia, a continent that had been hidden for 375 years. Zealandia, also known as Te Riu-a-Māui, is approximately 1.89 million square miles in size and was part of the supercontinent Gondwana. It was first mentioned in 1642 by Dutch sailor Abel Tasman, but its existence was confirmed in 2017. Most of Zealandia is underwater, and it has only three territories. The discovery of Zealandia serves as an example of how something "very obvious" can take a long time to uncover.
A lost continent called Argoland, which split away from Australia and drifted apart 150 million years ago, has been discovered in Southeast Asia. Argoland was part of the ancient supercontinent Gondwana, which disintegrated and gave rise to the modern continents we know today. While other landmasses linked with Gondwana were relatively easy to locate, Argoland proved to be exceptionally difficult to find.
Paleontologists have discovered the oldest known samples of brittle stars from the supercontinent Gondwana at a dig site in South Africa. The samples, found in near-perfect condition, include a new species named Krommaster spinosus. These molds, approximately 410 million years old, provide valuable insights into the diversification of brittle stars and their historical coexistence with modern species. The findings expand our understanding of ancient marine ecosystems and the evolution of marine life on Gondwana.