All articles tagged with #miocene
Brazilian researchers identified a new tektite field, geraisites, from a 6.3-million-year-old meteor impact that spread tektites over roughly 900 km in Minas Gerais and neighboring states; analyses of silica content, low water, lechatelierite inclusions, and argon-argon dating place the event in the late Miocene, with a buried São Francisco Craton crater likely as the source.
Brazilian researchers have identified the country’s first tektite field, Geraisites, a collection of glassy fragments spread across Minas Gerais and adjacent states that indicate a substantial ancient impact. Dating with 40Ar/39Ar places the event at about 6.3 million years ago, during the Miocene, with isotopic signatures pointing to a very old continental crust source in the São Francisco craton. The field now spans over 900 km, and while no crater is yet known, the data imply a powerful impact with dispersed molten material; researchers plan aerogeophysical surveys and modeling to estimate the event’s energy, velocity, and crater geometry. This discovery expands South America’s sparse tektite record and suggests tektites may be more common than previously thought.
Scientists in Peru's Pisco Basin unearthed a remarkably well-preserved near-complete skeleton of Cosmopolitodus hastalis, an ancient relative of the great white shark. Dated to about 9 million years ago, the specimen includes a full jaw with serrated teeth and even preserved stomach contents—sardines—offering rare insight into late Miocene marine ecosystems and early apex-predator lifestyles.
An 11–16 million-year-old ferricrete deposit at McGraths Flat in New South Wales preserves exceptionally detailed terrestrial fossils in goethite, challenging the notion that such exceptional preservation only occurs in shale or sandstone and offering a new pathway to locate iron-based fossil beds.
A study reveals that anacondas have maintained an average length of 13-16 feet for the past 12 million years, indicating their size has remained remarkably constant since the Miocene epoch, despite environmental changes and other species going extinct.
Scientists discovered fossils of giant anacondas in Venezuela, revealing they reached about 5.2 meters in length around 12.4 million years ago, and surprisingly, their size has remained unchanged since then, despite climate changes and other reptiles evolving differently. The findings shed light on the evolution and persistence of these massive snakes in South America.
Scientists have discovered the oldest directly dated ice in Antarctica, dating back 6 million years to the Miocene era, providing valuable insights into Earth's ancient climate and atmospheric conditions, which can help understand natural climate drivers and the impact of human-induced warming.
Scientists discovered ancient geological deposits in Greenland's caves indicating the Arctic was once much warmer and wetter, with climate shifts occurring rapidly in response to CO₂ levels, serving as a warning for current climate change impacts.
A 15-million-year-old fish fossil with its last meal still intact was discovered in Australia, providing unprecedented insights into ancient ecosystems, fish behavior, and the role of iron in fossil preservation.
Scientists discovered a 14.6-million-year-old bee fossil in New Zealand, providing rare insight into the region's ancient pollinators and raising questions about the evolutionary history and diversification of bees in Zealandia.
Scientists discovered a 14.6-million-year-old bee fossil in New Zealand that challenges existing theories about bee migration and evolution, suggesting earlier and possibly multiple arrivals of bees to the region, and providing new insights into ancient pollination and landmass changes.
Researchers in New Zealand have discovered exceptionally well-preserved fossilized whiteflies from the Miocene period in a lake near Dunedin. These tiny insects, found attached to a fossilized leaf, offer a rare glimpse into the ancient biodiversity of the South Pacific. The discovery is significant as it represents the first of its kind in New Zealand and only the third globally, highlighting the importance of insects in understanding ancient ecosystems.
Researchers have discovered a new prehistoric dolphin species, Romaleodelphis pollerspoecki, from 22 million years ago in present-day Austria. This species, identified from a fossil skull, shows early evidence of echolocation abilities similar to modern dolphins. The discovery provides insights into the evolution of toothed whales and their auditory capabilities. The study, published in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, highlights the dolphin's advanced hearing, which may have aided in communication and predator evasion.
Scientists have discovered a fossilized giant trapdoor spider, named Megamonodontium mccluskyi, in New South Wales, Australia, marking only the fourth spider fossil found on the continent. This Miocene-era spider, five times larger than its modern relatives, provides insights into the region's past rainforest climate and the evolutionary history of spiders. The discovery, published in the Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, highlights the spider's significance as the first fossil of the Barychelidae family found worldwide, offering clues about past environmental conditions and potential climate change impacts.
Scientists have discovered a fossilized giant trapdoor spider, named Megamonodontium mccluskyi, in New South Wales, Australia, which is five times larger than its modern relatives. This rare find, only the fourth spider fossil in Australia, provides insights into the evolutionary history and past climate of the region, indicating it was once a lush rainforest. The discovery, published in the Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, highlights the spider's significance as the first fossil of the Barychelidae family found worldwide.