Scientists announce the discovery of the largest dinosaur in Brazil

Brazilian scientists announced the discovery of a dinosaur with a length of 25 meters, the largest ever found in the country.

The dinosaur named Austroposeidon magnificus it entered the group of titanosaurs, herbivorous dinosaur whose body is well developed with a long neck and tail, as well as the skull is relatively small, according to scientists at the Earth Sciences Museum in Rio de Janeiro.

(Image for pictorial representation). Some of the largest dinosaurs lived in Brazil! (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1eiS1g)

These dinosaurs are believed to have lived in the Cretaceous period (145-66 million years ago) in what is now part of South America, Africa, Antarctica and Oceania.

Photo taken on Oct. 5, 2016 shows fossils of a dinosaur named "Austroposeidon Magnificus" in the Museum of Earth Sciences in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1eiSBf)

The fossil of vertebrate dinosaur was discovered in 1950 by Brazilian paleontologist Llewellyn Ivor Price, who died in 1980 with no recognition of his discovery.

Vertebrae of the ‘Austroposeidon magnificus’ dinosaur are displayed at the Earth Sciences Museum, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1eiS1g)

Since then, the fossil has been analyzed and studied until the recent discovery announced on Wednesday, October 5, 2016 according to News China, Thursday, October 6, 2016.. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | XINHUA.NET | THE GUARDIAN]

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A new mysterious ancient shark of Megalodon relatives found

Recently, the researchers have revealed the existence of an ancient predator who used to swim in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans some 20 million years ago. The existence of the ancient predators which are the relatives of Megalodon (ancestor of the great white shark) is revealed through the discovery of fossilized teeth.

Megalodon, the relatives of a newly discovered ancient sharks species named Megalolamna paradoxodon. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1eeSUO)

The newly discovered species was named 'Megalolamna paradoxodon.' And the name of "paradoxodon" refers to the fact that the car-sized shark appeared so suddenly in the geological record after appearing separately by the nearest relative, Otodus, about 45 million years ago.

"When I first saw, the teeth of Megalolamna paradoxodon like a giant tooth of the genus Lamna," said Kenshu Shimada of DePaul University of Chicago who discovered it, as quoted of Science Alert on Tuesday, October 4, 2016.

"Even so these fossilized teeth were too strong for the Lamna. So we decided this is a new species that is not related to Lamna. In fact, the teeth features reminiscent of the genus Otodus," he added.

Distribution map of Megalolamna paradoxodon. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1eeSUO)

So far, only five teeth with a length of 5 cm have been found in several areas such as California, North Carolina, Japan and Peru. This research has been published in the journal Historical Biology.

Based on the fossil findings, researchers estimate that this new type of shark grows to about 3.7 meters, more smaller than its sibling Megalodon which can grow to 18 meters. However, the species is still large enough to prey on medium-sized fish. Their teeth are also strong enough to grip and slicing prey.

"These facts were interesting, the sharks are spread geographically unknown until today, shows how little we know about the knowledge of ancient marine ecosystems," said Shimada.

Another interesting thing, these close relative of Megalodon shark has a bite is more powerful than T-rex and has been swimming across most of the globe around 20 million years ago. Even more mysteriously, until now the scientists did not know the causes of extinction of these sharks. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | SCIENCE ALERT]

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Fossil of the biggest dinosaurs footprints was found in Gobi desert

Recently, the scientists have discovered one of the biggest dinosaur footprints in Gobi Desert, Mongolia, which has an estimated age of 70 million years. According to scientists from Okayama University of Science, the large footprint that has a length of 106 cm and a width of 77 cm offers new clues about the giant creature that roamed in the Earth millions of years ago.

Professor Shinobu Ishigaki lying next to a dinosaur footprint in the Mongolian Gobi Desert. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1eYlKs)

As quoted of The Telegraph on Tuesday, October 4, 2016, those fossil of large footprints excavated in August through a joint expedition between Mongolia and Japan in a mantle layer formed between 70 to 90 million years ago in the late Cretaceous Period. The fossil was formed naturally, in which the sand flows into the muddy soil basin due to the gigantic creatures stomping.

"This is a very rare discovery, as well as these footprints fossils preserved well, has a length of one meter with traces of claws," said the statement issued by Okayama University of Science.

A drawing illustrating the dinosaur that may have left a footprint in Mongolia's Gobi Desert. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1eYlKs)

According Shinobu Ishigaki, a professor of Okayama University of Science and Japanese research team leader, these footprints believed to belong to titanosaurs, a group of sauropods, long-necked herbivores that lived during the late Cretaceous Period. Those giant creature could have more than 20 meters high and 30 meters long. "A dinosaur fossil is expected later will be found," said Professor Ishigaki.

"The footprints are proof that dinosaurs lived. There is a lot of information that can be obtained from the footprints, including the shape of the dinosaur foot and the way they walked," said Masateru Shibata, a researcher of Dinosaur Research Institute at Fukui Prefectural University.

Titanosaurs the most gigantic and diverse herbivorous in the southern continents during the final 30 million years of the Mesozoic Era. According to the scientists, titanosaurs species has many varieties, from which weighs like a cow until the sperm whale. Some of them are also considered as the largest land animals ever discovered.

One of the paleontologists lies next to the femur of sauropod discovered in Argentina in 2014. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1eYlKs)

For example, the remains of a giant Titanosaurus found in southern Patagonia, Argentina in 2014. And according to the paleontologists, these species named Dreadnoughtus schrani was the largest dinosaur that ever lived on the Earth. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | THE TELEGRAPH]

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This is the most similar to the original face of Dinosaur

The cooperation of a paleontologist Jacob Vinther and palaeoartist Bob Nichols yielded the spectacular results, ie the most accurate dinosaur reconstruction that ever existed. The shape of these dinosaurs are not stereotypes, not at all large and fierce. 

The dinosaur has similar size with a golden retriever and its face was funny. The dinosaur head resembles a shoebox. His eyes were large and flat above his head. The horns is not coming from the top, but from the cheeks.

Reconstruction of the dinosaur Psittacosaurus, by palaeoartist Robert Nicholls. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1e6rKI)

These cute dinosaur was a Psittacosaurus, and the dinosaur fossil was discovered by Vinther and his colleagues in China in 2012. The success of scientists made the most accurate reconstruction of the dinosaur was not separated from the fossil preserved very well.

It was so good, so that the skin pigment is still there. Its cloaca, a multifunctional hole for passing urine, feces, and reproductive tracts are still preserved well. To reconstruct, Vinther initially studied the pigmentation on fossil named Jehol Biota are now stored in Senckenberg Museum, Frankfurt.

The most accurate reconstruction yet made of a dinosaur. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1e6rKI)

He fired a laser beam to the fossil. By that way, he reveals there are the melanosoma pigment. Furthermore, he also mapped the color patterns from one body part to another. Once completed the analysis of color and body, then Nichols taking a role. For three months, he made a reconstruction based on research conducted by Vinther.

By his knowledge, Nichols who had taken part in many reconstruction of extinct species mentioned that the results of the Psittacosaurus reconstruction is the most accurate dinosaur reconstruction ever made.

Senckenberg Psittacosaur, showing exquisite preservation of skin pigments. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1e6rKI)

"The most surprising character is the head of a large and wide, highly pigmented scales on the shoulder, solid locomotor, flap of skin on the back foot, and pigmented cloaca," said Nichols.

"When the anatomy was surprised me, it was confirmed that I followed the fossil evidence than wishful thinking of my own," he said as quoted by The Guardian, on Thursday, September 15, 2016.

Psittacosaurus reconstructed in its probable Cretaceous forested habitat. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1e6rKI)

Meanwhile, Vinther revealed that besides of the accurate reconstruction, this dinosaur gives clues about the ability of camouflage. "This dinosaur was unique. We can see clearly that there is a pattern of colors, patterns of lines, or spots," he said as quoted by National Geographic, on Thursday.

Psittacosaurus backs are dark brown, while the belly is more lighter. The color gradation helped to protect themselves from predators. The pattern of lines on the feet to help protect themselves from insects. Vinther said, gradation and color pattern is a form of camouflage. It was first found in dinosaurs. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | THE GUARDIAN]

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The figure of King Tut was not as beautiful as his treasures

The golden mask of King Tutankhamun
stored in the Egyptian Museum.
(Picture from: http://adf.ly/1dy8XY)

Behind the beautiful gold mask which covered the Tutankhamun, there are the face and body of the young pharaoh. It's shocking indeed, King Tut has the crooked legs, slightly forward teeth, and hips like a woman. The sightings of these figure are the result of visual autopsy performed by using the CT Scan 2000.

From the BBC's documentary film, the three dimentions model that appear quite staggering, and become the bright spot of the young pharaoh's death at the age of 19 years. Where in previous theory, indicated that King Tut probably died as a result of the chariot incident. But virtual reconstruction shows different scenarios.

"It is important to look at his ability to drive a chariot and we conclude it was impossible that's killed him, especially made his legs bandy, until finally he was not able to stand perfectly," said Albert Zink, head of the Institute for Mummies and Iceman in Italy.

No pretty boy... An earlier reconstruction of Tutankhamun’s face. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1dy8y9)

According to Ashraf Selim, an Egyptian radiologist, King Tut has a deadly bones disease during his adolescence, causing extreme pain. About 130 rod buffer to walk was found around the King Tut treasure which supporting the theory that the young pharaoh was relying on his cane to walk.

King Tut unmasked ... His misshapen features were the result of his father, King Akhenaten, and his unidentified mother being siblings. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1dy8y9)

And Zink believes the pharaoh's death is due to his frail body as a result of incestuous marriages were performed by his parents.

In 2010, an international genetic research resulted in the discovery of five generations, including Tutankhamun therein. In the study, the mummy known as KV55 and KV35YL, identified as the siblings, and is also known as King Tut's parents.

The true form of Egypt’s famous young pharaoh, according to a new documentary.. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1dy8y9)

The study confirms that the young pharaoh has disabilities legs (above the knee) and also suffering from malaria before he died. "It's hard to say that malaria becomes a serious factor which led to his death," said Zink.

These young pharaoh has long been a puzzle for scientists since his tomb and treasures found on November 22, 1922 by British archaeologist Howard Carter.

As the last male of his family, his death will be the end of the 18th dynasty, which is the most powerful generation in the ancient Egyptian royal family. It also enables one way for the military to power in Egypt at that time. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | NEWS.COM.AU]

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Storr Loch, the sea monsters from the Jurassic era

The team of scientists have uncovered the reptile fossil which have a length of almost four meters that once inhabited the oceans some 170 million years ago. The fossil, dubbed the Storr Lochs Monster, an almost intact Ichthyosaur skeleton.

Ichthyosaur are a family of marine extinct reptiles that lived in the Jurasic era. Such creatures like dolphins at that time; fast swimmers with a narrow snout and long, as well as the perfect cone-shaped teeth for eating fish and squid. Storr Lochs is the most complete specimens of marine reptile fossils that found in Scotland from the Jurasic era. For decades, the skeleton preserved in very hard rock.

Artist's rendering of Storr Lochs Monster, an ancient reptile which have a length of almost four meters that once inhabited the oceans some 170 million years ago. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1dwy07)

"Although some people think that there are sea monsters that are still alive in the lake up to now, there are actually a sea monster who lived here more than a hundred million years ago," said Stephen Brusatte, principal investigator of the University of Edinburgh who analyzed the fossils.

The fossil was discovered by amateur fossil collector, Norrie Gillies in the summer of 1966 on the island of Skye, Scotland. Then, he contacted the Royal Scottish Museum, which immediately sent a team of investigators a few weeks later to make sure and remove the fossil.

One researcher, Nigel Larkin was preparing the fossil before shown to the public. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1dwyC7)

For decades, Gillies who works as a manager at the SEE energy company, kept in touch with the museum to know the progress of fossils. But until he died in 2011 at the age of 93 years, the specimen was still not successfully separated from the stone. Gillies never see the full picture of a creature whose fossil he found.

Maintaining the fossil remains in the stone is very appropriate action. Because, fossils trapped in sedimentary rocks that hardened when a lava flow coating Skye Island during the Paleocene era, about 66-56 million years ago. Separating it from the rocks without the use of equipment or expertise that may cause damage to the fossil.

Skye's Storr Lochs Monster fossil will be analysed by Palaeontologists. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1dwyC7)

Slowly but sure, the Storr Lorchs Monster Mystery solved, thanks to the cooperation between the University of Edinburgh, the Scottish National Museum and SEE energy company. The researchers finally succeeded in separating the skeletal remains of Ichthyosaur surrounding rock for millions of years.

Now, after these fossils have been separated completely, paleontologists can tell whether this Ichthyosaur species included in the existing, or a new species. The finding also provides the key data that refers to the Middle Jurassic. In this era, the fossils record are very a little.

"In the era of the Middle Jurassic, in the oceans there seems to be a massive shift between the smaller reptiles and primitive reptile with a large group," said Brusatte.

He continued, "It seems so, because we did not have many fossils of that era. This is why, the present finding has the potential to become a very important specimen international scale. This is one of the few best Ichthyosaur fossils that managed to find from those dark era." *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | LIVESCIENCE]

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