Let's keep the SCIENCE!!!! coming in 2026

[Mendalla]

We often hear about the big mass extinction events, like the asteroid impact at the end of the Cretaceous or the "Great Dying" (caused, it is hyposthesized, by volcanic activity) at the end or Permian. There have also been smaller, sometimes more localized, events that caused turnover in the biodiversity of particular regions or continents. A little over a century ago, the first evidence for such an event happening in Europe at the end of the Eocene period, with mammal populations shifting from the ones that had been there to species previous more common in Asia. Over the past century, evidence has mounted for both the event and possible causes. It now appears that it was climate change caused by the northward movement of India that ultimately ended with it stuck to the bottom of Asia that was responsible. Eons had the story this week.

And 7 Days has an interesting story on how scientists have tried to figure out the musculature and thereby the hunting styles of mosasaurs. The mosasaurs are prehistoric aquatic reptiles related to modern lizards and snakes who were alpha predators in the ancient oceans when the dinosaurs dominated on land.

 

[jimkenney12]

We often hear about the big mass extinction events, like the asteroid impact at the end of the Cretaceous or the "Great Dying" (caused, it is hyposthesized, by volcanic activity) at the end or Permian. There have also been smaller, sometimes more localized, events that caused turnover in the biodiversity of particular regions or continents. A little over a century ago, the first evidence for such an event happening in Europe at the end of the Eocene period, with mammal populations shifting from the ones that had been there to species previous more common in Asia. Over the past century, evidence has mounted for both the event and possible causes. It now appears that it was climate change caused by the northward movement of India that ultimately ended with it stuck to the bottom of Asia that was responsible. Eons had the story this week.

And 7 Days has an interesting story on how scientists have tried to figure out the musculature and thereby the hunting styles of mosasaurs. The mosasaurs are prehistoric aquatic reptiles related to modern lizards and snakes who were alpha predators in the ancient oceans when the dinosaurs dominated on land.

Very interesting. Thank you,