LOME’s Twist: Ancient Mass Extinction Event May Not Be So Strange After All
The Late Ordovician mass extinction event (LOME) has long been viewed as odd compared to other mass extinction events in Earth’s history. Contrary to nearly…
Extinction News
Extinct “Hotspot” Volcanoes Spill Secrets on Inner Workings of Volcanoes
Remnants of volcanoes strewn across Australia act as a map of the northward movement of the continent over an underlying “hotspot” within the Earth’s interior…
Rare Beetle Rediscovered After 55 Years
During the insect sampling expedition at Jerry Brown’s ranch, a researcher from UC Berkeley stumbled upon a beetle species that had eluded scientific observation since…
Dying Beauty – Extinct Animals on Islands Cannot Be Replaced
The small island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean is often envisioned as a lush paradise, dotted with large trees and teeming with a diverse…
Planting Seeds of Hope: “Zero Plant Extinction” Is Possible
Plant ecologist Richard T. Corlett proposes a strategy to prevent future land plant extinctions, including training more experts, creating an online “metaherbarium,” and establishing “microreserves.”…
Completely Reassessing Our Understanding of Plant Domestication – Early Crop Plants Were More Easily “Tamed”
The story of how ancient wolves became humanity’s closest companions by the campfire is well known, even though the details are still being refined by…
“Waves of Extinction” – Prehistoric Poo Tells the Story of Megafauna Extinction in Colombian Andes
Fungal spores discovered in dung have unveiled that megafauna experienced two distinct extinction “waves” in the Colombian Andes. Coprophilous fungi spores, which are integral to…
Uncovering the Secrets of Mass Extinction – What Happens to Ecology, Evolution, and Biodiversity?
“These are times of major changes in the environment, and how those changes impact the organisms is relevant to understanding our current environment and environmental…
Geologists Discover a Critical Kill Mechanism Behind a 350 Million-Year-Old Series of Extinctions
A major oil source in North America reveals insights into one of the planet’s most devastating mass extinctions. The Bakken Shale Formation, spanning an area…
Preventing Extinction: Predicting the Future to Save Our Wildlife
A new study suggests using conservation data to proactively predict and prevent species from becoming threatened, potentially benefiting up to 20% of land mammals by…
How Two “Touch-Me-Not Plants” Plants Fooled Scientists for Decades
Sometimes, scientists can be too ‘Impatiens‘ when naming species Nestled in the center of the world’s deepest valley are two plants that have confounded scientists…
Rare Reptiles in Peril: The Surprising Extinction Risk for Unusual Turtles and Crocodiles
New research led by the University of Oxford has revealed that the most endangered turtle and crocodile species are those that are most unique. Their…
Considered Extinct for 36 Years: Endangered Vulture Returns to Bulgaria
The Cinereous Vulture (Aegypius monachus), also referred to as the Black Vulture, Monk Vulture, or Eurasian Black Vulture, is the biggest bird of prey in…
Rediscovery of the Elusive Fairy Lantern: Thismia kobensis Emerges After 30 Years
Green leaves and the ability to photosynthesize were once considered hallmarks of plants. However, some plants have evolved to obtain their nutrients in alternative ways,…
Similarities to Climate Changes Today – New Research Helps To Detail Earth’s Most Massive Extinction Event
The Latest Permian Mass Extinction (LPME) was the largest extinction event in Earth’s history to date, resulting in the loss of between 80-90% of life…
Belonging to Some of the Largest Dinosaurs Ever: Researchers Uncover 92 Fossil Nests
Fossilized eggs provide insights into the reproductive, nesting, and early life behaviors of the titanosaur. The discovery of over 250 fossilized eggs provides a wealth…
Uncovering the Mystery of Hispaniola’s Lost Rodent Species
The Caribbean island of Hispaniola used to host 11 different rodent species, but now only one remains in the island’s two countries of Haiti and…
Can Elephants Save the Planet? These Majestic Animals Are Key to Capturing Atmospheric Carbon
Researchers discover elephant extinction could have major impact on atmospheric carbon levels. In findings published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), Saint…
