Unveiling the Evolutionary Advantage that Could Have Made Dinosaurs Earth's Dominant Species

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The term "dinosaur" comes from the Greek words meaning "terrible lizard." Many people believe that these ancient creatures were slow-moving, scaly reptiles with long tails that lived in tropical swamps.

Science now has a more nuanced understanding of the diversity of dinosaur physiology. Many dinosaurs had brightly colored feathers like birds. They lived in various ecosystems, including the Arctic, where they experienced snow and winters without light.

New research this week is providing additional information on a major question in paleontology: Did dinosaur blood run hot or cold?

Dino-mite

The 3D image above shows excitatory neurons colored by their depth from the surface of the brain. Blue neurons are those closest to the surface, and fuchsia marks the innermost layer.

Fossils have revealed that dinosaurs lived year-round in cold climates like the Arctic.

Davide Bonadonna/Universidade de Vigo/UCL

Finding concrete evidence to determine the metabolic rates of dinosaurs is a challenging task. However, recent findings from fossilized eggshells and bones have provided some clues suggesting that certain dinosaurs were warm-blooded while others were not.

Understanding the metabolic rates of dinosaurs is important as it can provide insights into their behavior. Warm-blooded animals, like mammals and birds, tend to be more active compared to cold-blooded animals.

A new study, based on fossils from 1,000 dinosaur species and paleoclimate information, found that the three main dinosaur groups adapted differently. The research suggested that meat-eating theropods, which included T. rex, and plant-eating ornithischians, such as Triceratops and Stegosaurus, spread to live in colder climates during the early Jurassic Period about 180 million years ago. This indicates that they may have evolved the ability to generate body heat internally.

A long time ago

Researchers have mapped a 40-mile-long extinct section of the Nile River through satellite radar imaging and analysis of sediment.

Ancient Egyptians built 31 pyramids, with the Great Pyramid in Giza being the most famous. They used a now-dry river to transport materials for construction.

Recently, archaeologists found remains of a river hidden under farmland. This discovery could lead to uncovering more temples and monuments buried beneath fields and desert sands.

Trailblazers

Sperm whale communication is more complex than originally thought, researchers have found.

The 3D image displayed above illustrates excitatory neurons in different colors based on their depth from the brain's surface. Neurons colored in blue are located closest to the surface, while those in fuchsia represent the innermost layer.

Credit: Google Research & Lichtman Lab/Harvard University

In a remarkable achievement in mapping, a 3D model of a cubic millimeter of brain tissue, smaller than a grain of rice, has been created with incredible detail and beauty. This was made possible through a collaboration between Harvard University and Google researchers.

Led by Dr. Jeff Lichtman, a professor of molecular and cellular biology at Harvard, the team sliced the sample into thin sections one-thousandth the thickness of a human hair. Despite its minuscule size, the fragment contained 57,000 cells, 230 millimeters of blood vessels, and 150 million synapses.

The colorized images help to make the different parts easier to see, while still showing the tissue accurately.

In the future, the team aims to use this method to potentially understand medical conditions like autism better.

Tree rings can tell us about the climate throughout the years. The patterns in tree trunks are influenced by sunlight, rainfall, and temperature. This information can give us a climate history dating back hundreds or even thousands of years.

Tree-ring data from nine regions in the Northern Hemisphere, such as North America and Scandinavia, have been used by scientists to recreate summer temperatures in the Northern Hemisphere from 1 to 1849 and compare them with temperatures from last summer.

According to the research, the summer of 2023 was the warmest summer in the past 2,000 years.

During the year 246, when the Roman Empire and Maya civilization thrived, the temperature was at least 0.5 degrees Celsius (0.9 degrees Fahrenheit) warmer than the warmest summer in the study period.

Fantastic creatures were said to roam the earth during this time.

Sperm whale communication is more complex than originally thought, researchers have found.

Reinhard Dirscherl/ullstein bild/Getty Images

Marine scientists have used artificial intelligence to decode previously unknown complexity in the calls of sperm whales.

The researchers found that sperm whales use a catalog of clicking sounds, similar to a "phonetic alphabet."

These clicks are produced by sperm whales forcing air through an organ in their heads called the spermaceti. The sounds can reach up to 230 decibels, which is louder than a rocket launch and can even rupture human eardrums.

The wonder of what sperm whales are communicating with their clicks still baffles human ears. However, gaining insight into the extent of their vocal interactions is crucial in connecting their calls to particular behaviors.

Kick back with these remarkable reads.

— Astronomers have spotted an unusual giant planet as fluffy as cotton candy about 1,200 light-years from Earth.

Scientists have discovered a solution to a mystery involving giant South American hummingbirds, thanks to the use of small custom-made backpacks.

Meet the herpetologist who is dedicated to protecting people in India from the risks of snakebites.

Etchings discovered on a castle door in Dover, England may depict graffiti of Napoleon Bonaparte being hanged, as reported by English Heritage. And to wrap things up, there's a Starliner update: Boeing's new spacecraft's inaugural crewed mission has faced yet another delay.

If you enjoyed what you just read, don't miss out on more. Sign up now to get the next edition of Wonder Theory delivered straight to your inbox. Wonder Theory is curated by CNN Space and Science writers Ashley Strickland and Katie Hunt, who explore the mysteries of planets outside our solar system and fascinating discoveries from ancient civilizations.

Editor's P/S:

The article provides new insights into the diverse world of dinosaurs, revealing that they were not the slow-moving, cold-blooded creatures they were once thought to be. Recent research suggests that some dinosaurs, such as meat-eating theropods and plant-eating ornithischians, may have evolved warm-bloodedness to cope with colder climates. This discovery challenges the previous assumption that dinosaurs were strictly cold-blooded and opens up new avenues for understanding their behavior and adaptations.

Furthermore, the article highlights innovative advancements in brain mapping and the decoding of sperm whale communication. The creation of a 3D model of brain tissue with unparalleled detail promises to enhance our understanding of neurological processes and medical conditions. Similarly, the use of artificial intelligence to decipher the complex clicks of sperm whales deepens our knowledge of marine mammal communication. These breakthroughs demonstrate the boundless potential of scientific inquiry to unravel the wonders of the natural world.