Pushing Back the Origin of our Species by 100,000 Years

Fossil hominin remains from the Atlantic coast of Morocco indicate that our species Homo sapiens originated at least 100,000 years earlier than previously thought.  In addition, this north African discovery challenges the idea of eastern Africa as being the “cradle of humankind” – at least in terms of the evolution of our species.

An Early Human Skull Compared to a Modern Human Skull (Homo sapiens)

Comparing Homo sapiens skull material.

Picture Credit: Natural History Museum (London) with additional annotation by Everything Dinosaur

Writing in the academic journal “Nature”, scientists that include lead author professor Jean-Jacques Hublin (Department of Human Evolution at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany), have studied the fragmentary fossilised remains of five early humans and dated these remains to approximately 315,000 years ago.  Previous studies, had suggested that our species originated some 200,000 to 220,000 years ago.

Rewriting the Textbooks

Sixty miles west of the Moroccan city of Marrakesh, the remote cave site of Jebel Irhoud can be found.  The cave roof may have collapsed long ago, but this location has provided extremely important evidence about life in the Pleistocene Epoch.  This notable anthropological site was discovered in 1960, with the first extensive field work being undertaken a year later.  The limestone cave site has yielded a number of fossils of prehistoric mammals as well as bones and stone tools associated with both Neanderthals and our own species.  According to scientists, this new study indicates that the idea that our species evolved in eastern Africa is no longer tenable.  It is more likely that H. sapiens evolved all across the continent.

Professor Hublin stated:

“It is not the story of it happening in a rapid way in a “Garden of Eden” somewhere in Africa.  Our view is that it was a more gradual development and it involved the whole continent.  So, if there was a Garden of Eden, it was all of Africa.”

A Beautifully Preserved Human Jaw

The more than twenty human bones (from five individuals), include a nearly complete lower jaw, plus skull fragments. The material has been dated using several methods and the range of dates produced is between 280,000 to 350,000 years, with the most probable date around 315,000 years.

A Model of a Modern Human (H. sapiens)

A model of modern human being (H. sapiens).

The model (above) is from the Bullyland range of prehistoric animal figures.

To view this range: Bullyland Prehistoric Models and Figures.

Homo sapiens Fossils

The re-dating and the human remains from Jebel Irhoud convinced the research team that early H. sapiens once lived at this location.  The teeth, somewhat bigger when compared with those of modern humans, are a better match to H. sapiens than they are to Neanderthals or other known archaic humans.

The Jebel Irhoud skulls are elongated compared with those of modern people.  This suggests that these individuals’ brains were organised differently when compared to our own.

A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur commented:

“These fossils overturn our ideas regarding the evolution of our species.  In addition, by comparing the skulls, jaws and teeth we can gain a better understanding of how our species Homo sapiens has evolved over the last 300,000 years.  We are not separate from the laws of natural selection, but very much shaped by them.”

Visit the award-winning Everything Dinosaur website: Everything Dinosaur.

Luskhan itilensis – Giant Pliosaurid from Russia

A team of international researchers have announced the discovery of a new species of giant marine reptile, a pliosaur that has been named Luskhan itilensis.  Writing in the academic journal “Current Biology”, the scientists state that the fossils, which represent a single animal, indicate that this Early Cretaceous reptile was huge.  The skull is estimated at 1.5 metres long, suggesting that L. itilensis might have reached lengths in excess of ten metres.

The New Giant Marine Reptile (Luskhan itilensis) Compared to a Frogman

An illustration of the pliosaurid Luskhan itilensis from Russia.

Picture credit: Andrey Atuchin

Three-dimensional Fossil Skeleton (Luskhan itilensis)

The fossil material was excavated from a bank on the river Volga, close to the town of Ulyanovsk, in the Volga Federal District of Russia.  It is estimated to be around 130 million years old (Early Cretaceous).  Members of the family known as the Pliosauridae typically have very large skulls, strong, powerful jaws with big teeth.  These marine reptiles, distantly related to the plesiosaurs, “fly” through the water propelled by their large flippers.  Most of these animals are regarded as fearsome, apex predators.  Pliosaurs such as Kronosaurus, Pliosaurus and Liopleurodon represent the top predators within their ecosystems.

A Model of the Apex Predator Kronosaurus (K. queenslandicus)

Swimming into view the PNSO Kronosaurus marine reptile model (Jeff the Kronosaurus).

The model (above) is a PNSO Kronosaurus.

To view the range of PNSO prehistoric animal figures in stock: PNSO Age of Dinosaurs.

A Specialised Fish-eater

Examination of the snout of this new pliosaurid, the rostrum, suggested to the scientists that this marine reptile may have filled a different niche in ancient marine ecosystems compared to other Pliosaurs.  The long jaws reminded the researchers of the snouts of gavials (gharials), a type of crocodile that is a specialist fish-eater.

A Photograph of a Gharial Skull (Gavial)

The skull of a gharial from the Grant Museum of Zoology (London).  Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

The research team postulate that Luskhan itilensis was not an apex predator but a specialist fish-eater (piscivore).  This suggests that over the long history of this marine reptile group, the pliosaurs evolved into different forms and occupied a variety of niches in Mesozoic marine ecosystems.

Teaching Extensions

Linking to adaptation and inheritance, ask students to look at pictures of various crocodilians, paying particular attention to the skull and jaws.  What similarities can the students identify?  What differences can the students detect?  A clue – look at jaw shape and teeth.  How does the shape of the jaws and the size of the teeth relate to diet?

For educational themed prehistoric animal toys and games: Educational Prehistoric Animal Toys and Games.

“Lucy” Australopithecus afarensis Died in a Fall

In 1974, in the Afar region of Ethiopia, the remarkably well-preserved and forty percent complete fossil of an ancient human-like animal was discovered.  The excavation team, which included American palaeoanthropologist Donald Carl Johanson, had been playing the track “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” by the Beatles.

“Lucy” The Famous Fossil Hominin

The bones represented a female, which subsequently was nicknamed “Lucy”.  The fossils represented a new species of ancient hominin (an animal more closely related to us than to a chimpanzee), the species was named Australopithecus afarensis.  Thanks to some amazing new research, a team of Ethiopian and American scientists, including eminent anthropologist Professor John Kappelman (University of Texas),  have worked out how “Lucy” died – apparently she was fatally injured in a fall from a tree.

Professor John Kappelman Surrounded by Fossils and Casts of Early Hominins

Professor Kappelman examines casts of “Lucy” – A. afarensis.

Picture credit: University of Texas

Forty-Five Thousand CT Images

The team scanned the fossil bones of this female A. afarensis whilst the fossils were on a tour of the United States.  In total, some 45,000 highly detailed CT scans were produced.  The scans revealed that the extensive fractures on the bones were most likely caused perimortem (at death or shortly before death).  An analysis of the broken bones led the team to postulate that 3.2 million year old “Lucy” was fatally injured after a rapid vertical deceleration event, probably a fall from a tree.

For model and replicas of prehistoric animals including hominins: Wild Safari Prehistoric World Figures and Models.

The Demise of “Lucy” Australopithecus afarensis

A reconstruction explaining the fatal injuries to “Lucy” – A. afarensis after a fall from a tree.

Picture credit: University of Texas

Applying New Technologies to Learn More About Fossils

A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur commented that this “cold case” showed how scientists can use a variety of techniques to learn more about the lives and behaviours of ancient animals from the fossil record.

This study is significant as anthropologists have long debated how much time A. afarensis spent in trees.  Being able climb into a tree would have helped keep these small hominins safe from many predators, however, evolutionary adaptations to bipedal walking may have compromised their climbing abilities.  Bad news for “Lucy”, but this new research published in the journal “Nature” has provided a fascinating new dimension into the behaviour of an ancient human-like creature.

Visit Everything Dinosaur: Everything Dinosaur.

“Hannah” the Horned Dinosaur

Scott Persons, a PhD student at the University of Alberta (Canada), has nicknamed a new species of Late Cretaceous horned dinosaur after his pet dog Hannah.

Palaeontologist and His Dog

The dog sometimes accompanies Scott and other members of the Earth and Atmospheric Sciences faculty on field expeditions to the Badlands of southern Alberta in the quest for fossils.  The nose horn of the dinosaur was spotted by Scott sticking out of a steep cliff that led into a remote canyon back in the summer of 2015.  Careful excavation revealed that most of the skull was intact and this was prepped in the field and airlifted back to the University for further study.

Scott Persons and the Nose Horn of the Dinosaur

Scott Persons must have a “nose” for dinosaur discoveries.

Picture credit: Amanda Kelley

For models and replicas of horned dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures: CollectA Prehistoric Life Models and Figures.

A Return to the Dig Site in 2016

With the start of the fieldwork season, a team of volunteers have returned to the quarry to excavate the post cranial fossil material.  A number of bones have been found so far including elements from the front legs of this four-legged dinosaur.  The skull shows characteristics similar to those found in two other types of horned dinosaur known from Canada.  It has a large nose horn similar to Centrosaurus and the beginnings of a spiky neck frill indicating an affinity to the spectacular Styracosaurus.  As the fossils have been found in a rock layer in between the strata from which Centrosaurus and Styracosaurus have been excavated, palaeontologists are suggesting that “Hannah” represents a transitional form between these two dinosaurs.

“Hannah” Will Help Fill Part of the Horned Dinosaur Family Tree

Our interpretation of “Hannah” centrosaurine in nature with forward projecting epoccipital bones as part of the frill ornamentation.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

A formal scientific paper will be published and this dinosaur will be given a binomial scientific name, but for the time being, Hannah the dog has a dinosaur named after her.

Visit the Everything Dinosaur website: Everything Dinosaur.

Abercrombie Primary School – Supporting Science Teaching

An eventful week this week for Everything Dinosaur team members.  Our busy schedule included a trip to Abercrombie Primary in Chesterfield (Derbyshire) to take part in two days of science themed teaching in support of the English national curriculum.  Everything Dinosaur had been invited to the school to delivery a dinosaur workshop.  Over the course of the eventful and exciting two days our dinosaur and fossil expert worked with the Key Stage 1 children (Year 2) and the whole of Key Stage 2 (Year 3, 4, 5 and Year 6).

Dinosaur Workshop

During the Interactive Workshops the Children Explored Extinction

Exploring dinosaur habitats.  Exploring dinosaur extinction.  Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

The school is broadly average in size and is consistently rated as “Good” by Ofsted.  On the first day we worked with the younger pupils, the second day (the morning and part of the afternoon), was solely dedicated to Year 6.  During our time working with the upper Key Stage 2 children, we explored extinction, discussed whether life did originate on planet Earth, explored natural selection and adaptation, mapped prehistoric plants and proved that continents move.

Making the Woolly Mammoth De-extinct!

The Everything Dinosaur fossil expert showed Year 6 some Woolly Mammoth fossils that had been found not too far away from the school.  Tens of thousands of years ago, the Woolly Mammoth (Mammuthus primigenius) roamed this part of Britain, we speculated on what roles the children might have had if they had lived during the Stone Age and they had taken part in a Woolly Mammoth hunt.

What Role Would You Have Played in a Woolly Mammoth Hunt?

Neanderthals attacking a Woolly Mammoth.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

The picture (above) was created using Papo prehistoric animal models.

To view the Papo range of prehistoric animal figures: Papo Prehistoric Animal Models and Figures.

Our fossil expert then explained what research is being undertaken to resurrect this extinct elephant.  The Year 6 children debated whether or not bringing back the Woolly Mammoth and making it de-extinct was a good idea.  There seemed to be a consensus amongst the students that the Dodo should be brought back as well.  However, the Year 6 pupils were disappointed to hear that Dodos, or as the Dutch sailors used to call it, the Doddaer, (Raphus cucullatus), was actually a giant, flightless pigeon.

A Teacher Comments after a Dinosaur Workshop

Commenting on the work undertaken by Everything Dinosaur Mrs Bradly (one of the teachers) said:

“I missed you at the end of the day and I’m not in tomorrow so I am emailing to say thank you for the workshops today.  The feedback from staff and children have been really positive.”

Mrs Harris (teacher Year 4) stated:

“An excellent session, very engaging with excellent subject knowledge and super resources.  Repetition was used well to encourage the children to learn key vocabulary.  A great session – thank you!”

Our two days working with the teachers and pupils at this primary school whizzed by, we even got the chance to see a partial lower jaw of a sheep that one of the children had found and the skull of a bird discovered whilst at Forest School.  It seems as we departed Derbyshire we left behind some happy teachers and happy pupils.  Our dinosaur workshop and other activities were extremely popular.

To see Everything Dinosaur’s user-friendly website: Everything Dinosaur.

Proteins Identified in Blood Vessels

A team of Polish scientists including researchers from the Polish Academy of Sciences have published a paper detailing the potential discovery of organic materials including collagen inside the fossilised bones of ancient reptiles that once roamed the coastline of the Tethys Ocean.

Triassic Fossils Studied

Writing in the on-line, open access journal “PLOS One”, the researchers used a variety of highly sophisticated analytical methods to identify the minute quantities of organic material inside the preserved blood vessels within limb bones of Nothosaurs and preserved within the back bone (centrum) of a bizarre, long-necked reptile (Protanystropheus).

Mineralised Blood Vessels (High Magnification) but Tubular Structure is Maintained

Organic matter potentially identified in Triassic vertebrae fossils.

Picture credit: PLOS One

X-ray Photo-electron Spectroscopy (XPS)

The research methods used included X-ray photo-electron spectroscopy (XPS), an environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM) and fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR).  Some of the blood vessels even retained their tubular appearance under extreme magnification, quite remarkable when the fossils have been dated to around 247 million years ago (Early Triassic).  This discovery provides the oldest evidence to date of the preservation of complex organic molecules within vertebrate fossils excavated from marine sediments.

For models and replicas of Triassic prehistoric animals and other extinct creatures: CollectA Age of Dinosaurs Popular Figures and Replicas.

Explaining the significance of the team’s findings, one of the authors of the scientific report,  Dr Andrzej Boczarowski (Faculty of Earth Science, University of Silesia) said:

“Among other proteins, we managed to find collagen, one of the most important proteins in the bodies of animals in general and vertebrates in particular.”

Members of this research team, had some years earlier, identified potential organic material in the fossilised bones of dinosaurs excavated from sites in the Gobi Desert.

Increasing Evidence from Triassic Fossils

Despite many similar results having been dismissed due to contamination during sampling or due to the presence of bacteria skewing the results, there is a growing body of evidence to suggest that some organic traces of long extinct creatures can persist in the fossil record, especially if the fossilisation process occurs rapidly.

Victory Against Illegal Fossil Smuggling

A ceremony was held this week in New York to mark the return of twenty-three dinosaur fossils to Mongolia.  Investigators from U.S. Immigration and Customs were able to retrieve the illegally smuggled fossils, from Wyoming and from New York, the specimens were handed over to officials representing the Mongolian government.

Dinosaur Fossils

A Fossil of the Basal Horned Dinosaur Protoceratops

Protoceratops – the favourite dinosaur amongst Everything Dinosaur team members.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

 Removal Fossils from Mongolia

It has been illegal for many years for such important artefacts to leave Mongolia, however, despite stringent attempts by the authorities fossil smuggling, especially dinosaur fossil smuggling is rife.  Smugglers, excavators and middle men can earn thousands of U.S. dollars via the black market in rare items such as dinosaur skulls, fossil eggs and dinosaur bones.

One of the exhibits being returned is a beautifully preserved dinosaur nest containing fourteen little dinosaur eggs (see picture below)

A Dinosaur Egg (Theropoda)

A dinosaur egg (believed to be from a theropod dinosaur).

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

For dinosaur models and figures: Dinosaur Models and Figures.

Commenting on the Repatriation

Many of the items have been extensively prepared and mounted ready for display in private collections.  Commenting on the success of the fossil recovery operation a spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur stated:

“We would like to take this opportunity to congratulate all the parties involved in achieving such a successful conclusion to this investigation.  International co-operation and understanding is helping to stem the flow of illegal fossils being smuggled out of Mongolia.

The haul also contains the mounted skull of a member of the Tyrannosauridae (Tyrannosaur family), the dinosaur concerned is Alioramus remotus, this lightly-built predator is only known from a few fragmentary, scrappy remains so the return of skull material to Mongolia, permitting scientists to study this fossil in detail is particularly significant.

The Alioramus remotus Skull Being Repatriated to Mongolia

A very toothy tyrannosaurid.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Visit Everything Dinosaur’s award-winning website: Everything Dinosaur.

Book to Help Advise Teachers about Palaeontology Careers

Many teachers are keen to encourage their pupils to consider a career in the sciences.  However, knowing where to turn when it comes to finding sensible advice can be a bit of a challenge even for the most dedicated member of the teaching team.  Many students develop an interest in the Earth sciences and there are a lot of exciting career paths to explore.  Help is at hand for any member of the teaching team who gets asked about working as a palaeontologist in the form of this excellent book written by Dr David Penney (Manchester University).

So You Want to be a Palaeontologist?

So You Want to be a Palaeontologist?

Practical advice and guidance.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

In this well-crafted publication, Dr Penney explains his own circuitous route into the profession and outlines the various different types of roles palaeontologists have.  The first two chapters provide a definition of palaeontology and explain why palaeontology has so much relevance today.  The rest of the book is dedicated to providing an overview of the various careers available to students and to enthusiasts who have a fascination for fossils.

Siri Scientific Press

For further information and to order a copy visit: Siri Scientific Press.

Topics covered include the roles palaeontologists perform in museums, universities and conservation projects, as well as examining jobs related to the science in the media, the fossil trade and within the arts.  For teachers and members of the careers profession aiming to provide guidance to students who wish to explore working in palaeontology, this book is a must have and it is highly recommended by Everything Dinosaur team members.  It is a most informative read.

Palaeontologists and Everything Dinosaur

Visit Everything Dinosaur’s website: Everything Dinosaur Website.

Commenting on how helpful the book is, a spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur stated:

“This publication provides an insider’s view on the exciting and diverse career opportunities available to students who want to develop their interest in palaeontology into a full-time occupation.  It really is required reading for any teacher or educationalist wishing to assist aspiring palaeontologists.”