Latest news with #Mesozoic
IOL News
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- IOL News
Roaring back to life: discover the stunning visuals and storytelling of the reimagined 'Walking with Dinosaurs'
'Walking with Dinosaurs' gives viewers an intimate glimpse into the lives of Earth's oldest creatures. Image: Supplied Back in 1999, factual television was revolutionised when 'Walking with Dinosaurs' was released. The six-part nature documentary mini-series, created by Tim Haines, was a production collaboration between the BBC Science Unit, the Discovery Channel and BBC Worldwide TV, Asahi, ProSieben and France 3. Regarded at the time as the first series of its kind, the show depicted dinosaurs and other Mesozoic animals as living animals in the style of a traditional nature documentary. It has gained a worldwide cult following for how it recreated the extinct species through the combined use of computer-generated imagery and animatronics. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading Now, 26 years later, a bold reimagining with the same title, once again produced by the BBC Studios Science Unit, brings to life six extraordinary dinosaurs through groundbreaking visual effects, dramatic storytelling and the latest advancements in palaeontological research. Narrated by Bertie Carvel, a double Olivier and Tony Award-winning actor who is renowned for roles in 'The Crown' and 'Doctor Foster', 'Walking with Dinosaurs' premiered on BBC Earth (DStv Channel 184) at the end of June. It invites viewers into the lives of the individual dinosaurs, who each have their own emotional journeys of survival, parenting and adaptation. Some elements of these magnificent creatures, which will be featured, include the towering might of Lusotitan and the delicate vulnerability of Clover and the life of a baby Triceratops. 'Walking with Dinosaurs' also brings to life their habitats, their behaviours and their survival strategies. Jay Balamurugan, the series assistant producer and a paleoartist, has a burning passion for Earth's most ancient creatures. 'It's such an interesting experience getting to work on a series like this because it was my childhood,' she said during an interview with 'Independent Media Lifestyle.' 'It's the reason I got into science and art and TV.' She added, 'The original left such a mark on me, and to get the chance to work on these new ones is so special, and now seeing it out in the world, it is really special.' 'I'm really pleased because I've seen a lot of families and children, especially, really enjoy it and watch it together, and it's something that makes me happy.' Balamurugan explained that she decided to get involved in this bold reimagining as a way of making her inner child happy. 'I think me, as a child, would have hated me as an adult forever (if she didn't take up this project).' 'It was also a great opportunity to bring this new view of dinosaurs to the public eye.' She said that it was how the dinosaurs were portrayed on the original series which sparked her interest in the show. 'I think that it had quite a special way of making the dinosaurs feel like animals. They didn't feel like movie monsters, and they didn't feel like mythological dragons.' 'They felt like animals, and it felt like I was watching a nature documentary about a lion or a hyena or something, except it was a T-Rex, and I think that was the thing that really hooked me and lots of people as well.' And although Balamurugan is thrilled to have worked on 'Walking with Dinosaurs', she said that it has not been without its obstacles. 'It's been a very, very challenging production because it's such a huge one,' she explained. 'Not only are we making the VFX dinosaur but we're making a show about palaeontologists. It does feel like we've got two big productions in one so it has been quite a challenge.' In regards to how it fares with the original show, she explained: 'I think it's similar to the original in the sense that it really keeps that spirit of telling the story of one animal in a really dramatic part of its life.' 'In the original, we had this with quite a few of the episodes where you would follow one dinosaur or one prehistoric animal and it's going through a really important epic migration or growing up in the presence of predators. Balamurugan added: 'We really try to keep that thread going in our current series.' What sets this reimagining apart is the inclusion of live-action sequences. 'I think we made that choice specifically because we want to celebrate science as much as we celebrate dinosaurs.' Balamurugan also had modern technology at her disposal for this version of 'Walking with Dinosaurs' "It's interesting because science has come such a long way and the technology involving film-making has also come such a long way.' 'We now have incredible VFX technology where not only can we make these times more realistic than ever but we can also sometimes even build our entire environments in VFX if we need to and this allows us to really get incredible sequences that we never would have got before.' Overall,Balamurugan promised that viewers can expect 'a really good story in each episode.' 'I also think people will really relate to these animals and come away with a wider understanding of these animals.' ∎ Watch new episodes of 'Walking With Dinosaurs' every Monday until August 4 at 8pm on BBC Earth (DStv Channel 184).
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Time keeps on slipping - literally. Why today might have been the shortest day you'll ever experience
Some upcoming summer days are actually getting shorter, literally. Even if it's only by milliseconds. While the change won't be noticeable, Wednesday might technically be the shortest day you'll ever experience. That's because Earth completed its rotation approximately 1.3 to 1.6 milliseconds faster than the average 86,400 seconds. "In other words, we're not traveling back toward the Mesozoic in terms of rotation," Popular Mechanics reports. "The planet will eventually continue its steady deceleration — this is, of course, its natural tendency, but surface changes like polar ice melt can also contribute to the Earth's rotation slowing down." This phenomenon is invisible to daily life but of significant importance to high-precision timekeeping systems such as atomic clocks, GPS, and satellite networks. Scientists at the International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service attribute the acceleration to a subtle shift in the Moon's orbital alignment, which, orbiting farther from Earth's equator this summer, has reduced the 'tidal braking' effect that normally slows our planet's spin. Others, such as Moscow State University astronomer Leonid Zotov, said the cause of this acceleration is unexplained. "Most scientists believe it is something inside the Earth," he told "Ocean and atmospheric models don't explain this huge acceleration." This spike in rotational speed marks the sixth occurrence of unusually fast days since 2020, with similar events expected to occur on July 22 and August 5. In response to the slight change, the International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service is now considering implementing a negative leap second, a rare adjustment that subtracts time from Coordinated Universal Time to resynchronize clocks with Earth's rotation. Such a correction has never been made before, but the growing trend may require one around 2029.
Time of India
09-07-2025
- Science
- Time of India
Was the mythical dragon real? 240 million years old fossil found in China resemble the legendary beasts
The mythical dragon gliding through ancient seas has always been one of the most talked-about animals among people. There have always been various legends that support the existence of this massive magical creature, but is it true that it actually glided over the ancient landscapes? Recently, fossils of a real ancient creature were discovered that remained preserved in stone for 240 million years. Paleontologists are now exploring these fossils in southwestern China. These fossils belong to Dinocephalosaurus orientalis, a long-necked marine reptile whose extraordinary appearance is similar to the legendary beasts. Originally discovered in 2003, the full anatomy of Dinocephalosaurus remained a mystery until a team of international researchers assembled enough well-preserved specimens to finally reconstruct it. A living "Chinese dragon" Dinocephalosaurus orientalis was first named in 2003, but it wasn't until recently that paleontologists described its entire skeleton in detail. New fossils from Guizhou Province allowed researchers to fill in the missing pieces and offer a complete view of its anatomy Measuring around 16–20 feet, this marine reptile had a neck longer than its body and tail combined, due to a massive 32 cervical vertebrae. Its long form and snake-like head has led to frequent comparisons to the mythical Chinese dragon Not related to plesiosaurs, yet uniquely adapted Although it superficially resembled later plesiosaurs, an extinct Mesozoic marine reptile, Dinocephalosaurus was not closely related to them. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Brasil terá 41% dos idosos com flacidez muscular até 2035 se não tomar isso Revista do Homem Saiba Mais Undo Instead, it belongs to the archosauromorpha lineage, evolving its long neck independently. Dense, paddle-like limbs and preserved fish in its stomach suggest a truly marine lifestyle and piscivorous diet. Surprisingly, the fossil evidence indicates this reptile gave birth to live young, that is also an exceptionally rare trait for reptiles, suggesting it was fully adapted to ocean life. The study was led by researchers from China, Germany, Scotland, and the U.S., with specimens housed at the Chinese Academy of Sciences and National Museums Scotland. Dr Li Chun of Beijing said, 'This has been an international effort. … Among all of the extraordinary finds … Dinocephalosaurus probably stands out as the most remarkable.' Why this discovery matters Dr Nick Fraser from National Museums Scotland commented, 'This discovery allows us to see this remarkable long‑necked animal in full for the very first time … we are certain that it will capture imaginations across the globe'. By showing an entirely new combination of marine traits and reproductive strategies, Dinocephalosaurus also increases our understanding of Triassic evolution. The fossil discovery tells us how diverse and experimental marine ecosystems were during the Triassic wherethese Dinocephalosaurus survived along with plesiosaurs, ichthyosaurs, and other bizarre forms.
USA Today
09-07-2025
- Science
- USA Today
Pterosaur fossils discovered in Arizona's Petrified Forest National Park
Tucked away in a remote bonebed in Arizona's Petrified Forest National Park laid hundreds of fossils, including a fragile jawbone belonging to one of the oldest-known flying reptiles: the pterosaur. The discovery of the oldest flying vertebrate in North America by a group of researchers fills a gap in the fossil record proving that pterosaurs coexisted with frogs, turtles and older groups of animals like giant amphibians. The recently discovered fossils date back to the late Triassic period – about 209 million years ago, scientists said. The discovery of at least 16 vertebrate species includes seven previously unknown species. Paleontologist Ben Kligman of the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History led the study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Kligman told USA TODAY the initial motivation of this field work was to find layers of rock that might preserve early mammal fossils. "As so often happens in the field of paleontology: you go looking for one thing and you find something totally different." said Kligman. These fossils, which date back to the late Triassic period, provide a snapshot in time of a once dynamic ecosystem of different species living together. The fossil site is also key for understanding the evolutionary origins of both turtles and pterosaurs, Kligman added. "The site captures the transition to more modern terrestrial vertebrate communities where we start seeing groups that thrive later in the Mesozoic living alongside these older animals that don't make it past the Triassic," according to Kligman. Where was the pterosaur discovered? The Petrified Forest National Park in Northeast Arizona is known for producing fossils of plants and animals from the Triassic time period, Reuters reported. Remains of the pterosaur along with primitive frogs, lizard-like reptiles and one of the oldest-known turtles were all discovered in the national park. Pterosaurs were the first vertebrates to achieve powered flight, followed much later by birds and bats, Reuters reported. The oldest-known fossils of these seagull-sized reptiles were found in Europe and date back to around 215 million years, researchers said. But pterosaurs are thought to have appeared even further back – roughly 230 million years ago, around the same time as the earliest dinosaurs. The newly identified pterosaur – Eotephradactylus mcintire – is named after Suzanne McIntire, who discovered the fossil after it has been brought to Smithsonian's FossiLab along with 1,200 other individual fossils. "What was exciting about uncovering this specimen was that the teeth were still in the bone, so I knew the animal would be much easier to identify," McIntire said in a statement. The name means 'ash-winged dawn goddess,' and refers to the fossil site's volcanic ash and the animals' position near the base of the pterosaur evolutionary tree, according to a statement from the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History. The Triassic era came on the heels of Earth's biggest mass extinction 252 million years ago, and then ended with another mass extinction 201 million years ago that wiped out many of the major competitors to the dinosaurs, according to Reuters. While frogs and turtles are still around today, pterosaurs dominated the skies until the asteroid impact 66 million years ago that ended the age of dinosaurs, Reuters reported. How large was the pterosaur? The pterosaur's wingspan was about three feet and its skull was about four inches long. It had curved fangs at the front of its mouth for grabbing fish as it flew over rivers, and blade-like teeth in the back of the jaw for slicing prey, Reuters reported. The researchers said Eotephradactylus would have had a tail, as all the early pterosaurs did. Contributing: Will Dunham, Reuters
Newsweek
07-07-2025
- Science
- Newsweek
Paleontologists Discover One of North America's Earliest Flying Reptiles
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The oldest known pterosaur fossil ever found outside of Europe has just been discovered in Arizona, offering new insights into the flying reptiles that lived alongside dinosaurs hundreds of millions of years ago. In a new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers led by paleontologist Ben Kligman, of the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History, examine a fossilized jawbone of the new species. The gull-sized pterosaur was found at the Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona along with hundreds of other fossils dating back 209 million years—to the late Triassic period,—filling a gap in the fossil record just before the end-Triassic extinction. An artist's impression of the newly identified pterosaur Eotephradactylus mcintirea An artist's impression of the newly identified pterosaur Eotephradactylus mcintirea Brian Engh From what the researchers were able to gather, the new species of pterosaur—dubbed Eotephradactylus mcintireae after Suzanne McIntire, the FossiLab volunteer who discovered it—was small enough to comfortably perch on a person's shoulder. It likely fed on the site's fish. These findings, unearthed from the Owl Rock Member that outcrops in a remote and less explored area of the site, reveal that at that time older animals like giant amphibians and armored crocodile relatives lived alongside newer species such as early frogs, turtles and pterosaurs. "The site captures the transition to more modern terrestrial vertebrate communities where we start seeing groups that thrive later in the Mesozoic living alongside these older animals that don't make it past the Triassic," Kligman said in a statement. "Fossil beds like these enable us to establish that all of these animals actually lived together." Ben Kligman, a Peter Buck Postdoctoral Fellow and paleontologist at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History, quarrying a bonebed in Arizona's Petrified Forest National Park in 2025. Ben Kligman, a Peter Buck Postdoctoral Fellow and paleontologist at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History, quarrying a bonebed in Arizona's Petrified Forest National Park in 2025. Ben Kligman, Smithsonian. Back in 2011, a team co-led by research geologist Kay Behrensmeyer, the National Museum of Natural History's curator of vertebrate paleontology, was exploring challenging terrain when they came across the fossil rich bonebed, which turned out to be preserving an entire Triassic ecosystem. "That's the fun thing about paleontology: you go looking for one thing, and then you find something else that's incredible that you weren't expecting," said Kligman, who began working on this site as part of his doctorate in 2018. Volunteers working on fossils from a Petrified Forest National Park bonebed in the FossiLab on view to museumgoers in the David H. Koch Hall of Fossils – Deep Time at the Smithsonian's National Museum of... Volunteers working on fossils from a Petrified Forest National Park bonebed in the FossiLab on view to museumgoers in the David H. Koch Hall of Fossils – Deep Time at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History. More Ben Kligman, Smithsonian. Scientists believe that during the Triassic period, this part of Arizona was an arid place positioned in the middle of Pangaea right above the equator, later submerged by a flood that likely buried all the creatures preserved in the bonebed. Among the creatures unearthed at the site was also an ancient turtle with spike-like armor and shell, which at the same time was also present in Germany. This discovery suggests that turtles dispersed rapidly across Pangaea, despite their size and speed. Do you have a science story to share with Newsweek? Do you have a question about fossils? Let us know via science@ Reference Kligman, B. T., Whatley, R. L., Ramezani, J., Marsh, A. D., Lyson, T. R., Fitch, A. J., Parker, W. G., & Behrensmeyer, A. K. (2025). Unusual bone bed reveals a vertebrate community with pterosaurs and turtles in equatorial Pangaea before the end-Triassic extinction. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 122.
