#fossils

#fossils

Syllipsimopodi bideni: 10-Armed 325-Million-Year-Old Vampire Squid Fossil Named after President Joe BidenThevampyroteuthis infernalis.Some 325-238 million years ago, a strange torpedo-shaped cephalopod with ten arms, suckers, and a stiff internal shell that supported its body, roamed the deep waters. Scientists believe that the characteristics present in this cephalopod suggest that this creature is related to the only surviving species of the vampire squid, Vampyroteuthis infernalis (which means "vampire squid from hell"), a squid that lives on the oxygen-deprived and pitch-black region of the ocean deep. Both the modern-day vampire squid and this cephalopod belong to the group called vampyropods, although the latter was more closely related to the modern octopus.The fossil of this unusual creature lay unnoticed for over three decades in the Royal Ontario Museum in Canada since its arrival at the place. It was only recently that it caught the attention of two American paleontologists, who named it Syllipsimopodi bideni (after Joe Biden, to honor the man's commitment to science).(Image Credit: Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI)/ Wikimedia Commons)#Fossils #Paleontology #VampireSquid #JoeBiden

5 Amazing Finds in Canada's Yukon Permafrost that Provide a Glimpse into the Ice AgeNot much can grow in northwest Canada's permafrost. Like its name, the ground is permanently frozen and supports little life save for moss, lichen and shallow-rooted shrubs—but deep down, the permafrost houses an entirely different kind of "life."The last waves of ancient people from whom today's First Nations groups are descended from traveled to the Yukon at least 15,000 years ago, but tens of thousands of years prior to that, megafauna ruled the Yukon. Permafrost perfectly preserved the bodies of these Ice Age animals that were not scavenged, including DNA, and they make for some awesome findings that you can check out below.

Parrosaurus Missouriensis, a New Genus of Dinosaur, Discovered in MissouriScientists have recently discovered in Missouri the bones of a dinosaur, and the paleontology community is very excited. The dinosaur is estimated to be 25 to 30 feet long. The remains are special, as these belong to a new genus and species of duckbilled dinosaurs called Parrosaurus missouriensis. Pete Makovicky, a professor in earth and environmental sciences at the University of Minnesota, describes the Missouri site as one of the most unique.The site's location is currently kept secret. The information would only be disclosed once the place is secured.Learn more about this discovery over at FOX 2.(Image Credit: FOX 2)#Dinosaurs #Fossils #Paleontology