Including Original "Paul H. Letters" Copyright © 1996-2024 Paul V. Heinrich / website © 1996-2024 Dirk Ross - All rights reserved.



Tuesday 29 April 2014

Looking for Terrestrial Precambrian Life in Death Valley, California

Looking for Terrestrial Precambrian Life in Death Valley, California

Early Life in Death Valley by Peter Byrne
Quanta Magazine, April 24, 2014
http://www.simonsfoundation.org/quanta/20140424-early-life-in-death-valley/
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/death-valleys-first-life-came-in-by-land-not-by-sea/

Yours,

Paul H.

Saturday 26 April 2014

Early Life In Death Valley, California - Precambrian Life Preserved In Karst

Early Life In Death Valley, California - Precambrian Life Preserved In Karst

Early Life in Death Valley by Peter Byrne
Quanta Magazine, April 24, 2014
http://www.simonsfoundation.org/quanta/20140424-early-life-in-death-valley/

Yours,

Paul H.




Commentary On Commercial Fossil Collecting

Commentary On Commercial Fossil Collecting

Larson, P L., and D. Russell, 2014, The benefits of
commercial fossil sales to 21st-century paleontology.
Palaeontologia Electronica. vol. 17, no. 1, Article
number: 17.1.2E (April 2014)
http://palaeo-electronica.org/content/2014/739-commentary-benefits-of-fossil-sales
PDF version - http://palaeo-electronica.org/content/pdfs/commentary_benefit.pdf

An earlier commentary is:

Shimada, K., P. J. Currie, E. Scott, and S. S. Sumida,
2014, The greatest challenge to 21st century
paleontology: When commercialization of fossils
threatens the science. Palaeontologia Electronica
vol. 17, no. 1, Article number: 17.1.1E, 4 p;
http://palaeo-electronica.org/content/2014/691-great-threat-in-21st-century
PDF version - http://palaeo-electronica.org/content/pdfs/comment_threat.pdf

Also, there is:

Plotnick, R., 2008, Out of the Mainstream: Heated
Discussions and Strong Opinions. Palaeontologia
Electronica. vol. 11, no. 2,
http://palaeo-electronica.org/2008_2/commentary/comment.htm

Future Research Directions in Paleontology
Report of a Workshop Held April 8-9, 2006
Sponsored by the National Science Foundation
http://paleosoc.org/FRDP-Brochure.pdf

None of the above papers and web pages do not
necessarily express my opinions on this subject.
Any comments about them should be addressed
to the authors of the papers and web pages.

Yours,

Paul H.

Monday 21 April 2014

Geological Study Explains Mystery of Australian Opal Field

Geological Study Explains Mystery of Australian Opal Field

Geological Study Explains Mystery of Australian
Opal Fields by Natali Anderson, Jun 5, 2013
http://www.sci-news.com/geology/article01128-australia-opal.html

Uncovered: the truth about opal formation by
Amy Middleton, Australian geographci, May 31, 2013
http://www.australiangeographic.com.au/news/2013/05/uncovered-the-truth-about-opal-formation/

The paper is:

P. F. Rey, 2013, Opalisation of the Great Artesian
Basin (central Australia): an Australian story with a
Martian twist. Australian Journal of Earth Sciences:
An International Geoscience Journal of the Geological
Society of Australia. vol. 60, no. 3, pp. 291-314
DOI: 10.1080/08120099.2013.784219
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/08120099.2013.784219
http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2013AuJES..60..291R

PDF file at
http://earthbyte.org/Resources/Pdf/Rey_Opals_AJES_2013.pdf

Yours,

Paul H.

Sunday 20 April 2014

Stable Isotope Studies Offers New Clues about Ice Ages

Stable Isotope Studies Offers New Clues about Ice Ages

Oxygen Analysis in Ancient Plankton Fossils Offers
New Clues about Ice Ages, Nature News, April 17, 2014
http://www.natureworldnews.com/articles/6647/20140417/oxygen-analysis-in-ancient-plankton-fossils-offers-new-clues-about-ice-ages.htm

Study provides crucial new information about how
the ice ages came about Eureka! Science News
http://esciencenews.com/articles/2014/04/16/study.provides.crucial.new.information.about.how.ice.ages.came.about
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2014-04/uos-spc041414.php

5.3 Million Years of Sea Level Change on One
Cliff Face by Brandon Keim, Wired, April 17, 2014
http://www.wired.com/2014/04/deep-sea-temperature-record-grawk/

A 5.3-million-year record of sea level and
temperature, Phys.org., April 16, 2014
http://phys.org/news/2014-04-million-year-sea-temperature.html

The paper is:

Rohling, E. J., G. L. Foster, K. M. Grant, G. Marino
A. P. Roberts, M. E. Tamisiea, and F. Williams, 2014,
Sea-level and deep-sea-temperature variability over
the past 5.3 million years. Nature. Published online 16 April 2014
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nature13230.html

Yours,

Paul H.

Wyoming Turritella Agate Publcations

Wyoming Turritella Agate Publcations

Below are some publications about Wyoming Turritella Agate
that I came across while looking through Internet web pages
for some information about it.

Allmon, W. D., 2004. Into Focus. Googling Turritella, or
The Present and Future Value of the Web for Paleontological
Research. Palaeontologia Electronica. vol. 7, no. 2, 2E:9, 171KB;
http://palaeo-electronica.org/2004_2/editor/focus.htm
http://palaeo-electronica.org/2004_2/editor/focus.pdf

Allmon, W. D., 2005, Paleontology of “Turretella Agate”, A
Pleurocerid Gastropod-Dominated Assemblage from the Eocene
Green River Formation of Wyoming. Geological Society of
America Abstracts with Programs. vol. 37, no. 1, p. 19
https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2005NE/finalprogram/abstract_83382.htm

Allmon, W. D., 2009, The Natural (and Not-So-Natural)
History of “Turritella Agate.” Rocks & Minerals. vol. 84,
pp. 160-165.

Allmon, W. D., nda, A Bibliography on "Turritella" agate,
Museum of the Earth. athttp://www.priweb.org/Research/Turr%20Agate%20Biblio.htm

Allmon, W. D., ndb, "Turritella" Agate, Museum of the Earth.
at: http://www.priweb.org/Research/Turritella%20Agate.htm

Anonymous, nd, Turritella Agate, Museum of the Earth.
http://www.museumoftheearth.org/research.php?page=702670/cv_allmon/951811/619675

Dolenc, A., 1979, Turritella agate- A new find in southwest
Wyoming. Lapidary Journal. vol. 33, no. 8, p. 1692.

Dolenc, A., 1981, Turritella agate: Update. Lapidary Journal.
vol. 34 , no. 11, pp. 2484-85.

Grande, L. 1984. Paleontology of the Green River Formation,
with a review of the fish fauna. Bulletin no. 63. Geological
Survey of Wyoming,
http://www.wsgs.uwyo.edu/public-info/onlinepubs/docs/B-63.pdf

Spendlove, E., 1977, Wyoming Turritella agate-Field trip:
It's in the Delaney Rim south of Wamsutter. Rock & Gem.
vol. 7, no. 6, pp. 52-55.

Other links at https://www.museumoftheearth.org/research.php?page=pubs_all

Yours,

Paul H.

Saturday 19 April 2014

Impact glass stores biodata for millions of years

Impact glass stores biodata for millions of years

Impact glass from asteroids and comets stores biodata for
millions of years, Science Dailey, April 18, 2014
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/04/140418141115.htm

Impact glass stores biodata for millions of years, Brown
University, Mark Nickel, April 18, 2104
http://news.brown.edu/pressreleases/2014/04/impactglass

Schultz, P. H., R. S. Harris, S. J. Clemett, K. L. Thomas-Keprta,
M. Zarate, 2014, Preserved flora and organics in impact melt
breccias. Geology. First published online April 15, 2014,
doi: 10.1130/G35343.1
http://geology.gsapubs.org/content/early/2014/04/14/G35343.1

Yours,

Paul H.

New Research About Vredefort Impact

New Research About Vredefort Impact

Earth's Oldest and Biggest Crater Yields New Secrets
LiveScience.com by Becky Oskin-Apr 28, 2014
http://www.livescience.com/45172-vredefort-crater-impact-melt-ejecta.html
http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/wilderness-resources/stories/earths-oldest-crater-yields-new-secrets

A related paper:
Huber, M. S., A. E. Crne I. McDonald, L. Hecht, V. A.
Melezhik, and C. Koeberl, 2014, Impact spherules from
Karelia, Russia: Possible ejecta from the 2.02 Ga
Vredefort impact event. Geology. vol. 42, pp. 375-378,
http://geology.gsapubs.org/content/42/5/375.abstract

Related article-
Crash! 10 Biggest Impact Craters on Earth
LiveScience.com by Becky Oskin, April 28, 2014
http://www.livescience.com/45126-biggest-impact-crater-earth-countdown.html

Vredefort crater - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vredefort_crater

Yours,

Paul H.

Thursday 17 April 2014

Ancient Shark Fossil Reveals New Insights into Jaw Evolution

Ancient Shark Fossil Reveals New Insights into Jaw Evolution

Ancient Shark Fossil Reveals New Insights into
Jaw Evolution, American Museum of Natural
History, News and Blogs, April 16, 2014.
http://www.amnh.org/about-us/press-center/shark-fossil-reveals-new-insights-into-jaw-evolution
http://www.amnh.org/explore/news-blogs/research-posts/ancient-shark-fossil-reveals-new-insights-into-jaw-evolution?utm_source=social-media&utm_medium=twitter&utm_term=20140416-wed&utm_campaign=shark

New Fossil Takes A Bite Out Of Theory That
Sharks Barely Evolved by Geoff Brufiel, ALL
things Considered, NPR, April 16, 2014
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2014/04/16/303727295/new-fossil-takes-a-bite-out-of-theory-that-sharks-barely-evolved

The paper is:

Pradel, A., J. G. Maisey, P. Tafforeau, R. H. Mapes , and
J. Mallatt, 2014, A Palaeozoic shark with osteichthyan-like
branchial arches. Nature. Published online 16 April 2014.
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nature13195.html

Yours,

Paul H.

Tuesday 15 April 2014

Saturday 12 April 2014

Eclipse of the Moon Monday, 11APR2014

Eclipse of the Moon Monday, 11APR2014

How to Observe the Moon: Tips to See 2014's First Lunar 
Eclipse by Joe Rao, Space.com, April 11, 2014 07:20am ET
http://www.space.com/25447-moon-observing-tips-total-lunar-eclipse.html

Yours,

Paul H.

Sunday 6 April 2014

How old is the moon?

How old is the moon?

New Method for Estimating Moon's Age Seeks to Put an
Old Debate to Rest, National Geographic, ‎April 2, 2014‎
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/04/140402-moon-formation-earth-age-space-science/

How old is the moon? New dating method offers clues.
Christian Science Monitor ‎April 3, 2014‎
http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2014/0403/How-old-is-the-moon-New-dating-method-offers-clues

The paper is:
Jacobson, S. A., A. Morbidelli, S. N. Raymond, D.
P. O'Brien, K. J. Walsh, and D. C. Rubie, 2014,
Highly siderophile elements in Earth’s mantle as
a clock for the Moon-forming impact. Nature.
vol. 508, no. 7494, pp. 84–87. doi:10.1038/nature13172
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v508/n7494/full/nature13172.html

Yours,

Paul H.

The World's Northern-most Dinosaur, Nunavut, Canada

The World's Northern-most Dinosaur, Nunavut, Canada

Nunavut dinosaur fossil is most northern ever found
Hadrosaur lived in Arctic year round, despite extreme
seasons. CBC News, April 4, 2014
http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/nunavut-dinosaur-fossil-is-most-northern-ever-found-1.2598606

The World's Northern-most Dinosaur
Matthew Vavrek, Quirks & Quarks, April 5, 2014
http://www.cbc.ca/quirks/2014/04/05/2014-04-05-1/

Yours,

Paul H.

Meteorite collection donated to Kentucky Geological Survey

Meteorite collection donated to KGS

Anonymous, 2014, Meteorite collection donated to
KGS by Goshen couple. Kentucky Cross Section.
Winter/Spring 2014, p. 5. PDF file at:
http://kgs.uky.edu/kgsweb/olops/pub/kgs/newsletters/winter2014forweb.pdf
http://kgs.uky.edu/kgsweb/pubs/pubsearch.asp?pubtype=KGS+Newsletter&searchtype=typeofpub#5097

“Among the more important specimens donated is
a sample of a meteorite that fell through the roof of
a house near Burnwell in Pike County on the
afternoon of September 4, 1990.”

In addition, there is:

Ehmann, W. D., 2000, Space Visitors in Kentucky:
Meteorites and Meteorite Impact Sites in Kentucky.
Special Publication no. 1. Kentucky Geological Survey,
University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky. 44 pp.

PDF file at http://kgs.uky.edu/kgsweb/olops/pub/kgs/sp01_12.pdf

Link at https://www.uky.edu/KGS/education/meteorites.htm
https://www.uky.edu/KGS/education/meteor_find.htm
and http://www.uky.edu/KGS/pubs/index.htm

The Geologic Map of Kentucky
http://kgs.uky.edu/kgsweb/olops/pub/kgs/GM19_12.pdf

The Geologic Map of Kentucky shows the Jepha Knob
structure.

Yours,

Paul H.

Thursday 3 April 2014

Celebrating 50 Years of Rockhounding

Celebrating 50 Years of Rockhounding

Celebrating 50 years of rockhounding by Ruth Lefler
Brandford Expositor March 28, 2014
http://www.brantfordexpositor.ca/2014/03/28/celebrating-50-years-of-rockhounding

Yours,

Paul H.

"Space Erosion" of Asteroids by Thermal Fatigue

"Space Erosion" of Asteroids by Thermal Fatigue

Baked Asteroids Suffer Fatigue and Fragment
by Ian O'Neill, Discovery News, April 2, 2014
http://news.discovery.com/space/asteroids-meteors-meteorites/baked-asteroids-suffer-fatigue-and-fragment-140402.htm

Team finds regolith of small asteroids formed by
thermal fatigue, PhysOrg News, April 2, 2104
http://phys.org/news/2014-04-team-regolith-small-asteroids-thermal.html

Delbo, M., G. Libourel, J. Wilkerson, N. Murdoch,
P. Michel, K. T. Ramesh, C. Ganino, C. Verati, and
S. Marchi, 2014, Thermal Fatigue as the Origin of
Regolith on Small Asteroids. Published online 02
April 2014 DOI: 10.1038/nature13153
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nature13153.html

Yours,

Paul H.

Wednesday 2 April 2014

Methane-Producing Microbes Caused 'The Great Dying'

Methane-Producing Microbes Caused 'The Great Dying'

Ancient whodunit may be solved: The microbes
did it! (Methane-producing microbes may be
responsible for the largest mass extinction in
Earth’s history.) MIT News, April 1, 2014
http://newsoffice.mit.edu/2014/ancient-whodunit-may-be-solved-microbes-did-it

Archaeageddon: how gas-belching microbes could
have caused mass extinction by Chelsea Wald,
Nature News, http://www.nature.com/news/archaeageddon-how-gas-belching-microbes-could-have-caused-mass-extinction-1.14958

Methane-Producing Microbes Caused 'The Great
Dying' by Christopher Joyce, Morning Edition,
NPR, April 1, 2014. http://www.npr.org/2014/04/01/297623130/methane-producing-microbes-caused-the-great-dying

The paper is:

Rothman, D. H., G. P. Fournier, K. L. French, E. J.
Alm, E. A. Boyle, C. Cao, and R. E. Summons, 2014,
Methanogenic burst in the end-Permian carbon cycle.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.
Early Edition, doi: 10.1073/pnas.1318106111
http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2014/03/26/1318106111

Freely available online through the PNAS open
access option.http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2014/03/26/1318106111.full.pdf+html

On a unrelated note:

Scratch That: One Cat's Struggle With Internet Stardom
by Renita Jablonski, , Morning Edition, NPR, April 1, 2014
http://www.npr.org/2014/04/01/297147317/scratch-that-one-cats-struggle-with-internet-stardom

Yours,

Paul H.

Fossil Detectives Close the Case on Prehistoric Spider

Fossil Detectives Close the Case on Prehistoric Spider

Fossil Detectives Close the Case on Prehistoric Spider
Footprints by Nadia Drake, Wired News, March 27, 2014.
http://www.wired.com/2014/03/prehistoric-spider-footprints/

The papers mentioned in this article are:

Alf, R. A., 1968, A spider trackway from the Coconino
Formation, Seligman, Arizona. Bulletin of the Southern
California Academy of Sciences. vol. 67. pp. 125-128.

Sadler, C. J., 1993, Arthropod Trace Fossils from the
Permian De Chelly Sandstone, Northeastern Arizona.
Journal of Paleontology. vol. 67, no. 2, pp. 240-249.

Yours,

Paul H.

New "Chicken From Hell" Dinosaur Discovered

New "Chicken From Hell" Dinosaur Discovered

Weird 'chicken from hell' dinosaur lived alongside T. rex
by Will Dunham, Reuters, March 19, 2014
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/19/us-science-dinosaur-idUSBREA2I24W20140319

New "Chicken From Hell" Dinosaur Discovered. The
66-million-year-old feathered dino resembled a giant,
demonic bird. by Christine Dell'Amore, National Geographic
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/03/140319-dinosaurs-feathers-animals-science-new-species/

Lamanna, M. C., H.-D. Sues, E. R. Schachner, and T. R.
Lyson, 2014, A New Large-Bodied Oviraptorosaurian
Theropod Dinosaur from the Latest Cretaceous of
Western North America. PLoS ONE 9(3): e92022.
doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0092022
http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0092022

Yours,

Paul H.

Ancient Lake Deposits on Mars (Planetary Geomorphology Image of the Month)

Ancient Lake Deposits on Mars (Planetary Geomorphology Image of the Month)

Ancient Lake Deposits on Mars by Tim Goudge, Department
of Geological Sciences, Brown University, Providence, RI.
Planetary Geomorphology Image of the Month. April 1, 2014
http://planetarygeomorphology.wordpress.com/2014/04/01/ancient-lake-deposits-on-mars/
http://planetarygeomorphology.wordpress.com/

Yours,

Paul H.

Amount of Water on Moon Possibly Overestimate

Amount of Water on Moon Possibly Overestimate

Misleading mineral may have resulted in overestimate
of water in moon, Science Daily, April 1, 2014
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/04/140401131137.htm

Misleading mineral may have resulted in overestimate
of water in moon by Kim DeRose, UCLA Newsroom,
University of California, Los Angeles, California.
http://newsroom.ucla.edu/portal/ucla/misleading-mineral-may-have-caused-271755.aspx

The paper is:
Boyce, J.W., S. M. Tomlinson, F. M. McCubbin, J. P.
Greenwood, and A. H. Treiman, 2014, The Lunar
Apatite Paradox. Science, 2014; DOI: 10.1126/science.1250398
Science Express, Published Online March 20 2014
http://www.sciencemag.org/content/early/2014/03/19/science.1250398

Yours,

Paul H.

Tuesday 1 April 2014

Methane-Producing Microbes Caused 'The Great Dying'

Methane-Producing Microbes Caused 'The Great Dying'

Ancient whodunit may be solved: The microbes
did it! (Methane-producing microbes may be
responsible for the largest mass extinction in
Earth’s history.) MIT News, April 1, 2014
http://newsoffice.mit.edu/2014/ancient-whodunit-may-be-solved-microbes-did-it

Archaeageddon: how gas-belching microbes could
have caused mass extinction by Chelsea Wald,
Nature News, http://www.nature.com/news/archaeageddon-how-gas-belching-microbes-could-have-caused-mass-extinction-1.14958

Methane-Producing Microbes Caused 'The Great
Dying' by Christopher Joyce, Morning Edition,
NPR, April 1, 2014. http://www.npr.org/2014/04/01/297623130/methane-producing-microbes-caused-the-great-dying

The paper is:
Rothman, D. H., G. P. Fournier, K. L. French, E. J.
Alm, E. A. Boyle, C. Cao, and R. E. Summons, 2014,
Methanogenic burst in the end-Permian carbon cycle.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.
Early Edition, doi: 10.1073/pnas.1318106111
http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2014/03/26/1318106111

Freely available online through the PNAS open
access option.http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2014/03/26/1318106111.full.pdf+html

On a unrelated note:
Scratch That: One Cat's Struggle With Internet Stardom
by Renita Jablonski, , Morning Edition, NPR, April 1, 2014
http://www.npr.org/2014/04/01/297147317/scratch-that-one-cats-struggle-with-internet-stardom

Yours,

Paul H.