Car-Size Amphibians Found Fossilised In Mass Grave ( Triassic Portugal )

Car-Size Amphibians Found Fossilised In Mass Grave ( Triassic Portugal )

Paleontologists Uncover “Super Salamander” Boneyard
by Brian Switek, National Geographic
http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/2015/03/25/paleontologists-uncover-super-salamander-boneyard/

'Monster salamanders' found in fossilised mass grave
BBC News, March 23, 2015‎
http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-32016625

Prehistoric super salamander was top predator, fossils
suggest, Phys.Org, ‎Mar 23, 2015‎
http://phys.org/news/2015-03-prehistoric-super-salamander-predator-fossils.html
https://www.sciencenews.org/article/fossil-monstrous-fish-eating-amphibian-unearthed
http://www.sci-news.com/paleontology/science-metoposaurus-algarvensis-fossils-giant-salamander-like-amphibian-portugal-02632.html

Brusatte, S. L., R. J. Butlerb, O. Mateusde, and
J. S. Steyerf, 2015, A new species of Metoposaurus
from the Late Triassic of Portugal and comments
on the systematics and biogeography of metoposaurid
temnospondyls. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology.
Published online March 23, 2015.
doi: 10.1080/02724634.2014.912988
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02724634.2014.912988

Yours,

Paul H.

Paleohydrology of the Jezero Crater Paleolake System, Mars

Paleohydrology of the Jezero Crater Paleolake System, Mars

Ancient Martian lake system records two water-related events
Kevin Stacey, Brown University, March 25, 2015
https://news.brown.edu/articles/2015/03/jezero
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-03/bu-aml032515.php

Goudge, T. A., J. F. Mustard, J. W. Head, C. I. Fassett, and S. M.
Wiseman, 2015, Assessing the Mineralogy of the Watershed and
Fan Deposits of the Jezero Crater Paleolake System, Mars.
Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets Accepted Article
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/2014JE004782/abstract
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/enhanced/doi/10.1002/2014JE004782/

Jezero Crater Lake: Phyllosilicate-bearing sediments
http://marsoweb.nas.nasa.gov/landingsites/msl/workshops/2nd_workshop/talks/Fassett_Nili.pdf

Yours,

Paul H.

Winning Ideas for Origin of Mysterious Cambrian (Bedding Plane) Circles of Wisconsin

Winning Ideas for Origin of Mysterious Cambrian (Bedding Plane) Circles of Wisconsin

Reddit helps scientists devise theories for mysterious ring
shaped fossils by Sanden Totten, KPPC, March 18 2015
http://www.scpr.org/news/2015/03/18/50433/reddit-helps-scientists-devise-theories-for-myster/

Winner Announcement !! http://ringmaster.cs.ucr.edu/Rings3.html

Sourcing the Ring Master: http://ringmaster.cs.ucr.edu/Rings.html

Yours,

Paul H.

The Meaning of Meteorites (Learning to Love the Dreaded Thunderstones)

The Meaning of Meteorites (Learning to Love the Dreaded Thunderstones)

Another Geological Society of London lecture about meteorites is:

The Meaning of Meteorites
(Or why we should stop worrying and learn to love the dreaded thunderstone)
by Dr Ted Nield, Geological Society,
Burlington House, Piccadilly, London, W1J 0BG
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuYKYRHMq4U

More about Dr. Ted Neil at
http://www.geolsoc.org.uk/~/media/shared/documents/specialist%20and%20regional%20groups/southernwales/Incoming%20Learning%20to%20love%20the%20meteorite.ashx

Yours,
Paul H,

New, 124 miles in Diameter, Lunar Crater Discovered

New, 124 miles in Diameter, Lunar Crater Discovered

New lunar crater named after aviation pioneer Earhart
by Paul Rincon, BBC News, March 17. 2015
http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-31917302

Hidden Moon Crater Named After Amelia Earhart
by Ian O,Neill, Discovery, March 17, 2015
http://news.discovery.com/space/hidden-moon-crater-named-after-amelia-earhart-150317.htm

Why did researchers decide to name enormous moon
crater after Amelia Earhart? by Andrew McDonald,
The Space Reporter, March 17, 2015
http://thespacereporter.com/2015/03/why-did-researchers-decide-to-name-enormous-moon-crater-after-amelia-earhart/

Yours,

Paul H.

Using Kites to Gather Data for Martian Study

Using Kites to Gather Data for Martian Study

Kites over Kilauea aid Arizona scientists studying
Martian geology, Star-Advertiser staff, March 21, 2015
http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/breaking/20150321_Kites_over_Kilauea_aid_Arizona_scientists_studying_Martian_geology.html

Yours,

Paul H.

Geology in Space: Meteorites and Cosmic Dust

Geology in Space: Meteorites and Cosmic Dust

A rather nice Geological Society of London lecture is:

Geology in Space: Meteorites and Cosmic Dust
Geology no longer is the study of the Earth. Rocks
are found throughout the universe on other planets,
asteroids and comets and as debris ranging in size
down to the tiniest pieces of stardust, Matthew Genge
Imperial College, London. Geological Society of London
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMTl5fY4QW4

Although off-topic, the below lecture is also worthwhile.

Exceptionally Preserved Fossils: Windows on the ‬
Evolution of Life‬, GeologicalSociety, March's Shell
London lecture, delivered by David Siveter,
University of Leicester) at the Geological Society
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDm4yYaAvZM

Yours,

Paul H.

Extent of Moon's Giant Volcanic Eruption is Revealed

Extent of Moon's Giant Volcanic Eruption is Revealed

Extent of moon's giant volcanic eruption is revealed
Durham University, Science Daily, March 18, 2015
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/03/150318101236.htm
https://www.dur.ac.uk/news/newsitem/?itemno=24111

Wilson, J. T., V. R. Eke, R. J. Massey, R. C. Elphic,
B. L. Jolliff, D. J. Lawrence, E. W. Llewellin, J. N.
McElwaine, andL. F. A. Teodoro, in press,
Evidence for explosive silicic volcanism on the Moon
from the extended distribution of thorium near the
Compton-Belkovich Volcanic Complex. Astrophysics,
Earth and Planetary Astrophysics.
http://dro.dur.ac.uk/14040/
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/2014JE004719/abstract;jsessionid=02443213C9D35B7548AA77A84BE49CC6.f03t04

Unique volcanic complex discovered on Moon's far side
Washington University in St. Louis, Science Daily
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110725091730.htm

Yours,

Paul H.

Public Fossil Digs in North Dakota

Public Fossil Digs in North Dakota

Public welcome to search for fossils at North Dakota digs
Eloise Ogden, Bismark Tribune / The Associated Press
http://bismarcktribune.com/news/state-and-regional/public-welcome-to-search-for-fossils-at-north-dakota-digs/article_8fa030b2-5661-53f6-8bbd-62462b1ea5eb.html

North Dakota Geological Survey Paleontology Fossil
Digs Program, North Dakota Geological Survey
https://www.dmr.nd.gov/ndfossil/digs/digs.asp

Yours,

Paul H.

Giant ( Two-Meter ) Ordovician Anomalocaridid Found In Morocco

Giant ( Two-Meter ) Ordovician Anomalocaridid Found In Morocco

Giant Ocean Arthropod Rivals Largest in History
By Ross Pomeroy, Real Clear Science, March 2015
http://www.realclearscience.com/journal_club/2015/03/11/giant_ocean_arthropod_rivals_largest_in_history_109127.html

Fossilised remains of human-sized 'lobster'
discovered in Morocco (The newly discovered
prehistoric species, named Aegirocassis benmoulae,
was an early ancestor of the modern spider and
the oldest giant filter-feeder on record.
The Guardian, March 11, 2015
http://www.theguardian.com/science/2015/mar/11/fossilised-remains-of-human-sized-lobster-discovered-in-morocco

Frankensquid creature roamed seas 480m years
ago, PhysOrg, March 11, 2015,
http://phys.org/news/2015-03-frankensquid-creature-roamed-seas-480m.html

Aegirocassis benmoulae, Yale Peabody Museum
of Natural History, YouTibe, March 11, 2015
(A presentation by Dr. Peter Van Roy describing a
new fossil anomalocaridid from the Early Ordovician
Fezouata Formation of Morocco. Dr. Van Roy is
one of the authors of a new study that has shed
light on the early evolution and development of
arthropod limbs.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KoqAA-RRnc

The paper is:

Van Roy, P., A. C. Daley, and D. E. G. Briggs.
Anomalocaridid trunk limb homology revealed
by a giant filter-feeder with paired flaps.
Nature. 2015. doi:10.1038/nature14256
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nature14256.html

Yours,

Paul H.

Online Lectures on Permian and Other Mass Extinctions

Online Lectures on Permian and Other Mass Extinctions

Beauchamp, B. (University of Calgary), 2013, Permian –
Triassic Mayhem: Lead-up, Catastrophe and Aftermath
of the Earths Largest Mass Extinction viewed from
Arctic Canada Royal Tyrrell Museum Spealer Series 2013
Published on Feb 11, 2013
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8rynQqg9x8

‪ Ward, Peter, 2013, Our Future In a World Without Ice Caps‬.
Brown Bag Lecture Series; Center for Student Engagement
& Leadership; and Arts, Culture, and Civic Engagement,
Edmonds Community College, Lynnwood, Washington.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtHlsUDVVy0

Yours,

Paul H.

Crowdfunding meteorite searching in the Australian Nullarbor Plain

Crowdfunding meteorite searching in the Australian Nullarbor Plain

In “[meteorite-list] Crowdfunding meteorite searching in
the Nullarbor Plain” on March 3, 2015, Robin Whittle wrote:

“Here is an article about Australian researchers who
no longer can get government funding, and so are
turning to crowdfunding to support their expeditions.
They claim to have found more than 20% of Australia's
recorded meteorites.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-03-03/meteorite-hunting-scientists-inundated-with-public-support/6269762 “

Another article is “Crowd-funding and meteorite
hunting – a success story!” at
http://oncirculation.com/2015/03/03/crowd-funding-and-meteorite-hunting-a-success-story/

Robin continued;

“My wife Tina and I visited the coastal part of the
Nullarbor Plain in the winter of 2010. It is a limestone
surface which was a sea bed roughly 12 million years
old, according to the "middle Miocene" description at:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nullarbor_Plain “

A PDF file that summarizes the geology of the
Nullarbor Plain is:

Webb, J., 2002, Nullarbor Field Trip Excursion
Guide.10th Australia and New Zealand
Geomorphology Group Conference September-
October 2002, Department of Earth Sciences,
La Trobe University, Victoria 3086
http://www.anzgg.org/scanned-publications
http://www.anzgg.org/ANZGG%2010%202002%20Nullarbor%20fieldtrip.pdf

The limestone deposits underlying the Nullarbor Plain
represent four periods of innudation. The first was in
middle-late Eocene. At this time, almost the entire
Nullarbor Plain was covered by relatively quiet, shallow,
and cool marine waters in which up to 300 meters of
limestone (Wilson Bluff Limestone) accumulated. In the
early Oligocene, the marine waters completely retreated
and later return during the late Oligocene. Between late
Oligocene to early Miocene, about 100 meters of
Abrakurrie Limestone accumulated. Then marine waters
briefly retreated and exposed the Nullarbor Plain again
at the end of the early Miocene. Later during both the
early Miocene and middle Miocene, the Nullarbor Plain
was twice innudated and less than 20 meters of
Nullarbor Limestone accumulated over much of the
Nullarbor Plain. The marine waters finally retreated
about 14 million years ago and the Nullarbor Plain has
been high, dry, and accumulating meteorites for the
past 14 million years.

Go see:

Drexel, J. F., and W. V. Preiss, eds., 1995, The
geology of South Australia. Volume 2, The
Phanerozoic: Geological Survey of South
Australia Bulletin. vol. 54, 347 p.

Yours,

Paul H.