Penny Higgins - Storyteller • Artist • Scientist
Combining Science and Joyful Creativity
Y is for Yerbua
Yerbua is a genus of hopping rodent. The name “Yerbua” was coined in 1778, but has since been replaced with “Pedetes.” I have this name written down as a Uintan mammal, but Pedetes is a modern taxon from Africa, so I’m not sure what happened. But here you go:
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#365papers for April 28, 2017
What’s it about?
Homo floresiensis is a species of the genus Homo that was discovered and descibed over 10 years ago. It is a species of small stature from the island of Flores. Many have argued about its placement with other members of the genus Homo and why it might have been so small.
The authors here show that H. floresiensis is at best a sister to H. habilis and may represent an even more ancient lineage of the genus. It probably represents an early migration of homonins out of Africa.Continue reading “Homo floresiensis didn’t come from H. erectus – #365papers – 2017 – 118”
X is for Xylotitan
Xylotitan is a new species of brotothere, a hoofed mammal related to horses and rhinos. Brototheres were giant mammals, considered the earliest of the ‘megaherbivores.’
Among brototheres, Xylotitan is among the smallest, only about the size of a large tapir.
This new species was named in 2016 by Mihlbachler and Samuels.
#365papers for April 27, 2017
What’s it about?
This paper is the description of a juvenile turtle attributed to the species Manchurochelys manchoukuoensis. The authors compare this new specimen with several other species of turtle from the Jehol Biota and other faunas of similar age to argue that 1) it is a juvenile and 2) that their species attribution is correct.Continue reading “An Early Cretaceous Baby Turtle! – #365papers – 2017 – 117”
W is for Washakius
Washakius is a primate known only from the Eocene of the United States.
#365papers for April 26, 2017
What’s it about?
There are many papers published that discuss the dwarfing of animal species during episodes of global warmth. Here, the authors show that during times of coldness, the types of body shapes and sizes in both mammals and birds change rapidly.Continue reading “Cold Conditions Result in Rapid Evolution – #365papers – 2017 – 116”
V is for Viverravus
Viverravus is a carnivorous mammal. Interestingly, I have written up Viverravus in an earlier A to Z Challenge about Paleocene mammals, here. Viverravus as a genus lasted many millions of years.
Here is an early Eocene Viverravus from the Yale-Peabody Museum:
#365papers for April 25, 2017
What’s it about?
Global warming is an important issue in the modern world. Many people are attributing extreme weather events – hurricanes, droughts, flooding, etc. – to global climate change. This paper is an attempt to assess and quantify how much global warming was an influence for such events.Continue reading “How Can We Know How Much Global Warming is Responsible for Extreme Weather? – #365papers – 2017 – 115”
I’ve been doing so well. Papers read and posts written for 107 papers thus far this year. Then suddenly… Silence.
It’s not that I haven’t been thinking about science. Quite the contrary.
I haven’t been reading or posting because I went there. I marched. In Washington DC. With 40,000 of my science colleagues.
With planning the trip, travel, and actually being there and trying to take in all of Washington’s museums and sights, well… It just didn’t happen. Nevertheless, I will catch up. I have papers selected. I’m ready to read.
In the meantime, enjoy some photos:
Continue reading “Marching for Science, or Why I am Behind at #365papers”
U is for Uintatherium
Uintatherium was a massive hoofed mammal that lived during the Eocene epoch. Superficially, they were rather rhinoceros-like, though they were not related.
Notably, Uintatheres had many horns and protuberances on their skulls, in addition to robust tusks.
Penny Higgins - Storyteller • Artist • Scientist