An 11-year-old fossil hunter uncovered fossils of the largest marine reptile, providing new insights into the prehistoric creature. The podcast delves into the discovery process, the significance of the find, and how it expands paleontologists' understanding of ancient marine life.
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Quick takeaways
Recent discovery of giant ichthyosaur fossil by father-daughter team enhances paleontological understanding of ancient marine reptiles.
Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument findings suggest dark energy might be weakening, challenging previous assumptions on the universe's expansion.
Deep dives
Dark Energy Changing Universe's Fate
Dark energy, a key component in the universe's expansion, was thought to be constant, pushing galaxies apart indefinitely. However, recent findings from the 3D map using the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument suggest that dark energy might be weakening over the last 11 billion years, challenging the assumption of its constancy and raising questions about the universe's future trajectory.
Discovery of Giant Ichthyosaur Fossil
In Somerset, UK, a father-daughter duo, Justin and Ruby Reynolds, discovered a giant ichthyosaur jawbone, belonging to a species called ichthyotitan severnensis, with fossils reaching about two meters in size. Paleontologist Dean Lomax confirmed the identification, emphasizing the significance of their find and ensuring its display at the Bristol Museum and Art Gallery.
Pompeii's Newly Unearthed Paintings
Recent excavations at Pompeii uncovered a 50-foot formal dining room adorned with black walls featuring mythological characters from the Trojan War. These paintings, including depictions of Helen of Troy, Paris, Apollo, and Cassandra, provided entertainment and served as conversation starters, shedding light on various aspects of ancient Roman society and daily life found within the city.
When the dinosaurs walked the Earth, massive marine reptiles swam. Among them, a species of Ichthyosaur that measured over 80 feet long. Today, we look into how a chance discovery by a father-daughter duo of fossil hunters furthered paleontologist's understanding of the "giant fish lizard of the Severn." Currently, it is the largest marine reptile known to scientists.
Read more about this specimen in the study published in the journal PLOS One.
Have another ancient animal or scientific revelation you want us to cover? Email us at shortwave@npr.org — we might talk about it on a future episode!