Oldest horseshoe crab fossil discovered
Nearly a half a billion years ago, tiny horseshoe crabs crept along the shorelines much like today’s larger versions do, new fossil evidence suggests.
Two nearly complete fossil specimens discovered in Canada reveal a new genus of horseshoe crab, pushing their origins back at least 100 million years earlier than previously thought.
I was always fascinated with horseshoe crabs digging into the sand at the beach. Were they trying to get to some secret place beneath the sand or were they afraid of me.
Researchers Name Whirligig Beetle After Late Roy Orbison
One of 65 new species of beetles discovered in India by American scientists in 2005 has been named after legendary rock ‘n’ roll singer and songwriter Roy Orbison. (O. orbisonorum)
Beetles represent an inordinate proportion of the number of insects on the planet with estimates ranging up to 300,000 plus species.
1,400-Year-Old Mosaic Gets Makeover
Experts have restored a 1,400-year-old glass mosaic glowing in gold, recovered from a site next to the Mediterranean Sea, the Israel Antiquities Authority announced Monday.
The mosaic panel is believed to be the only one in the world, the antiquities authority said, citing the quality of its preservation given its age and its craftsmanship indicating Christian origins.
“It’s a unique find, a piece of art,” Joseph Patrich, professor of archaeology at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. “It’s in its original state,” Patrich said, because the panel fell face down, protecting its green, blue and gold facade from debris and damage.
