Roy M. Huffington Department of Earth Sciences
New fossil species discovered in Mozambique reveals new data on ancient mammal relatives
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A female Niassodon mfumukasi protecting its calf in its natural environment by the end of the Permian (~256Ma). Illustrated by Fernando Correia.[/caption]A new species and genus of fossil vertebrate has been identified from the remote province of Niassa in Mozambique, according to an international team of paleontologists.
The species is a distant relative of living mammals and is approximately 256 million years old, the researchers reported Dec. 4 in the scientific journal PLoS ONE. Continue reading
SMU dean, earth science professor James Quick elected Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science
Vulcanologist James E. Quick, SMU’s associate vice president for research and dean of Graduate Studies, has been named a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
AAAS is the world’s largest general scientific society and publisher of the journal Science. Quick is the fourth professor at Southern Methodist University recognized with the prestigious honor. Continue reading
Fossil supervolcano discovered in Italy by SMU-led team is now key feature of new UNESCO Geopark
“It is a rare event that geology is a catalyst of public cooperation and celebration,” says SMU geologist and volcano expert James E. Quick. The new Sesia-Val Grande Geopark is an example of just that, says Quick, whose international team in 2009 discovered a fossil supervolcano that now sits at the heart of the new geopark. The discovery sparked worldwide scientific interest and a regional geotourism industry. Continue reading
NPR: “Boiling Hot: How Fracking’s Gusher of Geothermal Energy is Wasted”
In an energy and environment report on Texas, NPR covered the SMU Geothermal Laboratory‘s research to locate and quantify the huge geothermal resources available for production from existing oil wells within Texas. The NPR report relied on the expertise of SMU geothermal expert Maria Richards, director of the SMU Geothermal Laboratory. Continue reading
NatGeo: Shark-like Tails Sped Ancient Sea Monsters Through Oceans
Science journalist Jane J. Lee with National Geographic reported on the research of SMU Research Associate Michael J. Polcyn, who co-authored a new study that found the ancient sea monsters known as mosasaurs were not as slow as paleontologists once thought, thanks to their shark-like tails.
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Bloomberg: Ancient Angola Crocodile Ate Fish as Oil Fields Formed
The research of an international paleontological team working in Angola and co-led by SMU paleontologist Louis L. Jacobs has been covered by Bloomberg news service.
Fossils in the rock outcrops of the coast of Angola in Africa are a “museum in the ground,” says SMU vertebrate paleontologist Jacobs. Reporters Colin McClelland and Manuel Soque with Bloomberg interviewed Jacobs for Ancient Angola Crocodile Ate Fish as Oil Fields Formed.
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Fox News: Oldest dinosaur embryos ever discovered?
Science news reporter Stephanie Pappas covered the research of SMU Earth Sciences doctoral student Ricardo Araújo, “ Oldest dinosaur embryos ever discovered?.”
Araújo published new findings in his scientific paper published May 30 in the journal Nature, “Filling the gaps of dinosaur eggshell phylogeny: Late Jurassic Theropod clutch with embryos from Portugal.” Continue reading
National Geographic: Dinosaur Eggs Are Missing Link In Egg Evolution
National Geographic reporter Jane J. Lee covered the research of SMU Earth Sciences doctoral student Ricardo Araújo, lead author on a scientific paper published May 30 in the journal Nature.
Araújo describes a nest of 150-million-year-old dinosaur eggs discovered in Portugal, considered to be the first eggs and embryonic material of the Jurassic’s gigantic megalosaurid theropod Torvosaurus. Continue reading
Dallas Morning News: Fort Worth coelacanth fossil is missing link among world’s oldest animal lineages
The coelacanth research of SMU paleontology doctoral student John Graf was covered by Dallas Morning News journalist Marc Ramirez.
Graf identified a new species of coelacanth from fossil fish bones discovered in Texas. Ramirez described the discovery and identification in a Feb. 1 article, “Fort Worth coelacanth fossil proves to be a missing link in one of the world’s oldest animal lineages.” Continue reading