Around 45 million years ago, a 4.6 feet-tall (1.40 metres) flightless bird called Diatryma roamed the Geiseltal region in southern Saxony-Anhalt. An international team of researchers led by the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU) and the Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum in Frankfurt report on the bird's fully preserved skull in the scientific journal "Palaeontologia Electronica". The fossil was unearthed in the 1950s in a former lignite mining area in the Geiseltal in Germany. It was initially misclassified and thus led a shadowy existence until its rediscovery. The only other place that a similar skull fossil has been found is the USA.

The research by University of Sydney marine scientists highlights the complex interplay between heat stress, disease onset and coral mortality. It found that 66 percent of the colonies were bleached by February 2024 and 80 per cent by April. By July, 44 percent of the bleached colonies had died, with some coral genera, such as Acropora, experiencing a staggering 95 percent mortality rate.

Archaeologists have uncovered a rare Tetrarchic boundary stone at the site of Abel Beth Maacah in northern Israel. Originally marking land borders under Roman Emperor Diocletian’s tax reforms, the stone provides insight into ancient land ownership, local settlement patterns, and imperial administrative practices. The discovery also introduces two previously unknown place names, expanding our understanding of the region’s historical geography and socio-economic landscape.

New research led by The University of Texas at Arlington emphasizes that studying the impacts of past tropical storms can help communities better prepare for future storms. A key part of the study is analyzing the types and quantities of storm-related precipitation in affected regions to understand its role on local water resources. By mitigating excessive damage, such preparation could enable more people to remain in their home countries. This is increasingly urgent as climate change is expected to make tropical storms 10-15% more frequent and intense.

A Boston University led team of scientists analyzed a Pacific Ocean seamount that is teeming with biologically diverse corals and sea creatures