Archive for October 19th, 2012

‘Time-Capsule’ Japanese Lake Sediment Advances Radiocarbon Dating for Older Objects

A new series of radiocarbon measurements from Japan’s Lake Suigetsu will give scientists a more accurate benchmark for dating materials, especially for older objects, according to a research team that included Oxford University’s Radiocarbon Accelerator Unit.  The research team extracted cores of beautifully preserved layers of sediment, containing organic material (such as tree leaf and […]

SEA MONSTER ‘PREDATOR X’ GETS OFFICIAL NAME

It’s official: A giant, marine reptile that roamed the seas roughly 150 million years ago is a new species, researchers say. The animal, now named Pliosaurus funkei, spanned about 40 feet (12 meters) and had a massive 6.5-foot-long (2 m) skull with a bite four times as powerful as Tyrannosaurus rex. “They were the top predators of the […]