Interesting Fossil discoveries

[TheBeardedDude]

I've done a running thread on paleontological discoveries before, might as well start anew with...


Mapping out the nervous system of an ancestral "great appendage" Chelicerate.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/201...132246.htm

If that doesn't get your ganglia going, I don't know what will. The significance of this study (besides using new techniques for imaging) is a better understanding of the relationships among the arthropods. Arthropods are very diverse (the insects alone are the bulk of modern diversity in animals, hell just the beetles are a staggeringly large proportion of that) and go all the way back to the Cambrian explosion. Better understanding the relationships and evolutionary trajectory of this group could mean a better understanding of the Cambrian Radiation and subsequent diversifications.

And it's just awesome to boot

[Doubting Thomas]

It is awesome, but sadly this will be ignored by creationists or blown off with "Those scientists just invented dinosaurs based on a piece of bone" comments.

[Fruity]

The bearded dude:

I'm sorry. I didn't read your post. I was distracted by your AWESOME signature. This is the way it should be.

Beards rule!

[bladevalant546]

Wow this is very interesting! I wonder how long until we can explain the cambrian explosion.

[Minimalist]

Most of the creatards will avoid topics like this like the plague. Eventually Waldork will show up to say something stupid.

[rexbeccarox]

I've done a running thread on paleontological discoveries before, might as well start anew with...


Mapping out the nervous system of an ancestral "great appendage" Chelicerate.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/201...132246.htm

If that doesn't get your ganglia going, I don't know what will. The significance of this study (besides using new techniques for imaging) is a better understanding of the relationships among the arthropods. Arthropods are very diverse (the insects alone are the bulk of modern diversity in animals, hell just the beetles are a staggeringly large proportion of that) and go all the way back to the Cambrian explosion. Better understanding the relationships and evolutionary trajectory of this group could mean a better understanding of the Cambrian Radiation and subsequent diversifications.

And it's just awesome to boot

Mmmmm... talk dirty to me, beardy

[Anomalocaris]

Very interesting. One of the long standing mysteries about arthropods is how the 5 different major groupings of arthropods (all cheliceates related above belongs to one major grouping) are related to each other. Each anrthropod group appears on the surface to share enough similarities with all the other groups to suggest they must be fairly closely related, yet closer examination suggest the subtler differences between the groups is in fact fundamental. This dilemma has vexed evolutionary biologists so much that some of them have come to regard arthropods as a false grouping - that despite the long list of superficial similarities, the 5 groups were not related, and did not arise out of a common ancester that was itself also an arthropods. All the appearent similarities between insects, trilobites, centipedes, crabs, and spiders were the result of convergent evolution.

Currently the pendulum have swung back mid way, and bulk of evolutionary biology community seem to have moved back to the camp that argue arthropods are in fact closely related, but the last common ancester of all living arthropods might have been quite arthropody, but may not have been fully arthropod.

[Fruity]

I've done a running thread on paleontological discoveries before, might as well start anew with...


Mapping out the nervous system of an ancestral "great appendage" Chelicerate.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/201...132246.htm

If that doesn't get your ganglia going, I don't know what will. The significance of this study (besides using new techniques for imaging) is a better understanding of the relationships among the arthropods. Arthropods are very diverse (the insects alone are the bulk of modern diversity in animals, hell just the beetles are a staggeringly large proportion of that) and go all the way back to the Cambrian explosion. Better understanding the relationships and evolutionary trajectory of this group could mean a better understanding of the Cambrian Radiation and subsequent diversifications.

And it's just awesome to boot

Mmmmm... talk dirty to me, beardy

So beer and beards... What else do you like that I like that you like?

[rexbeccarox]

Mmmmm... talk dirty to me, beardy

So beer and beards... What else do you like that I like that you like?

Dude, Ivy... we're like soul mates

[TheBeardedDude]

Beer, Beards, and fossils. These are the things that sustain me.