Tag Archives: carbon isotope

How Mars’ atmosphere got so thin: New insights from Curiosity

By Science, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

ANN ARBOR — New findings from NASA’s Curiosity rover provide clues to how Mars lost its original atmosphere, which scientists believe was much thicker than the one left today.

“The beauty of these measurements lies in the fact that these are the first really high-precision measurements of the composition of Mars’ atmosphere,” said Sushil Atreya, professor of atmospheric, oceanic and space sciences at the University of Michigan. (more…)

Read More

Saber-toothed Cats and Bear Dogs: How They Made Cohabitation Work

By Science, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

ANN ARBOR — The fossilized fangs of saber-toothed cats hold clues to how the extinct mammals shared space and food with other large predators 9 million years ago.

Led by the University of Michigan and the Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales in Madrid, a team of paleontologists has analyzed the tooth enamel of two species of saber-toothed cats and a bear dog unearthed in geological pits near Madrid. Bear dogs, also extinct, had dog-like teeth and a bear-like body and gait. (more…)

Read More