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New Research Revises Conventions for Deciphering Color in Dinosaurs While Suggesting Connection between Color and Physiology

By Guest PostFebruary 14, 2014Nature, Scienceanchiornis, ancient maniraptoran dinosaurs, austin, chang fu zhou, change, china university, cold blooded, color in dinosaurs, crocodiles, deciphering, dinosaur physiology, diverse melanosomes, diversity, ectothermic, endothermic, evolutionary emergence, evolutionary role, julia clarke, ke qin gao, lizards, matthew shawkey, microraptor, paravians, protofeathers, pycnofibers, quanguo li, sinosauropteryx, turtles, university of akron, university of texas, warm blooded

AUSTIN, Texas — New research that revises recently established conventions allowing scientists to decipher color in dinosaurs may also provide a tool for understanding the evolutionary emergence of flight and changes in dinosaur physiology prior to the origin of flight.

In a survey comparing the hair, skin, fuzz and feathers of living terrestrial vertebrates and fossil specimens, a research team from The University of Texas at Austin, The University of Akron, the China University of Geosciences and four other Chinese institutions found evidence for evolutionary shifts in the relationship between color and the shape of pigment-containing organelles known as melanosomes, as reported in the Feb. 13 edition of Nature. (more…)

Iridescent, Feathered Dinosaur Offers Fresh Evidence That Feathers Evolved to Attract Mates

By Guest PostMarch 9, 2012Scienceaerodynamic functions, anchiornis, archaeopteryx, austin, catapults, color, dinosaurs, evolution of feathers, feather pattern, feathers, fossil, four winged dinosaur, julia clarke, living birds, mark norell, mate attracting, matt shawkey, mick ellison, microraptor, modern birds, peking university, pigment, quanguo li, rui pei, thermoregulation, university of akron, university of texas, velociraptor

AUSTIN, Texas — A team of American and Chinese researchers has revealed the detailed feather pattern and color of Microraptor, a pigeon-sized, four-winged dinosaur that lived about 120 million years ago. A new specimen shows the dinosaur had a glossy iridescent sheen and that its tail was narrow and adorned with a pair of streamer feathers, suggesting the importance of display in the early evolution of feathers, as presented in the March 9 edition of the journal Science.

The research was conducted by scientists at the Beijing Museum of Natural History, Peking University, The University of Texas at Austin, the University of Akron, and the American Museum of Natural History. (more…)

Pressure to Look more Muscular may Lead some Men to Consider Steroids

By Guest PostJune 6, 2011Healthbody-image concerns, bodybuilders, bonnie moradi, consider steroids, counselors recognize, cultural influences, first time objectification theory, journal of counseling psychology, professional athletes, psychology of men and masculinity, underlying issue, university of akron, university of florida

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Most people associate steroid use with oiled-up bodybuilders or professional athletes, but for some college-age men, steroids seem like the only way to measure up to the muscle-bound men in fitness magazines.

A survey of 270 male college students by Mike Parent, a University of Florida doctoral candidate in counseling psychology, showed that the same cultural influences that drive some women to feel dissatisfied with their bodies can also lead college-age men who highly value looking muscular to contemplate steroid use. Studies show that up to 5 percent of college-age men have used steroids, Parent said. (more…)

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New Research Revises Conventions for Deciphering Color in Dinosaurs While Suggesting Connection between Color and Physiology

Iridescent, Feathered Dinosaur Offers Fresh Evidence That Feathers Evolved to Attract Mates

Pressure to Look more Muscular may Lead some Men to Consider Steroids