Science & Tech
Meet monster-like sea scorpion from ancient seas
New York: The fossil of a previously unknown “sea scorpion” – an extinct monster-like predator that swam the seas some 467 million years ago – has been discovered in Iowa in the US.
Measuring over 1.5 metres long, Pentecopterus is the oldest known species of eurypterid (sea scorpion) and is related to modern arachnids.
It has the sleek features of a penteconter, one of the first Greek galley ships.
According to a Yale University research team, Pentecopterus could grow to nearly six feet, with a long head shield, a narrow body, and large, grasping limbs for trapping prey.
It is the oldest described eurypterid — a group of aquatic arthropods that are ancestors of modern spiders, lobsters and ticks.
“The new species is incredibly bizarre. The shape of the paddle – the leg which it would use to swim – is unique, as is the shape of the head. It is also big – over a metre and a half long!” said lead author James Lamsdell from Yale University.
This shows that eurypterids evolved some 10 million years earlier than we thought.
“The relationship of the new animal to other eurypterids shows that they must have been very diverse during this early time of their evolution,” said James Lamsdell, post-doctoral associate at the university.
“Pentecopterus is large and predatory, and eurypterids must have been important predators in these early Palaeozoic ecosystems,” he added.
Geologists with the Iowa Geological Survey at the University of Iowa discovered the fossil bed in a meteorite crater by the Upper Iowa River in northeastern Iowa.
Fossils were then unearthed and collected by temporarily damming the river in 2010.
Researchers from Yale and the University of Iowa have led the analysis.
The fossil-rich site yielded both adult and juvenile Pentecopterus specimens, giving the researchers a wealth of data about the animal’s development.
In addition, the researchers said, the specimens were exceptionally well preserved.
Spines are also present on some limbs and appear similar to those found on horseshoe crabs where they aid in processing food.
The discovery has been detailed in the open access journal BMC Evolutionary Biology.
Business
Apple is giving a huge discount on its gadgets: Details inside
If you want to buy an iPhone and were waiting for a nice offer, then we have a piece of good news for you! Amazon Summer Sale May 2022 has begun and they are offering major discounts on various smartphones, laptops, and smart TVs, among others.
The sale is live now on the e-commerce platform with no-cost EMI options and exchange discounts on various products. In addition to this, Amazon has also partnered with several banks including ICICI, Kotak Bank, and RBL so that customers get instant discounts of up to 10% using their cards and EMI transactions.
Customers can easily enjoy this summer sale and get massive discounts on iPhones. They can also compare prices on Flipkart Big Saving Days Sale 2022 before making a purchase.
Amazon Summer Sale May 2022: Discount offer on iPhone 13
Apple’s coveted phone model iPhone 13 in the 128 GB storage model will be available during the Amazon Summer Sale May 2022 for Rs 64,900. The MRP of the phone is Rs 79,900. This means that the customers will be able to enjoy a discount of up to Rs 15,000 on the purchase of the iPhone 13.
If you have an old iPhone in working condition then you will also be eligible to receive another additional discount worth up to Rs 17,000 on the iPhone 13.
Buy at Rs. 64,900 (MRP – Rs. 79,900)
Features of Apple iPhone 13
The iPhone is powered by an A15 Bionic processor with 6 core CPU. Apart from this, it has 16 core neural engines. With the iPhone 13, up to 512 GB of storage will be available. The iPhone 13 has a 6.1-inch Retina XDR display with 1000 nits brightness.
The iPhone 13 has a 12-megapixel dual rear camera setup. This time a new wide-angle camera has been given, whose aperture is f/1.6. With this, there is support for sensor optical stabilisation. Night mode has been made better than before. The second lens is also 12 megapixels ultra-wide and has an aperture of f/2.4.