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Dinosaur tail trapped in amber sheds light on evolution of feathers

Amber is often prized not just for its golden beauty, but also for the tiny creatures it contains, many of them millions of years old. Now, a chunk of this fossilized tree sap found at a market in Myanmar has turned out to contain a very rare treasure indeed: a slender piece of feathered tail that belonged to a small bipedal dinosaur that lived about 99 million years ago.

“Since Jurassic Park came out, paleontologists have joked about finding dinosaurs in amber, since it would contain so much extra information. And now we have a piece of one,” says Thomas Holtz, a vertebrate paleontologist at the University of Maryland in College Park who was not involved in the study.

Researchers aren’t using ancient blood from the belly of preserved mosquitos to recreate dinosaurs, as in the movies. But the finding does reveal a feathered dinosaur tail in 3D for the first time, and offers a unique glimpse into the early evolution of feathers. Amber is a uniquely useful fossilizer, notes Michael Engel, a paleontologist and entomologist at the University of Kansas in Lawrence who was also not involved in the study. “It preserves things in lifelike fidelity.” Although it’s rare to find larger animals preserved in the sticky flow, researchers have found everything from frogs to lizards to ancient bird wings, likely entombed after death.

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT:  The challenges of policy implementation

In 2015, 193 countries agreed on 17 universal Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as part of the broader 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This transformative United Nations agenda brings together the ingredients for development that is environmentally, socially and economically sustainable. 

But how can countries translate these ambitious goals into real action? Clearly policy implementation is the key. An essential tool to assist countries this year as they prepare their plans to implement the agenda is a concept known as policy coherence for sustainable development (PCSD).

Read more about this topic in a recent report by Sonya Suter and Adam Fishman for the World Resources Institute (June 14, 2016).

The Ravenmaster at the Tower of London whistles a special tune to call the ravens to bed each night. (Image: Colin) via Quite Interesting

Amazing!

Zebra finch parents tell eggs: It’s hot outside

By calling to their eggs, zebra finch parents may be helping their young prepare for a hotter world brought on by climate change.

pollination

You’re looking at nature’s version of an apartment building! A single, immense nest of sociable weavers (Philetairus socius) may contain homes for 100 different families and 400 birds, providing safety in numbers. The immense nests look like haystacks hanging from trees; the birds enter from the bottom. These nests can be used for generations—one remained in use for 100 years. Photo: Rui Ornelas

Scientists make arguments and test arguments. They evaluate, analyze, and critique data. Scientists question. They learn from their mistakes. For student scientists, learning how to make and support evidence-based arguments is a critical to their future success.

The Argument-Driven Inquiry (ADI) instructional model focuses on using authentic lab activities that provide students with opportunities to ask questions, define problems, develop models, and analyze and interpret data. Through ADI, students also learn how to give and accept feedback and refine their practices.

Student Lab Manual for Argument-Driven Inquiry in Chemistry, Lab Investigations for Grades 9–12

Authors Victor Sampson, Peter Carafano, Patrick Enderle, Steve Fannin, Jonathon Grooms, Sherry A. Southerland, Carol Stallworth, and Kiesha Williams have included 30 field-tested labs in this manual that cover a range of topics related to chemical reactions and matter’s structure and properties. The investigations offer authentic scientific experiences and provide opportunities for students to think critically, collect and analyze data, generate arguments, and present their findings.

Check out a sample lab: “Characteristics of Acids and Bases: How Can the Chemical Properties of an Aqueous Solution Be Used to Identify It as an Acid or a Base?”

Accompanies Argument-Driven Inquiry in Chemistry: Lab Investigations for Grades 9–12

Student Lab Manual for Argument-Driven Inquiry in Biology, Lab Investigations for Grades 9–12

Written by Victor Sampson, Patrick Enderle, Leeanne Gleim, Jonathon Grooms, Melanie Hester, Sherry Southerland, and Kristin Wilson, this manual provides 27 labs that require students to work together as a team to plan and carry out an investigation. These field-tested labs cover molecules and organisms, ecosystems, heredity, and biological evolution for grades 9–12.

Check out a sample lab: Explanations for Animal Behavior: Why Do Great White Sharks Travel Over Long Distances?

Accompanies Argument-Driven Inquiry in Biology: Lab Investigations for Grades 9–12

Student Lab Manual for Argument-Driven Inquiry in Life Science, Lab Investigations for Grades 6-8

Authors Patrick J. Enderle, Ruth Bickel, Leeanne K. Gleim, Ellen Granger, Jonathon Grooms,Melanie Hester, Ashley Murphy, Victor Sampson, and Sherry A. Southerland developed 20 labs that cover molecules and organisms, ecosystems, biological evolution, and heredity for grades 6–8.

Accompanies Argument-Driven Inquiry in Life Science: Lab Investigations for Grades 6–8

To learn more, visit the Argument-Driven Inquiry Series page.

Source: ‘Teach Students Evidence-Based Argumentation’; Carole Hayward (Author); Published: April 12, 2016

Google Doodle shines light on photosynthesis 

Jan Ingenhousz is a Dutch scientist from the 18th century. Born on this day in Breda in 1730, he is responsible for discovering photosynthesis.