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Egypt mainly known for its giant monuments like Cheops and Sphinx is once again in news. According to the latest news the walls of these monuments contains millions of marine fossils. These marine fossils are entirely intact and preserved in the walls.

The study was conducted by Ioannis Liritzis et.al, from the University of Aegean and University of Athens. Researchers suggest that the monuments are made from stones carved out of natural stone. According to Ioannis Liritzis et.al “The observed random emplacement and strictly homogenous distribution of the fossil shells within the whole rock is in harmony with their initial in situ setting in a fluidal sea bottom environment.”

Researches chiseled out small samples from the Sphinx Temple, Cheops, the Valley Temple, the Osirion Shaft, Khefren, the Temple of Seti I at Abydos, Osirion at Abydos and Qasr el-Sagha at Fayum. These samples were taken for mineralogy analysis and chemical composition and structure.

With the help of radioactivity measurements and X-ray diffraction researchers were able to find the composition of the samples. The result of these analysis showed that the primary building material consists of white and black granite, pinky granite sandstones and different types of limestone. Limestone mainly contained number of nummulites gen shell fossils. Journal of Cultural Heritage have accepted to publish these findings.

Giving example of Cheops, researchers told that 40% of the whole building stone rock was constituted by the shell fossils of nummulites gen. Nummulites were very simple marine organisms with the literal meaning “little coins”. These shells lived around 55.8 to 33.9 million years ago in Eocene period and are commonly found in limestone of Egypt.

The main argument presented by Ioannis and team is that the stones used for the construction of the monuments instead of cast in molds they are carved out of the natural stone. And the reason behind this argument is the undamaged and random distribution of shell fossils within the stone. Secondly X-ray pattern shows absences of lime, which is ought to be present in case of cast stones. They also pointed out that in ancient Egyptian paintings, text or sculptures there is no references of casting tools like buckets or molds.

After reading all the interesting facts in the previous article: The Endangered Red Wolf , there are many question still unanswered. One of the most prominent questions is: What are the possible reasons or factors responsible for endangering red wolf? Some of the factors have lead to endangering red wolf are listed below:

• First and the major factor is the loss of their natural habitat. With the extension of human invasion and growing population forests which are the natural habitat are destroyed.
• Extensive hunting of red wolf by humans especially as a part of predator control program.
• Increased disease susceptibility also decreased their number and made them endangered.
• Hybridizing red wolf with coyotes also decreased the number of red wolf.

All the listed factors in combination made red wolf one of the endangered species.

Second question arises is: How many wolf species are living at present? Presently there are only 2 species living: Gray Wolf (Canis lupus) and Red Wolf (Canis rufus). Scientists have discovered 3 subspecies of red wolf and 15 subspecies of gray wolf. Scientists believe that there were at least 24 subspecies of gray wolf earlier. The wolf species are spread all over the world: South America, Canada, Italy, Iran and other countries.

Third question: What are the conservation programs for the recovery of red wolves? It is believed that the original distribution of red wolves spreads around eastern North America. According to the reports approximately 300 red wolves are surviving around the world and out of 300, 220 are in captivity.

• In 1987, in Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge, North Carolina, 100 red wolves were introduced under 1st island propagation project.
• The 2nd island propagation project was held in Horn Island, Mississippi Coast in the year 1989.
• In the year 1990, 3rd island propagation project was introduced in St. Vincent Island, Florida.
• In the year 1997, 4th project was introduced in Cape St. George Island, Florida.

Initially these conservation programs were successful but with the relocation of wolves in 1998 to North Carolina ended the efforts of re-introduction of wolf species to parks.

“First Lungless Frog Discovered”- you may not believe this news, but believe it or not, it’s true. Biologists have reported first case of complete lunglessness in a frog.

The strange amphibian named as “Barbourula kalimantanensis,” gets all the oxygen it needs through its skin. It is first ever recorded frog species that breathes without lungs in a clear cold water stream on the island of Borneo, Indonesia.

Lead author of the study, David Bickford, a biologist at the National University of Singapore reported that no one knew about this strange fact before they accidentally did a routine dissection.

Actually the species was long been discovered by researchers but scientists did not want to sacrifice the animals for dissection. But this time biologists dissected many frogs and found the mysterious frog.

Scientists have been grappling with the controversies that surround the birth of the Grand Canyon. Today, yet another group of scientists are here to state that the Grand Canyon is 9 times older than people have perceived it to be.

New evidences suggest that the a part of the Grand Canyon, also known as the Upper Granite Gorge was formed more than 55 million years ago. Rebecca Flowers, a professor from the University of Colorado remarks by saying that history is complicated and that the Grand Canyon did not appear just 6 million years ago but has an ancestral history of canyons which are integrating over the years to become what it is today.

An earlier study revealed that the Colorado River was responsible for carving out the Grand Canyon about 6 million years ago. The latest study refutes the established birth of the Grand Canyon by a method where scientists have measured the uranium and helium contained in the rocks from the Upper Granite Gorge, which clearly signifies when they cooled and when they were unearthed by erosion.

The study revealed that the rocks experienced cool temperatures about 55 million years ago. The top and bottom of the gorge also suggested cooling at a similar time which signified that the Upper Granite Gorge had formed out of already existing canyons than a plateau as was assumed earlier.

Though there were related evidences which suggested the existence of prior canyons nothing was really confirmed till date. A study conducted by a team of geologists at the University of Mexico confirmed that the Grand Canyon was born out of the sweeping Colorado River. The study also emphasized that parts of the Canyon were probably formed about 17 million years ago. This assertion confirms the latest study that claims that some parts of the Grand Canyon like the Upper Granite Gorge was born in a different time.

Scientists still find it hard to arrive at conclusions relating to the route that the Colorado River took before depositing the sediments along Lake Mead and as to how the precursor canyons combined over the ages to stand as it does today.

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You may be cheated at the name of oxygen bars as you are offered bayberry, peppermint, cranberry, wintergreen and breathe mints. Actually all of these things are consisting of just the oxygen flavors not the real oxygen. These oxygen bars were introduced in USA in late 90s. Since then it has become a favorite trend of the US population.

Presently, the situation is so severe that most of the customers are coming to these oxygen bars expecting that there they can have their deserving share of oxygen through the plastic tube that is duly inserted into their nostrils. Most of the customers opt for the flavored oxygen.

Do These Oxygen Bars Really Help?

As the fans of the oxygen bars state that these bars have some benefits such as reducing stress, increasing energies, lessening the effects of hangovers, sinus problems and headaches. It also helps in relaxing the body.

Factually, it doesn’t have any proven health benefits as far as research studies are concerned. According to experts, we can live with the 21% oxygen that is present in the atmosphere. It is suggested by the American Lung Association, there are no apparent health benefits of inhaling oxygen at oxygen bars.

Even it can be harmful for some patients who are suffering from diseases like heart disease, congestive heart failure, asthma. They need to have medicated oxygen regulated in their body carefully. In case they inhale oxygen excessively then it can be harmful for them.

Brazilian paleontologists have found fossil of new marine crocodile species in Brazil. Paleontologists consider it to be “missing link” between present day and prehistoric crocodiles. The fossil so found belongs to late Cretaceous period approximately 80-85 million years ago. The fossil was found in Palo Alto region of Sao Paulo state, Brazil.

The prehistoric sea predator is called as Montealtosuchus arrudacamposi. It measured around 56-64 inches and weighed approximately 88 pounds. Paleontologist Felipe de Vasconcellos, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro said:”the physical characteristics placed it between the prehistoric crocodiles and their current descendants.”

According to the paleontologist this giant prehistoric crocodile lived on dry land instead of spending most of its time under water. Moreover the prehistoric crocodile was quick on its feet. Vasconcellos said: “Its nostrils were at the front (of its snout). If it went in the water it had to keep its head erect making it an easy target for other predators. Its eyes were placed laterally, like other land-walking animals.”

Hence the above mentioned characteristics of Montealtosuchus arrudacamposi made it the “missing link” of crocodiles. Earlier it was considered that the originating place of crocodiles was northern hemisphere where there were no fossils record of intermediate species was found. Hence with this discovery paleontologist have to revise the originating place of crocodiles.

Vasconcellos told reporters: “Perhaps the origin of crocodiles around the entire world was in the south and not in North America or Europe as it was always believed.” He also added: “They may have first appeared in South America or Africa, when they were fused together in a single continent. That would change the way an entire species has propagated.”