Monthly Archives: April 2017

Scientists have identified one of the earliest known dinosaur relatives and it doesnt look anything like they expected.

Researchers had thought that the oldest dinosaur cousins would look rather like small, two-legged dinosaurs themselves. Instead, Teleocrater rhadinus actually stretched seven to 10 feet long, boasted a long neck and tail, and walked on all fours.

The findings, described in the journal Nature, could force paleontologists to redraw their understanding of dinosaurs origins, as well as the nature of the reptiles that came before them.

This just goes to show that theres a lot more out there that we just didnt know, especially the early history of the larger group that dinosaurs belonged to: Archosauria, said lead author Sterling Nesbitt, a vertebrate paleontologist at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg.

Dinosaurs are part of a larger group known as the archosaurs a lineage of reptiles that split into a bird-line branch that includes pterosaurs, dinosaurs and birds, and a crocodilian branch whose living members today include crocodiles and alligators.

Paleontologists have long tried to predict what those early bird-line reptiles looked like, soon after the split with the crocodilian branch. But they havent been able to do so because of the large gaps in the fossil record of the transitional period before dinosaurs emerged in the mid-to-late Triassic Period, roughly 230 million years ago. Which dinosaur traits are unique to dinosaurs, and which are shared with these earlier archosaurs, they have wondered? Without a wide range of older archosaur fossils, it was difficult to say for sure.

Still, many figured that the line of animals that gave rise to the flying reptiles known as pterosaurs, and later the dinosaurs, which themselves gave rise to birds (the only surviving member of the bird-line branch) might have originally come from a chicken-sized, two-legged, dinosaur-like archosaur.

The Teleocrater fossils described by Nesbitt and his colleagues may be proving that idea wrong. This species isnt exactly new to science: Paleontologist F. Rex Parrington first found fossils in Tanzania in 1933 and English paleontologist Alan J. Charig (a posthumous co-author of this paper) characterized the bones roughly two decades later. But the first specimen was missing crucial bones that would have allowed Charig to tell whether this was a bird-branch or crocodile-branch species of archosaur.

To help fill in those key missing details, Nesbitt and his colleagues studied the original specimen together with three new partial Teleocrater specimens, discovered in 2015 not far from where those original fossils were found. Researchers usually look for certain physical features on the skeleton that remain preserved in a lineage even as species differentiate over time. In the case of Teleocrater, it had a number of markers that identified it as a bird-lineage archosaur, such as a telltale depression on top of the head. It also had a muscle scar high on the thigh bone a characteristic you see even in chicken legs today. (In crocodilians and in lizards, the muscles are more evenly distributed across the leg.)

But even as Nesbitt and his colleagues identified Teleocrater as a bird-like archosaur, they also found surprisingly crocodilian characteristics, including the animals ankle bones. In fact, the entire body plan, with its long, low, four-legged profile, seems in some ways more reminiscent of crocodiles than of theropods, a group of dinosaurs that includes Tyrannosaurus rex and also gave rise to the birds we know today.

The ankle was really a big surprise with this animal, because all of the archosaurs on the bird side of the tree [including] dinosaurs all have what we call a bird-like ankle, which has a pretty simple hinge, and all the archosaurs on the croc side of the tree have what we call a crocodile normal ankle or a crocodile-like ankle, Nesbitt said. That tells us that the crocodile ankle was primitive for the earliest archosaurs and that the bird ankle was derived from a crocodile-like ankle.

This is strange, because that high-thigh muscle scar found in bird-branch archosaurs is typical of animals that walk on two legs not animals like Teleocrater, which appeared to walk on all fours.

So what explains this weird muscle configuration? For now, its unclear, said Nesbitt, who pointed out that many physical features evolved for one purpose before being conscripted into other duties. Feathers, for example, were probably used for insulation, camouflage and even mating displays long before they were repurposed for flight.

Its something we see commonly in vertebrate or just animal history, Nesbitt said.

In any case, that ancient shared ancestor of both crocodiles and dinosaurs (and birds) may have looked more like the former than the latter. And this could change our understanding of which features were originally from early archosaurs, and which emerged much later. It may also cause scientists to reevaluate which ancient archosaurs they study to try to understand what a dinosaur ancestor might have looked like.

The findings, together with other recent discoveries, also highlight how diverse and successful a group the nondinosaur archosaurs were, even if they have fewer representatives among our current fossil records.

People have concentrated on dinosaurs for a really long time; they were really successful for almost 180 million years and they continue on as successful birds today, Nesbitt said. But in the Triassic, they were just a small component of this big radiation of the relatives of dinosaurs.

Nesbitt and his colleagues plan to return to Tanzania in May to try to fill in more gaps in left in their partial skeletons, and more gaps in our understanding of these long-gone species.

amina.khan@latimes.com

Follow @aminawrite on Twitter for more science news and "like" Los Angeles Times Science & Health on Facebook.

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Read more from the original source:

Archosaur fossils found in Tanzania are forcing scientists to rethink the evolution of dinosaurs - Los Angeles Times

By Donald R. Grebien

Pawtucket is at a critical point in its history and the city is evolving. With a number of exciting public and private investments in itsdowntown either happening or in the pipeline, now is Pawtuckets time to align these efforts and set the stage for themto catalyze others.

The birthplace of the American Industrial Revolution, Pawtucket is poised to undergo a 21st century evolution into Rhode Islands premier arts and cultural destination, an ideal community to live, work, play, start a business and raise a family.

With the support of the city's state and federal delegations, public investments have been leveraged fora commuter rail station, a bike path, commerce, the arts and historic preservation. Additionally, thanks to the work of many, Pawtucket is now the gateway to the Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park, with Slater Mill as its crown jewel.

The once-in-a-lifetime opportunity we have in a planned commuter rail station must be capitalized on and leveraged to spur further growth that will benefit all of Rhode Island. This transformative project will connect the people of the Blackstone Valley to Boston via affordable and environmentally friendly transit, and will also provide accessfor tourists and visitors seeking to take advantage of all we have to offer, from Slater Mill to the PawSox to the breweries to our nations newest National Park.

The transit-oriented development potential that this will unlock in the immediate area of Pawtuckets downtown and neighboring Central Falls will truly enliven Rhode Islands urban center. Development of Pawtuckets downtown and riverfront will enhance the citys diverse array of recreational, housing, entertainment, cultural, tourism and business optionsand job options.

Pawtuckets private businesses, such as Collette Tours, Pet Food Experts, Sara Bella Jewelry, Narragansett Insurance, the Gamm Theatre, Isle Brewers Guild and others, have chosen to invest in our community because they see the value and potential. Our mills that once felt the sting of offshoring are now home to small businesses, manufacturers and residents of condos and apartments. Businesses and residents alike say that additional amenities, entertainment and activity are needed to attract visitors and residents to the city and the area we have dubbed its Growth Center.

Pawtuckets Growth Center encompasses more than the Main Street area. It extends from the site of the future commuter rail station through Main Street and City Hall to the east side of the riverfront. Smart investment in this area will drive the citys future growth.

The city and its downtown property owners and businesses can collaboratively shepherd development within the Growth Center to transform downtown into a dynamic, walkable city center that appeals to modern preferences andattracts new residents and businesses.

The City of Pawtucket is reinvesting in its critical infrastructure, such as roads, bike paths, parks, and schools setting the stage for future growth and tourism. Pawtuckets waterfront has tremendous potential for high-quality development and increased public access. Master plans have been developed for riverfront parcels on Division Street and the Tidewater site. The city and state have also upgraded Festival Pier, a one-of-a-kind riverfront park offSchool Street.

Conceptual aerial maps circulated last week display various projects underway and show concepts for the potential relocation of Pawtuckets AAA baseball stadium to the downtown, and how it could fit into the citys vision for the future and catalyze planned projects. The totality of these projects could be more than the sum of its parts, creating a multiplier effect, spurring additional economic development in the region.

I will continue to take a responsible approach, knowing that my duty is to the residents of Pawtucket and taxpayers of Rhode Island. The people's interests must come first. I understand that every dollar counts. This administration brought Pawtucket back from the brink of bankruptcy. We cannot afford to waste any opportunity to spur further growth and progress.

Pawtucket is an important part of Rhode Islands future, and as a gateway to Rhode Island on Route 95 and to our nations newest national park, our future economic development is crucial to Rhode Islands progress.

Donald R. Grebien, a Democrat, is mayor of Pawtucket.

Read more:

Donald R. Grebien: Evolution of Pawtucket is underway - The Providence Journal

WHITE HOUSE

On the campaign trail, candidate Donald Trump called NATO obsolete. This week, with the NATO secretary general standing next to him at a White House news conference, President Trump did a complete reversal, saying, Its no longer obsolete.

Candidate Trump regularly denounced China as a currency manipulator. But days after his summit meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, President Trump said the exact opposite. Theyre not currency manipulators, he told The Wall Street Journal.

These and other presidential policy zigzags are the talk of Washingtons political elites.

President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping walk together after their meetings at Mar-a-Lago, April 7, 2017, in Palm Beach, Florida.

The Washington Post recently declared Trump the king of flip-flops. There is almost daily commentary arguing that the first weeks of his presidency have revealed a leader with a weak understanding of geopolitics, struggling with critical issues such as the workings of the NATO alliance.

Hes been mugged by reality, one commentator said.

In an article published Thursday, however, the Post noted that the president appears to be flip-flopping with more moderation as he gains experience.

Positions more nuanced

On issue after issue in the past 12 weeks, Trumps views have evolved away from campaign rhetoric to more nuanced positions that reflect the responsibilities of office, according to Dan Mahaffee, senior vice president and director of policy at Washingtons Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress.

Many presidents would say campaigning is one art and governing is another, he told VOA.

There is a contrast between the black and white of the campaign trail and the many shades of gray you see sitting behind a desk in the Oval Office, Mahaffee said. The adage, You campaign in poetry and govern in prose is true no matter who holds the office.

Trump himself makes no apologies for his shifting views and policy reverses. After seeing pictures of victims of the recent Syrian chemical weapons attack, Trump told a news conference that his opinion of President Bashar al-Assads regime had changed.

FILE - This frame grab from video provided April, 7, 2017, by official Syrian TV shows the burned and damaged hangars hit by U.S. Tomahawk missiles at the Shayrat air base southeast of Homs, Syria.

I think of myself as a very flexible person. I do change and Im proud of that flexibility, Trump said, as he stood alongside visiting Jordanian King Abdullah.

A day later, the president ordered a Tomahawk missile strike on the Syrian air base where the chemical attack is believed to have originated. While the strike earned him international plaudits, it surprised many at home, including supporters who had listened to him promise on the campaign trail to keep the United States out of conflicts in the Middle East.

New understanding

The further turnabout on at least three issues this week, including NATO and his campaign pledge to close the Export-Import Bank, have prompted discontent in several quarters of the foreign policy establishment.

I would say the most generous interpretation would be that hes now learning about issues that he really didnt have any expertise with beforehand, said Angela Stent, director for the Center for Eurasian, Russian and East European Studies at Georgetown University. He came from the world of real estate.

Its the same on the NATO issue, Stent said. He said consistently during the campaign that NATO was obsolete. He didnt understand why the U.S. needed NATO.

Surrounded by professionals

Luke Coffey, director of the Foreign Policy Center at the conservative Heritage Foundation, questions the mainstream narrative. He says Trumps sometimes worrisome campaign persona has been supplanted by a leader who may speak imprecisely, but who surrounds himself with professionals.

The stuff he [Trump] said about NATO in the past and Russia, I found very alarming, but yesterday he said all the right things, Coffey said. His staff, his appointments, his Cabinet, his generals say all the right things about NATO.

Mahaffee, of the Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress, says that in the final analysis, Trumps flip-flops probably wont hurt his overall approval ratings.

NATO defense spending, the Ex-Im Bank, things like that really wont resonate as much as getting the economy moving and getting jobs back, he said. While a Washington media corps that likes to keep a scorecard will be doing one thing, much of the voting public will be more concerned about pocketbook issues.

Read more here:

Trump's Flip-Flops Show Evolution Toward Moderation - Voice of America

Total Supply/Demand Balance

We estimate that total demand for American natural gas fell to around 449-452 bcf this week (down almost 10% w-o-w, and down 8% y-o-y). National consumption plunged some 12% y-o-y, but total exports' increased by more than 36% over the same period, thus off-setting most of the weakness in domestic demand. The deviation from the norm decreased from 11% to just under 8%.

Source: GeckoiCapital

* norm defined as simple average over the last nine years

The annual decline in dry natural gas production has slowed down to just under 3%. However, we do not currently expect positive y-o-y growth in natural gas output until at least June, 2017. Increased imports from Canada helped offset some of the weakness in domestic output, but aggregate supply (i.e., production + imports) still fell some 2% y-o-y, although it did rise marginally w-o-w.

Overall, total SD Balance should be positive for the third straight week and is expected to reach as much as 100 bcf. This volume is almost twice as large as last week and some 16% above five-year average for this time of the year. In absolute terms, the balance should be bearish for the Henry Hub contract. However, as we have repeatedly said in our previous updates, traders seem to be less concerned about near-term weakness in fundamentals and are more focused on the end-of-injection-season inventory. Also, please note, that total SD Balance does not equal storage flows.

Source: GeckoiCapital

Storage

Currently, we expect EIA to report an injection of 47 bcf next week (final estimate will be released next Tuesday). Our projection is 2 bcf higher than the comparable figure in the ICE's latest report for EII-US EIA Financial Weekly Index, implying a potential "bearish surprise". Overall, at this point in time, we expect flows to storage to average 52 bcf over next three reports. Natural gas inventories deviation from five-year average is projected to decline from 14.6% today to 13.6% on April 28.

See the evolution of storage forecasts in the chart below. Notice, that we have been revising up our near-term storage estimates. Since March 31, the total for three reports went up from 125 bcf to 157 bcf. Please note that we update our forecasts every weekday.

Source: GeckoiCapital

Disclosure: I/we have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours.

I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

Read more:

Natural Gas Weekly: Supply/Demand Balance And Evolution Of Storage Flows - Seeking Alpha