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Scientists find 74-million-year-old tiny mammal fossil in Chile
It is the smallest mammal ever found in this region of South America
Author of the article:AFP
AFP
Published Aug 12, 2025 • 1 minute read
This illustration by Mauricio Alvarez depicts 'Yeutherium pressor,' a tiny mammal that lived in the time of the dinosaurs in what is now southern Chile.
This illustration by Mauricio Alvarez depicts 'Yeutherium pressor,' a tiny mammal that lived in the time of the dinosaurs in what is now southern Chile. Photo by - /Universidad de Chile/AFP
SANTIAGO — Scientists have discovered the fossil of a tiny mouse-sized mammal that lived in the time of the dinosaurs in Chilean Patagonia.
“Yeutherium pressor” weighed between 30 and 40 grams (about one ounce) and lived in the Upper Cretaceous period, about 74 million years ago.
It is the smallest mammal ever found in this region of South America, dating back to the era when it was part of a continental land mass known as Gondwana.
The fossil consists of “a small piece of jaw with a molar and the crown and roots of two other molars,” said Hans Puschel, who led the team of scientists from the University of Chile and Chile’s Millennium Nucleus research center on early mammals.
The discovery was published this month in the British scientific journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
The fossil was discovered in the Rio de Las Chinas Valley in the Magallanes region of ChileHans Püschel/Universidad de Chile/AFP
Researchers found the fossil in the Rio de las Las Chinas Valley in Chile’s Magallanes region, about 3,000 kilometers (1,864 miles) south of Santiago.
Despites its similarity to a small rodent, “Yeutherium pressor” was a mammal that must have laid eggs, like the platypus, or carried its young in a pouch like kangaroos or opossums.
The shape of its teeth suggests that it probably had a diet of relatively hard vegetables.
Just like the dinosaurs with whom it co-existed, the tiny mammal abruptly went extinct at the end of the Cretaceous period, about 66 million years ago.
torontosun.com
It is the smallest mammal ever found in this region of South America
Author of the article:AFP
AFP
Published Aug 12, 2025 • 1 minute read
This illustration by Mauricio Alvarez depicts 'Yeutherium pressor,' a tiny mammal that lived in the time of the dinosaurs in what is now southern Chile.
This illustration by Mauricio Alvarez depicts 'Yeutherium pressor,' a tiny mammal that lived in the time of the dinosaurs in what is now southern Chile. Photo by - /Universidad de Chile/AFP
SANTIAGO — Scientists have discovered the fossil of a tiny mouse-sized mammal that lived in the time of the dinosaurs in Chilean Patagonia.
“Yeutherium pressor” weighed between 30 and 40 grams (about one ounce) and lived in the Upper Cretaceous period, about 74 million years ago.
It is the smallest mammal ever found in this region of South America, dating back to the era when it was part of a continental land mass known as Gondwana.
The fossil consists of “a small piece of jaw with a molar and the crown and roots of two other molars,” said Hans Puschel, who led the team of scientists from the University of Chile and Chile’s Millennium Nucleus research center on early mammals.
The discovery was published this month in the British scientific journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
The fossil was discovered in the Rio de Las Chinas Valley in the Magallanes region of ChileHans Püschel/Universidad de Chile/AFP
Researchers found the fossil in the Rio de las Las Chinas Valley in Chile’s Magallanes region, about 3,000 kilometers (1,864 miles) south of Santiago.
Despites its similarity to a small rodent, “Yeutherium pressor” was a mammal that must have laid eggs, like the platypus, or carried its young in a pouch like kangaroos or opossums.
The shape of its teeth suggests that it probably had a diet of relatively hard vegetables.
Just like the dinosaurs with whom it co-existed, the tiny mammal abruptly went extinct at the end of the Cretaceous period, about 66 million years ago.
Scientists find 74-million-year-old tiny mammal fossil in Chile
Scientists have discovered the fossil of a tiny mouse-sized mammal that lived in the time of the dinosaurs in Chilean Patagonia.
Woman discovers 2.3-carat ‘diamond-y diamond’ in Arkansas park
Author of the article
enette Wilford
Published Aug 12, 2025 • Last updated 13 hours ago • 2 minute read
Micherre Fox, who spent three weeks hunting for the perfect diamond to use for her own engagement ring at Crater of Diamonds State Park in Arkansas.
Micherre Fox, who spent three weeks hunting for the perfect diamond to use for her own engagement ring at Crater of Diamonds State Park in Arkansas. Photo by Supplied /Arkansas State Parks
A determined woman on the hunt for diamonds at an Arkansas state park hit the jackpot on her last day there.
Micherre Fox, 31, spent weeks at Crater of Diamonds State Park in Pike County last month, with the aim of finding the perfect rock for her future engagement ring, Arkansas State Parks (ASP) said in a press release.
While Fox wasn’t engaged at the time, her partner agreed to hold off proposing, knowing she wanted to uncover her own diamond — something she began researching about two years ago, according to ASP.
Fox prepared for two weeks before beginning her hunt on July 8 during a month-long break after finishing graduate school.
“I was willing to go anywhere in the world to make that happen,” Fox said.
“I researched, and it turned out that the only place in the world to do it was right in our backyard, in Arkansas!”
Crater of Diamonds is one of the only diamond-producing sites in the world where the public can search for diamonds in their original volcanic source, the website notes.
Their policy is as straightforward as it gets: “‘Finders, keepers,’ meaning the diamonds you find are yours to keep.”
Diamond sitting in Fox’s hand, left, and closeup of diamond. (Supplied/Arkansas State Parks)
Diamond sitting in Fox’s hand, left, and closeup of diamond. (Supplied/Arkansas State Parks) Photo by Supplied /Arkansas State Parks
Fox explained about her decision: “There’s something symbolic about being able to solve problems with money, but sometimes money runs out in a marriage. You need to be willing and able to solve those problems with hard work.”
Fox spent a total of three weeks at the park but it was on July 29, her last day there, that she encountered something shiny at her feet while walking along the West Drain, part of the 37.5-acre diamond search area.
The woman nudged it with her boot, thinking it was a spider web, but the shine remained — so she picked it up.
“Having never seen an actual diamond in my hands, I didn’t know for sure, but it was the most ‘diamond-y diamond’ I had seen,” she recalled.
The park’s Diamond Discover Center confirmed it was a white diamond about the size of a human canine tooth.
“I got on my knees and cried, then started laughing,” Fox said, noting that she got to name the gem, calling it the Fox-Ballou Diamond after her and her partner’s surnames.
“After all the research, there’s luck and there’s hard work,” she said.
“When you are literally picking up the dirt in your hands, no amount of research can do that for you; no amount of education can take you all the way,” Fox added. “It was daunting.”
So far this year, 366 diamonds have been registered at Crater of Diamonds, with 11 weighing more than one carat, according to the park.
The 2.3-carat stone Fox found marks the third-largest found in the park this year.
![diamond-x-2-e1755027573156[1].jpg](https://forums.canadiancontent.net/data/attachments/28/28810-efa32b3c999ae7c634d50baea686ba01.jpg "diamond-x-2-e1755027573156[1].jpg")
arkansasstateparks.com
torontosun.com
Author of the article
enette WilfordPublished Aug 12, 2025 • Last updated 13 hours ago • 2 minute read
Micherre Fox, who spent three weeks hunting for the perfect diamond to use for her own engagement ring at Crater of Diamonds State Park in Arkansas.
Micherre Fox, who spent three weeks hunting for the perfect diamond to use for her own engagement ring at Crater of Diamonds State Park in Arkansas. Photo by Supplied /Arkansas State Parks
A determined woman on the hunt for diamonds at an Arkansas state park hit the jackpot on her last day there.
Micherre Fox, 31, spent weeks at Crater of Diamonds State Park in Pike County last month, with the aim of finding the perfect rock for her future engagement ring, Arkansas State Parks (ASP) said in a press release.
While Fox wasn’t engaged at the time, her partner agreed to hold off proposing, knowing she wanted to uncover her own diamond — something she began researching about two years ago, according to ASP.
Fox prepared for two weeks before beginning her hunt on July 8 during a month-long break after finishing graduate school.
“I was willing to go anywhere in the world to make that happen,” Fox said.
“I researched, and it turned out that the only place in the world to do it was right in our backyard, in Arkansas!”
Crater of Diamonds is one of the only diamond-producing sites in the world where the public can search for diamonds in their original volcanic source, the website notes.
Their policy is as straightforward as it gets: “‘Finders, keepers,’ meaning the diamonds you find are yours to keep.”
Diamond sitting in Fox’s hand, left, and closeup of diamond. (Supplied/Arkansas State Parks)
Diamond sitting in Fox’s hand, left, and closeup of diamond. (Supplied/Arkansas State Parks) Photo by Supplied /Arkansas State Parks
Fox explained about her decision: “There’s something symbolic about being able to solve problems with money, but sometimes money runs out in a marriage. You need to be willing and able to solve those problems with hard work.”
Fox spent a total of three weeks at the park but it was on July 29, her last day there, that she encountered something shiny at her feet while walking along the West Drain, part of the 37.5-acre diamond search area.
The woman nudged it with her boot, thinking it was a spider web, but the shine remained — so she picked it up.
“Having never seen an actual diamond in my hands, I didn’t know for sure, but it was the most ‘diamond-y diamond’ I had seen,” she recalled.
The park’s Diamond Discover Center confirmed it was a white diamond about the size of a human canine tooth.
“I got on my knees and cried, then started laughing,” Fox said, noting that she got to name the gem, calling it the Fox-Ballou Diamond after her and her partner’s surnames.
“After all the research, there’s luck and there’s hard work,” she said.
“When you are literally picking up the dirt in your hands, no amount of research can do that for you; no amount of education can take you all the way,” Fox added. “It was daunting.”
So far this year, 366 diamonds have been registered at Crater of Diamonds, with 11 weighing more than one carat, according to the park.
The 2.3-carat stone Fox found marks the third-largest found in the park this year.
Digging for Diamonds | Arkansas State Parks
Where can diamonds be found? The answer might surprise you. Arkansas’s Crater of Diamonds State Park is one of the only diamond-producing site in the world where the public can search for diamonds in their original volcanic source. The policy here is "finders, keepers," meaning the diamonds you...
‘FINDERS, KEEPERS’: Woman discovers 2.3-carat ‘diamond-y diamond’ in Arkansas park
A determined woman on the hunt for diamonds at an Arkansas state park hit the jackpot on her last day there.
Nice little story but the lab made units for sale now and dirt cheap and much better looking.Woman discovers 2.3-carat ‘diamond-y diamond’ in Arkansas park
Author of the article
Published Aug 12, 2025 • Last updated 13 hours ago • 2 minute read
Micherre Fox, who spent three weeks hunting for the perfect diamond to use for her own engagement ring at Crater of Diamonds State Park in Arkansas.
Micherre Fox, who spent three weeks hunting for the perfect diamond to use for her own engagement ring at Crater of Diamonds State Park in Arkansas. Photo by Supplied /Arkansas State Parks
A determined woman on the hunt for diamonds at an Arkansas state park hit the jackpot on her last day there.
Micherre Fox, 31, spent weeks at Crater of Diamonds State Park in Pike County last month, with the aim of finding the perfect rock for her future engagement ring, Arkansas State Parks (ASP) said in a press release.
While Fox wasn’t engaged at the time, her partner agreed to hold off proposing, knowing she wanted to uncover her own diamond — something she began researching about two years ago, according to ASP.
Fox prepared for two weeks before beginning her hunt on July 8 during a month-long break after finishing graduate school.
“I was willing to go anywhere in the world to make that happen,” Fox said.
“I researched, and it turned out that the only place in the world to do it was right in our backyard, in Arkansas!”
Crater of Diamonds is one of the only diamond-producing sites in the world where the public can search for diamonds in their original volcanic source, the website notes.
Their policy is as straightforward as it gets: “‘Finders, keepers,’ meaning the diamonds you find are yours to keep.”
Diamond sitting in Fox’s hand, left, and closeup of diamond. (Supplied/Arkansas State Parks)
Diamond sitting in Fox’s hand, left, and closeup of diamond. (Supplied/Arkansas State Parks) Photo by Supplied /Arkansas State Parks
Fox explained about her decision: “There’s something symbolic about being able to solve problems with money, but sometimes money runs out in a marriage. You need to be willing and able to solve those problems with hard work.”
Fox spent a total of three weeks at the park but it was on July 29, her last day there, that she encountered something shiny at her feet while walking along the West Drain, part of the 37.5-acre diamond search area.
The woman nudged it with her boot, thinking it was a spider web, but the shine remained — so she picked it up.
“Having never seen an actual diamond in my hands, I didn’t know for sure, but it was the most ‘diamond-y diamond’ I had seen,” she recalled.
The park’s Diamond Discover Center confirmed it was a white diamond about the size of a human canine tooth.
“I got on my knees and cried, then started laughing,” Fox said, noting that she got to name the gem, calling it the Fox-Ballou Diamond after her and her partner’s surnames.
“After all the research, there’s luck and there’s hard work,” she said.
“When you are literally picking up the dirt in your hands, no amount of research can do that for you; no amount of education can take you all the way,” Fox added. “It was daunting.”
So far this year, 366 diamonds have been registered at Crater of Diamonds, with 11 weighing more than one carat, according to the park.
The 2.3-carat stone Fox found marks the third-largest found in the park this year.
View attachment 30547View attachment 30548
Digging for Diamonds | Arkansas State Parks
Where can diamonds be found? The answer might surprise you. Arkansas’s Crater of Diamonds State Park is one of the only diamond-producing site in the world where the public can search for diamonds in their original volcanic source. The policy here is "finders, keepers," meaning the diamonds you...‘FINDERS, KEEPERS’: Woman discovers 2.3-carat ‘diamond-y diamond’ in Arkansas park
A determined woman on the hunt for diamonds at an Arkansas state park hit the jackpot on her last day there.
![CP174865540-e1755122113348[1].jpg](https://forums.canadiancontent.net/data/attachments/28/28834-caf27ef35115fe8b803ec9e57873fb3d.jpg "CP174865540-e1755122113348[1].jpg")
perhaps it should be mandatory to shave animals during the summer?
Scientists unearth 'cute' but fearsome ancient whale
'It's essentially a little whale with big eyes and a mouth full of sharp, slicing teeth'
Author of the article:AFP
AFP
Published Aug 13, 2025 • 1 minute read
Museums Victoria Researcher Ruairidh Duncan (L) and Palaeontologist Erich Fitzgerald with the partial fossil skull and teeth of Janjucetus dullardi in Melbourne.
Museums Victoria Researcher Ruairidh Duncan (L) and Palaeontologist Erich Fitzgerald with the partial fossil skull and teeth of Janjucetus dullardi in Melbourne. Photo by Tom BREAKWELL /MUSEUMS VICTORIA/AFP
Sydney — Australian scientists have discovered a razor-toothed whale that prowled the seas 26 million years ago, saying Wednesday the species was “deceptively cute” but a fearsome predator.
Museums Victoria pieced together the species from an unusually well-preserved skull fossil found on Victoria’s Surf Coast in 2019.
Scientists discovered a “fast, sharp-toothed predator” that would have been about the size of a dolphin.
“It’s essentially a little whale with big eyes and a mouth full of sharp, slicing teeth,” said researcher Ruairidh Duncan.
“Imagine the shark-like version of a baleen whale — small and deceptively cute, but definitely not harmless.”
The partial fossil skull and teeth of Janjucetus dullardi at MuseumsVictoria in MelbourneTom BREAKWELL/MUSEUMS VICTORIA/AFP
The partial fossil skull and teeth of Janjucetus dullardi at MuseumsVictoria in MelbourneTom BREAKWELL/MUSEUMS VICTORIA/AFP Photo by Tom BREAKWELL /MUSEUMS VICTORIA/AFP
The skull belonged to a group of prehistoric whales known as the mammalodontids, distant smaller relatives of today’s filter-feeding whales.
It is the fourth mammalodontid species ever discovered, Museums Victoria said.
“This fossil opens a window into how ancient whales grew and changed, and how evolution shaped their bodies as they adapted to life in the sea,” said palaeontologist Erich Fitzgerald, who co-authored the study.
Victoria’s Surf Coast lies on the Jan Juc Formation — a geological feature dating to the Oligocene epoch between 23 and 30 million years ago.
A string of rare fossils have been unearthed along the scenic stretch of beach, a renowned site for the study of early whale evolution.
“This region was once a cradle for some of the most unusual whales in history, and we’re only just beginning to uncover their stories,” said Fitzgerald.
“We’re entering a new phase of discovery.
“This region is rewriting the story of how whales came to rule the oceans, with some surprising plot twists.”
The species was named Janjucetus dullardi, a nod to local Ross Dullard who stumbled across the skull while strolling the beach in 2019.
It was described in the peer-reviewed Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society.
torontosun.com
'It's essentially a little whale with big eyes and a mouth full of sharp, slicing teeth'
Author of the article:AFP
AFP
Published Aug 13, 2025 • 1 minute read
Museums Victoria Researcher Ruairidh Duncan (L) and Palaeontologist Erich Fitzgerald with the partial fossil skull and teeth of Janjucetus dullardi in Melbourne.
Museums Victoria Researcher Ruairidh Duncan (L) and Palaeontologist Erich Fitzgerald with the partial fossil skull and teeth of Janjucetus dullardi in Melbourne. Photo by Tom BREAKWELL /MUSEUMS VICTORIA/AFP
Sydney — Australian scientists have discovered a razor-toothed whale that prowled the seas 26 million years ago, saying Wednesday the species was “deceptively cute” but a fearsome predator.
Museums Victoria pieced together the species from an unusually well-preserved skull fossil found on Victoria’s Surf Coast in 2019.
Scientists discovered a “fast, sharp-toothed predator” that would have been about the size of a dolphin.
“It’s essentially a little whale with big eyes and a mouth full of sharp, slicing teeth,” said researcher Ruairidh Duncan.
“Imagine the shark-like version of a baleen whale — small and deceptively cute, but definitely not harmless.”
The partial fossil skull and teeth of Janjucetus dullardi at MuseumsVictoria in MelbourneTom BREAKWELL/MUSEUMS VICTORIA/AFP
The partial fossil skull and teeth of Janjucetus dullardi at MuseumsVictoria in MelbourneTom BREAKWELL/MUSEUMS VICTORIA/AFP Photo by Tom BREAKWELL /MUSEUMS VICTORIA/AFP
The skull belonged to a group of prehistoric whales known as the mammalodontids, distant smaller relatives of today’s filter-feeding whales.
It is the fourth mammalodontid species ever discovered, Museums Victoria said.
“This fossil opens a window into how ancient whales grew and changed, and how evolution shaped their bodies as they adapted to life in the sea,” said palaeontologist Erich Fitzgerald, who co-authored the study.
Victoria’s Surf Coast lies on the Jan Juc Formation — a geological feature dating to the Oligocene epoch between 23 and 30 million years ago.
A string of rare fossils have been unearthed along the scenic stretch of beach, a renowned site for the study of early whale evolution.
“This region was once a cradle for some of the most unusual whales in history, and we’re only just beginning to uncover their stories,” said Fitzgerald.
“We’re entering a new phase of discovery.
“This region is rewriting the story of how whales came to rule the oceans, with some surprising plot twists.”
The species was named Janjucetus dullardi, a nod to local Ross Dullard who stumbled across the skull while strolling the beach in 2019.
It was described in the peer-reviewed Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society.
Scientists unearth 'cute' but fearsome ancient whale
Museums Victoria pieced together the species from an unusually well-preserved skull fossil found on Victoria's Surf Coast in 2019.
Drinkmate recalls over 100,000 carbonation bottles due to explosion risk
Author of the article:Associated Press
Associated Press
Published Aug 14, 2025 • 1 minute read
NEW YORK (AP) — More than 100,000 Drinkmate carbonation bottles are being recalled across the U.S. and Canada because they can explode during use, with several consumers reporting cuts and other impact injuries.
According to a Thursday notice from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, the recall covers certain “Drinkmate 1L Carbonation Bottles” sold individually or as part of the sparkling water maker’s “OmniFizz” starter kits. That includes about 106,200 bottles in the U.S., the safety regulator noted, as well as 5,000 in Canada.
Drinkmate has received eight reports of these now-recalled bottles exploding during use in the U.S., the CPSC noted — four of which resulted in cuts, impact injuries and hearing damage. And per Health Canada, one additional case of a bottle shattering during use and causing some bruises has been reported in Canada.
It wasn’t immediately clear what’s causing these bottles to explode — but Thursday’s recall noted that the issue was limited to Drinkmate’s 1-liter bottles with expiration dates between January 2026 and October 2026. The products have a clear polyethylene terephthalate body and plastic caps and bases in red, blue, white and black colors.
In addition to Drinkmate’s website, these bottles were sold by major retailers — including Walmart, Amazon, Target and Home Depot — between April 2023 and October 2024. Consumers in possession of the now-recalled products are urged to stop using them immediately — and contact Drinkmate for a free replacement.
Those impacted can register for the recall and learn more on Drinkmate’s website. To receive a free replacement bottle, you will need to fill out an online form and upload a picture of the product with the word “recall” written on it in permanent marker, and throw it away per the recall’s instructions.
The Associated Press reached out to Michigan-based Drinkmate for further comment Thursday.
torontosun.com
Author of the article:Associated Press
Associated Press
Published Aug 14, 2025 • 1 minute read
NEW YORK (AP) — More than 100,000 Drinkmate carbonation bottles are being recalled across the U.S. and Canada because they can explode during use, with several consumers reporting cuts and other impact injuries.
According to a Thursday notice from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, the recall covers certain “Drinkmate 1L Carbonation Bottles” sold individually or as part of the sparkling water maker’s “OmniFizz” starter kits. That includes about 106,200 bottles in the U.S., the safety regulator noted, as well as 5,000 in Canada.
Drinkmate has received eight reports of these now-recalled bottles exploding during use in the U.S., the CPSC noted — four of which resulted in cuts, impact injuries and hearing damage. And per Health Canada, one additional case of a bottle shattering during use and causing some bruises has been reported in Canada.
It wasn’t immediately clear what’s causing these bottles to explode — but Thursday’s recall noted that the issue was limited to Drinkmate’s 1-liter bottles with expiration dates between January 2026 and October 2026. The products have a clear polyethylene terephthalate body and plastic caps and bases in red, blue, white and black colors.
In addition to Drinkmate’s website, these bottles were sold by major retailers — including Walmart, Amazon, Target and Home Depot — between April 2023 and October 2024. Consumers in possession of the now-recalled products are urged to stop using them immediately — and contact Drinkmate for a free replacement.
Those impacted can register for the recall and learn more on Drinkmate’s website. To receive a free replacement bottle, you will need to fill out an online form and upload a picture of the product with the word “recall” written on it in permanent marker, and throw it away per the recall’s instructions.
The Associated Press reached out to Michigan-based Drinkmate for further comment Thursday.
Drinkmate recalls over 100,000 carbonation bottles due to explosion risk
More than 100,000 Drinkmate carbonation bottles are being recalled across the U.S. and Canada because they can explode during use.