Article
Biology
Zongjun Yin, Weichen Sun, Pengju Liu, Junyuan Chen, David J. Bottjer, Jinhua Li, Maoyan Zhu
Summary: The origin and early evolution of animal development is a deep, unresolved problem in evolutionary biology. Research has shown that the Ediacaran embryo-like fossils from the Weng'an Biota in South China have the potential to shed light on this issue. However, the correct establishment of their phylogenetic positions remains a key problem, limiting our understanding of their biological implications.
PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Yuan Zhang, Xingliang Zhang
Summary: The Ediacaran Doushantuo Formation in South China has yielded a large number of phosphatised embryo-like fossils, with Megasphaera standing out for its abundance and resemblance to extant invertebrate embryos. Despite increasing knowledge of Megasphaera since its discovery in 1986, the controversy surrounding its biological affinity remains unresolved. New fossil material from the Zhenba microfossil assemblage provides a broader size range and a more complete life cycle, supporting an interpretation of Megasphaera as an encysting protist rather than a metazoan embryo.
PRECAMBRIAN RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Instruments & Instrumentation
Takuya Imai, Soki Hattori, Kentaro Uesugi, Masato Hoshino
Summary: Palaeohistological analysis is important for understanding extinct dinosaurs, and recent developments in synchrotronradiation-based X-ray micro-tomography (SXMT) allow nondestructive assessment of palaeohistological features. This study reports SXMT analyses of dinosaur bones with a large field of view and high X-ray energy, providing virtual thin-sections that visualize comparable palaeohistological features to traditional methods. Virtual-palaeohistology at BL28B2 is advantageous for being non-destructive and enabling multiple sampling to accurately determine skeletal maturity.
JOURNAL OF SYNCHROTRON RADIATION
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Zongjun Yin, Weichen Sun, Joachim Reitner, Maoyan Zhu
Summary: Embryo-like fossils from the Weng'an Biota in the early Ediacaran period are believed to be holozoans and could provide insights into the early evolution of metazoans. A new species of embryo-like fossil, Ostiosphaera rara, is described in this study. It shows similarities with various extant and fossil analogues, including testate amoebae and green algae. Although its precise phylogenetic affinities are still uncertain, this discovery suggests a possible connection to other co-occurring embryo-like fossils and may challenge our understanding of the evolutionary history of Precambrian sponges.
JOURNAL OF THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY
(2022)
Proceedings Paper
Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence
Somoballi Ghoshal, Partha Bhowmick, Amlan Chakrabarti, Susmita Sur-Kolay, Sanjukta Chakravorti, Dhurjati Sengupta
Summary: The study presents a technique to digitally reconstruct fossils from a sequence of 2D micro-CT slices, using encoded boundaries for components on each slice, smoothing them, and considering the thinnest digital plane for various tasks. The reconstructed volume allows quick operations with planes, facilitating procedure and enabling Marching Cube method for 3D mesh creation and visualization.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE 2021 36TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON IMAGE AND VISION COMPUTING NEW ZEALAND (IVCNZ)
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Inna Safonova, Alina Perfilova, Olga Obut, Pavel Kotler, Shogo Aoki, Tsuyoshi Komiya, Bo Wang, Min Sun
Summary: This paper presents U-Pb detrital zircon ages, geochemical data, and Nd-Hf isotope data from sandstones of eastern Kazakhstan, suggesting a juvenile character of igneous rocks in the provenance and a derivation from one or more intra-oceanic arcs. The data from eastern Kazakhstan support the existence of an extended Pacific-type subduction system in the western Paleo-Asian Ocean during the Devonian-early Carboniferous time.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EARTH SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Biology
Xing Wang, Jean Vannier, Xiaoguang Yang, Lucas Leclere, Qiang Ou, Xikun Song, Tsuyoshi Komiya, Jian Han
Summary: Although there is little direct information available on the muscle systems of early animals, this study describes exceptionally preserved muscles in benthic olivooid medusozoans from the basal Cambrian, providing the oldest record of a muscle system in cnidarians. These muscles likely helped early Cambrian jellyfish to develop jet-propelled swimming within the water column.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Motoko Igisu, Yuichiro Ueno, Tsuyoshi Komiya, Stanley M. Awramik, Yuka Ikemoto, Ken Takai
Summary: Raman and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) microspectroscopic analyses were conducted on organic-walled microfossils and organic matter in a black chert nodule from the Ediacaran Doushantuo Formation in China. The analyses revealed the presence of diverse microorganisms and various organic functional groups, providing clues for the taxonomy of microfossils of unknown origin.
PRECAMBRIAN RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
A. Ardoin, M. W. Broadley, M. Almayrac, G. Avice, D. J. Byrne, A. Tarantola, A. Leblanc, T. Saito, T. Komiya, T. Shibuya, B. Marty
Summary: Noble gases, specifically xenon, have been used as tracers to investigate physical processes over geological timescales. The isotopic composition of xenon has evolved until the Great Oxidation Event, after which it appeared to cease. Investigating xenon trapped in hydrothermal quartz from different formations around the Great Oxidation Event, the researchers found that xenon isotope fractionation stopped during a specific time window, coinciding with the disappearance of mass-independent fractionation of sulfur isotopes in the region. This finding suggests a connection between the rise in atmospheric oxygen and the cessation of xenon isotope fractionation.
GEOCHEMICAL PERSPECTIVES LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Jian-Qiang Liu, Li-Hui Chen, Xiao-Jun Wang, Xiao-Yu Zhang, Gang Zeng, Saskia Erdmann, David T. Murphy, Kenneth D. Collerson, Tsuyoshi Komiya, Lukas Krmicek
Summary: The study further examines the petrogenesis of Gaussberg lamproites using new Mg and Zn isotopic data, suggesting a source from recycled crustal materials containing sedimentary carbonates rather than post-magmatic alteration or crustal contamination. The involvement of subducted dolomite in the source of the lamproites can explain their anomalous Mg and Zn isotopic values.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Koudai Taguchi, Alexis Gilbert, Barbara Sherwood Lollar, Thomas Giunta, Christopher J. Boreham, Qi Liu, Juske Horita, Yuichiro Ueno
Summary: Distinguishing between biotic and abiotic compounds is crucial in resource geology, biogeochemistry, and the search for extraterrestrial life. The recent development of clumped-isotope analysis allows for a more accurate discrimination of the origin of organic molecules, providing important progress in understanding organic molecules on Earth and in extraterrestrial environments.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Xiao-Yu Zhang, Li-Hui Chen, Xiao-Jun Wang, Takeshi Hanyu, Albrecht W. Hofmann, Tsuyoshi Komiya, Kentaro Nakamura, Yasuhiro Kato, Gang Zeng, Wen-Xian Gou, Wei-Qiang Li
Summary: Researchers have confirmed that ancient superficial carbonates were transported into the deep mantle billions of years ago by analyzing lavas from St. Helena Island in the Atlantic and Cook-Austral Islands in the Pacific.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Biology
Bin Wang, Ruyue Sun, Xiaoguang Yang, Ben Niu, Tao Zhang, Yuandi Zhao, Yuanhui Zhang, Yiheng Zhang, Jian Han
Summary: This study proposes a method for identifying specific taxa of Cambrian microfossils using a convolutional neural network model. The results show that this method has high accuracy and is more efficient than other methods, providing a promising tool for discovering rare fossils.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Chen Chen, Ruiqin Yi, Motoko Igisu, Chie Sakaguchi, Rehana Afrin, Christian Potiszil, Tak Kunihiro, Katsura Kobayashi, Eizo Nakamura, Yuichiro Ueno, Andre Antunes, Anna Wang, Kuhan Chandru, Jihua Hao, Tony Z. Jia
Summary: Alpha-hydroxy acids can react to form polyester gels that can arrange into membraneless microdroplets. These microdroplets, proposed as protocells, can segregate and compartmentalize primitive molecules/reactions. Different primitive aqueous environments with various salts could have allowed the formation of polyester microdroplets. This study investigates the interactions between polyester and salt ions, using spectroscopic and biophysical methods to analyze salt uptake and its effects on microdroplet properties.
Article
Biology
Yaqin Qiang, Junfeng Guo, Guoxiang Li, Zuchen Song, Jiaxin Peng, Jie Sun, Jian Han, Zhifei Zhang
Summary: Aldanella attleborensis, commonly known as a mollusk fossil, has been suggested as a potential marker for defining the base of Cambrian Stage 2. This study re-evaluated the taxonomy of Aldanella yanjiaheensis based on specimens collected from the Yanjiahe Formation. The results suggest that A. yanjiaheensis is a junior synonym of A. attleborensis, indicating its strong potential for global correlation. The wide distribution and distinct morphology of A. attleborensis make it significant for the subdivision and correlation of Cambrian Stage 2.
Editorial Material
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Kaiyue He, Jianni Liu, Jian Han, Qiang Ou, Ailin Chen, Zhifei Zhang, Dongjing Fu, Hong Hua, Xingliang Zhang, Degan Shu
Summary: In this study, the researchers examined over 8000 specimens of yunnanozoans and found no evidence of cellular cartilage or fibrillin. They also reject the idea that yunnanozoans are stem-group vertebrates based on their ultrastructure and morphology.
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Yoshiaki Endo, Sebastian O. Danielache, Moeko Ogawa, Yuichiro Ueno
Summary: The sulfur isotope fractionation during SO2 photolysis plays a key role in understanding ancient sedimentary rocks and atmospheric compositions. This study measured the photoabsorption cross-sections of different sulfur isotopes and calculated the isotope fractionation. The results provide useful information for predicting isotope fractionation and understanding mass-independent fractionation.
GEOCHEMICAL JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Paleontology
Qing-Qin Tang, Ya-Juan Zheng, Song Qin, Yin-Chu Wang, Xiao-Guang Yang, Xing Wang, Jie Sun, Kentaro Uesugi, Tsuyoshi Komiya, Jian Han
Summary: The Kuanchuanpu biota from the basal Cambrian in South China has provided valuable insights into the divergent evolution of animal phyla in the early Cambrian ocean. In this study, a new taxon of calathiform alga, Calathophycus irregulatus Tang gen. et sp. nov., and an indeterminate alga were reported from the Kuanchuanpu biota, indicating a certain diversity of algae at the beginning of the Cambrian. The findings also suggest the need for reevaluation of spherical fossils previously interpreted as animal embryo cleavage stages.
ACTA PALAEONTOLOGICA POLONICA
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Qiang Ou, Degan Shu, Zhifei Zhang, Jian Han, Heyo Van Iten, Meirong Cheng, Jie Sun, Xiaoyong Yao, Rong Wang, Georg Mayer
Summary: This research reports a new polypoid cnidarian, named "Nailiana elegans". The specimen was found in the early Cambrian Chengjiang biota and shows a level of organization similar to extant cnidarians. Phylogenetic analyses suggest it belongs to the stem lineage of Anthozoa, and one specimen provides evidence of predation on an epifaunal lingulid brachiopod.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Bin Zhang, Jiaqi Liu, Wen Chen, Zhiliang Zhang, Li Yang, Lei Zhang, Zeyang Zhu, Chunqing Sun, Zhihao Sun
Summary: The eastern Tibetan Plateau is a region with unique topography and active tectonics, making it crucial for studying geodynamics and lithosphere-atmosphere interaction. By integrating new and reported thermochronological data, as well as paleo-crustal thickness reconstruction, this study sheds light on the tectonic deformation, climate-tectonic coupling, and geodynamics of the area.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Zhenhua Tian, Shangwen Zhou, Songtao Wu, Sai Xu, Junping Zhou, Jianchao Cai
Summary: This paper presents a modified method for calculating the lost gas content of shale by analyzing the coring and on-site desorption processes. The method accurately depicts the loss characteristics of free and adsorbed gas and identifies parameters that influence the calculation of in-situ shale gas content. The results demonstrate that the method shows satisfactory applicability in gas loss curve prediction and in-situ gas content estimation.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Pengcheng Li, Jaffar Abbas, Daniel Balsalobre-Lorente, Qingren Wang, Qianxiao Zhang, Syed Ale Raza Shah
Summary: This study explores the factors contributing to sustainability in Pakistan from 1974 to 2018 and finds that emissions from industrial and agriculture sectors have significantly decreased, while the financial sector has not effectively reduced environmental pressure. Therefore, Pakistan needs to adjust its economic policies and ensure the green allocation of financial resources.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Shi Zhou, Ting Zhou, Duo Guan, Yong Yao, Huimin Sun, Ahmed Ali Mosa, Yajie Zuo, Xianqiang Yin
Summary: Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) has been widely used due to its excellent optical properties and physicochemical stability. The risk of g-C3N4 transport in the environment has been overlooked, but this study investigated its transport behavior in various media. The results showed that flow rate and ionic strength influenced the transport, and the presence of lead (Pb) affected the outflow of g-C3N4. The unique structure of g-C3N4 particles allowed them to deposit in certain media and act as carriers for Pb release.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Xiaolong Qiao, Muntasir Murshed, Mohammad Mahtab Alam, Narasingha Das, Kurshid Khudoykulov, Salman Tariq
Summary: This study examines how macroeconomic factors influence India's carbon emission intensity levels and confirms the impact of factors such as foreign remittance receipts, energy consumption, urbanization, and technological progress. The findings provide policy recommendations for India's carbon emission reduction targets.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Wei Liu, Bo Wan
Summary: Magmatic-hydrothermal systems play a crucial role in transporting materials and potentially affecting Earth's long-term environment. This study investigates the duration of prograde metamorphism induced by fluid infiltration and the amount of carbon released by skarn ore deposits. The findings reveal that skarn ore deposits can efficiently decarbonize CO2 at a high rate, surpassing volcanism in different tectonic settings. The CO2 flux of skarn deposits increases over time and reaches a maximum value at the J/K boundary, providing an important previously unquantified source of outgassing in the subduction zone.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Haikuan Nie, Pei Li, Qing Chen, Zhijun Jin, Quanyou Liu, Wei Dang, Qian Chen, Jianghui Ding, Changbo Zhai
Summary: This study investigates the shale quality and shale gas potential in the upper Ordovician to lower Silurian formations in the Sichuan Basin of southern China. The distribution and characteristics of organic-rich shale are analyzed, aiding in the assessment of shale gas potential and identification of sweet spots.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Najia Saqib, Shujaat Abbas, Ilhan Ozturk, Muntasir Murshed, Malgorzata Tarczynska-Luniewska, Mohammad Mahtab Alam, Waldemar Tarczynski
Summary: This study examines the impact of economic growth, financial development, eco-friendly ICT, renewable energy, and human capital on lowering carbon footprint in the world's top polluting economies from 1993 to 2020. The findings suggest that eco-friendly ICT has the potential to effectively alleviate pollution, and financial development, renewable energy, and environmental technology are proposed as potential solutions for reducing carbon emissions.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Hikmat Salam, Syed Ali Turab, Asghar Ali, M. Qasim Jan, Norasiah Sulaiman, Mohd Basril Iswadi Basori
Summary: The Kahi melange complex in NW Pakistan is an important record of the tectonic evolution between the Indian plate and the Afghan block, consisting of highly dismembered ophiolitic and sedimentary units.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Er-Kun Xue, Wei Wang, David Chew, Manoj K. Pandit, Xin Deng, Yang Tian, Xi-Run Tong, Jun-Hong Zhao
Summary: The study reveals the presence of water-fluxed melting during the Wuyi-Yunkai Orogeny in South China. These water-fluxed melting quartzo-feldspathic migmatites formed during the early Paleozoic and were melted through reactions involving water-saturated quartz, feldspar, biotite, and K-feldspar. The findings highlight the significance of water-fluxed anatexis in the differentiation of the continental crust during orogenesis.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Hadi Shafaii Moghadam, Qiu-Li Li, William L. Griffin, Xian-Hua Li, Orhan Karsli, Christopher J. Spencer, Jose F. Santos, Maria Kirchenbaur, Sobhi Nasir, Suzanne Y. O'Reilly
Summary: Understanding the crustal growth, reworking, and geodynamics of the northern continental margin of Gondwana during the Ediacaran to Silurian times is crucial for the paleogeographic reconstruction of Gondwana. This study uses various analytical methods to evaluate the magmatic history of this region and obtain relevant detrital zircon data. The results provide valuable insights into the crustal evolution and tectonic activities in the northern Gondwana region.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Laura Petrescu, Felix Borleanu, Emanuel Kaestle, Randell Stephenson, Anica Placinta, Oleksandr Ivanovich Liashchuk
Summary: This study investigates the seismic structure of the Eastern European lithosphere and the transition from Precambrian to Phanerozoic Europe. The results show that the crust thickens across the Trans European Suture Zone boundary and the mantle is seismically faster beneath younger terranes. The Precambrian building blocks exhibit contrasting seismic fabrics, with the Baltic orogens characterized by uniform crust and the Sarmatia region showing alternating high and low velocity layers.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Dongya Zou, Hongfu Zhang
Summary: This study analyzes the U-Pb-Hf-O isotopes of zircons in felsic granulite xenoliths from the Fuxin late Cretaceous basalts in the North China Craton to evaluate the role of magma underplating in modifying the Archean lower crust. The results show that long-lived magma underplating occurred beneath the Fuxin region during the Mesozoic, with underplated magmas originating from the lithospheric mantle and later from the depleted asthenospheric mantle. This study concludes that magma underplating not only provided heat for remelting, but also added exotic material and weakened the lower crust, leading to its destruction.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Yu Han, Yingchang Cao, Chao Liang, Keyu Liu, Fang Hao
Summary: A paleoclimate reconstruction based on high-resolution records from lacustrine shale in the Bohai Bay Basin reveals a shift in orbital variability and a humidification event at -41.9 Ma in East Asia. The intensification of the East Asian monsoons at this time was likely a response to the elevated atmospheric pCO2 during the concurrent global warming.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Francesca Innocenzi, Sara Ronca, Stephen Foley, Samuele Agostini, Michele Lustrino
Summary: This study investigates two volcanic provinces in the western branch of the East African Rift and finds that the volcanic products show wide variability in chemical and mineralogical characteristics. Petrographic and geochemical analysis reveals enriched and heterogeneous sub-lithospheric mantle sources. The differences in isotopic features between the two volcanic provinces may indicate changes in the composition, mineralogy, and depth of melting in the lithospheric mantle source.
