Scientists have identified a newly discovered hamster-sized mammal species from 75 million years ago, offering rare clues about how small, adaptable ancestors may have survived the extinction that doomed the dinosaurs.
Hattie graduated with her Master’s in Science degree in Palaeontology with Geology in May 2024 at the University of Birmingham. During her time at University, she completed an internship for the Jurassic Coast Trust, Dorset, which involved significance assessments of fossils as well as interpretive writing based on these fossils.
She was a volunteer for three years with the Natural History Museum in Oxford, where she completed two projects. This included cataloguing the John Eddowes Bowman Collection and Mammals of the Pleistocene of the Upper Thames Valley. Hattie’s obsession with fossil teeth may have started due to these projects. She then went on to boost science communication efforts for the collection’s hidden stories.
As an Editor at YourWeather, she is excited to share her enthusiasm for all things science. Palaeontology will always be her childhood passion, and you will never find her happier than being covered in mud on Charmoth beach searching for ammonites.
News by Hattie Russell
Researchers have uncovered a giant new dinosaur species in Thailand, believed to be the largest ever found in Southeast Asia, shedding new light on the region’s prehistoric past and ancient wildlife.
Scientists discovered fossils showing ancient octopuses were enormous, intelligent apex predators with powerful bites. The finding reshapes ideas about prehistoric oceans and reveals that octopuses evolved complex behaviour far earlier than expected.
Scientists studying ancient DNA in southern Germany found that after the Roman Empire fell, people moved in small groups and slowly mixed together, rather than large “Germanic” migrations happening at once.
Scientists have discovered that stressed rocks emit subtle chemical signals before breaking, and developed a model to track these changes—offering a potential new way to warn of earthquakes, landslides and other hazards.
Scientists have created a hemp-based plastic that is durable, heat-resistant and highly stretchable, offering a greener alternative to conventional plastics, though scaling up production remains a key challenge.
Scientists have discovered tiny pieces of DNA that play a big role in human language. These ancient traits existed before Neanderthals and stayed largely unchanged due to limits linked to brain growth and childbirth.
New research suggests malaria helped shape early human history, driving populations from high-risk regions and fragmenting groups, with lasting effects on genetic diversity—highlighting disease as a key force alongside climate.
A new study shows liquid biochar fertilisers boost crop yields, improve nutrient efficiency, and offer strong economic benefits, suggesting a scalable, sustainable alternative to conventional fertilisation without disrupting soil health.
Climate change is gradually increasing wildfire spread and season length, putting many species at greater risk. A new study suggests impacts may grow, though reducing emissions could help limit future damage.
Hidden in Ecuador’s forests, a newly discovered glassfrog dazzles with translucent skin and mystery—hinting at vast, unseen biodiversity while quietly facing potential threats from human activity nearby.
In a new paper published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B, researchers describe a new species of ancient animal after discovering eight fossils in a dry river bed in Brazil.
Scientists uncover a fossil site revealing diverse early animals existed before the Cambrian Explosion, suggesting complex life evolved earlier than believed and offering new insights into evolutionary history.
A cute, newly discovered Korean baby dinosaur, Doolysaurus huhmini, named after a cartoon icon, was revealed through CT scans, uncovering hidden bones, diet clues, and rare insights into its life.
A Rutgers graduate’s research suggests meteor impacts may have created chemical-rich, hydrothermal environments that could have supported life’s origin on early Earth, expanding theories beyond deep-sea vent systems.
A new study published in the journal The Innovation announces a new Archaeopteryx that has been added to the scientific record.
A new study published in the journal Science reveals how glacial climate and severe cold snaps may have shaped early human evolution using deep-sea sediment cores from Portugal.
A new study published in The Anatomical Record reveals why the iconic dinosaur Triceratops would have had such a large nose.
A new study sheds some light on the locomotion strategies among giant, extinct kangaroos and how they may have used other forms of movement, not just hopping.
A team led by RIKEN in Japan have announced the creation of a new plastic which can biodegrade in salt water, setting it apart from other plastics.