Fossilized Polar Bear Jawbone Sheds Light on Evolution

An Icelandic scientist found a fossilized polar bear jawbone on a remote island in the Arctic Ocean. Using genetic analysis scientists were able to determine the birth of the polar bear was 150,000 years ago. Scientists previously believed them to be only 90,000 years old. The finding also confirms that polar bears evolved from brown bears and after 20,000 years all of the common polar bear traits including size and diet were in place. This suggests that their adaptation was considerably shorter than previously believed. The full report can be found on Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Learn more: Wired Science
Declining Key Arctic Species Populations

Antarctica is home to thousands of marine species found nowhere else in the world. Ongoing biodiversity studies conducted by the British Antarctic Survey have revealed “hot-spots” where levels of biodiversity are unparalleled. However, the latest findings suggest that sea-ice reduction is affecting krill populations, which are a vital food source for key species like penguins and whales. Such changes can severely damage the biodiversity of even the heartiest ecosystem. Reduced sea ice cover combined with warmer temperatures has allowed more invasive species to thrive, thereby shifting the balance of the regions food web and further threatening the survival of key species populations.

Source: ENN, British Antarctic Survey