10-Million-Year-Old Secrets: Ancient Fossils Rewrite the Story of Mammal Evolution

Image: A view from the Sofular excavation site showing fossil distribution within a sandstone layer composed of reworked volcanic material. This deposit overlies a lapilli tuff layer dated to 8.42 million years ago. The exposed skeletal elements—such as lower jaws, and leg and arm bones—mostly belong to herbivorous mammals resembling modern antelopes and horses. Image credit: Ferhat Kaya. Article by University of Oulu, Finland. SciTechDaily – April 20, 2025. Research article: PNAS.

An international research team co-led by the University of Oulu has accurately dated major fossil sites in Central Anatolia, Türkiye, to between 7 and 10 million years ago using an advanced Argon-Argon (⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar) radioisotopic dating technique. These fossil-rich layers, found in the Cappadocia region, a key geological crossroads, contain well-preserved mammal remains interbedded with volcanic ash from ancient explosive eruptions. […]

Click here to view original web page at www.scitechdaily.com