Hello to the last dino...

The latest non-avian dinosaur fossil known to exist has been found in Montana. A Ceratopsian related to the famous Triceratops, it's the first dinosaur to be found within 3 metres of the boundary marking the end of the dinosaur era (Biology Letters, DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2011.0470).

... and goodbye species

A review comparing predictions of extinction rates and observed population declines in response to climate change has found that the predictions are generally accurate. The authors say it confirms we are in a period of global mass extinction, and 1 in 10 species could disappear by 2100 (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1017352108).

Mouldy chips

Fungal moulds have invaded electronic databases of the human genome, as well as commercially available silicon chips supposedly containing human genes alone. Bill Langdon of University College London found that at least two genes listed as human in the GenBank genetic database are from moulds and suspects there may be more.

Radioactive cows

Japanese consumers may have been sold beef farmed near the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant that contained six times the legal level of radioactive caesium. Meanwhile, it has also emerged that the Tokyo Electric Power Company, owners of the plant, razed a 35-metre hill to build it on low ground. The decision saved money but left the plant vulnerable to tsunamis.

Fine for Einstein notes

A California family has been ordered to pay $750,000 for starting a 2007 wildfire that destroyed some of Einstein's notes. Paper plates left to burn in a barrel ignited the blaze, which consumed papers left to the son of one of Einstein's colleagues.

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