An Egyptian research team has discovered the fossil of a large, carnivorous dinosaur believed to have lived more than 98 million years ago in the Bahariya Oasis of Egypt’s Western Desert.
The team was led by Hesham Sallam, professor of vertebrate palaeontology at The American University in Cairo and founder of the Mansoura University Vertebrate Paleontology Centre (MUVP).
A research paper describing the discovery was published in the scientific journal Royal Society Open Science on Wednesday.
The well-preserved vertebra, or backbone, from the base of the neck of a theropod was recovered on a 2016 MUVP expedition. Theropods, the same subgroup to which the Tyrannosaurus rex belongs, are characterised by hollow bones and three-toed limbs.
Trailblazing Egyptian team
“We are the only vertebrate palaeontologists working in Egypt documenting prehistoric life,” Prof Sallam told The National.
“I’m really enjoying my dream of seeing my students leading a scientific paper on a discipline that didn’t exist in Egypt before my time.”
Several exciting prehistoric findings have been made by Egyptian teams in recent years. Last August, a team of palaeontologists from Mansoura University announced the discovery of a species of semi-aquatic whale that lived 43 million years ago. And in February, a collaborative study from Cairo and New Valley universities found dinosaur footprints dating back 70 million years.
Prof Sallam decided to take the lead in bringing the science of vertebrate palaeontology to Egypt shortly after receiving his master’s degree from Mansoura in 2002.
“I was lucky to get a scholarship from the Egyptian government to study rare disciplines that are needed,” he said. He went on to study at the University of Oxford in 2006 and returned with a doctorate in 2010.
The Bahariya Oasis is known for its rich fossils and the discovery of several famous dinosaurs during the early 20th century, such as Spinosaurus, the largest known carnivorous dinosaur. Two other giant theropods, the Carcharodontosaurus and Bahariasaurus, were also found in the oasis.
But the Bahariya dinosaur fossils were shipped to Munich’s palaeontological museum, where they were destroyed during an allied bombing of the city in 1944.
The large predatory dinosaurs that roamed what is now the Egyptian Sahara during the middle of the Cretaceous period, which began 145 million years ago and ended 66 million years ago, are among the abelisaurid family. They existed in Europe and the Southern Hemisphere during the later stages of the Mesozoic Era, or Age of Dinosaurs.
The latest unnamed abelisaurid is estimated to have been six metres in body length with a bulldog-shaped face and short limbs.
Collaborators on the study, which was led by Ohio University graduate student Belal Salem of MUVP, included a team of Egyptian and international researchers from Ohio University, the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, the University of Michigan, Benha University and the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency.
“Identifying definitive abelisaurid from Bahariya is very exciting for Egypt and MUVP, as this group of predatory dinosaurs continues to tell us a lot about vertebrate communities during the Cretaceous Period,” said Ohio University professor of biomedical sciences Patrick O’Connor.
What is graphene?
Graphene is extracted from graphite and is made up of pure carbon.
It is 200 times more resistant than steel and five times lighter than aluminum.
It conducts electricity better than any other material at room temperature.
It is thought that graphene could boost the useful life of batteries by 10 per cent.
Graphene can also detect cancer cells in the early stages of the disease.
The material was first discovered when Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov were 'playing' with graphite at the University of Manchester in 2004.
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
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MATCH INFO
Syria v Australia
2018 World Cup qualifying: Asia fourth round play-off first leg
Venue: Hang Jebat Stadium (Malacca, Malayisa)
Kick-off: Thursday, 4.30pm (UAE)
Watch: beIN Sports HD
* Second leg in Australia scheduled for October 10
Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup - Sept 16-20, Insportz, Dubai
16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side
8 There are eight players per team
9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.
5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls
4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership
Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.
Zones
A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs
B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run
C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs
D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full
Global Fungi Facts
• Scientists estimate there could be as many as 3 million fungal species globally
• Only about 160,000 have been officially described leaving around 90% undiscovered
• Fungi account for roughly 90% of Earth's unknown biodiversity
• Forest fungi help tackle climate change, absorbing up to 36% of global fossil fuel emissions annually and storing around 5 billion tonnes of carbon in the planet's topsoil
The Written World: How Literature Shaped History
Martin Puchner
Granta
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Engine: 5.6-litre V8
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Power: 428hp @ 5,800rpm
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Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
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UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
Haircare resolutions 2021
From Beirut and Amman to London and now Dubai, hairstylist George Massoud has seen the same mistakes made by customers all over the world. In the chair or at-home hair care, here are the resolutions he wishes his customers would make for the year ahead.
1. 'I will seek consultation from professionals'
You may know what you want, but are you sure it’s going to suit you? Haircare professionals can tell you what will work best with your skin tone, hair texture and lifestyle.
2. 'I will tell my hairdresser when I’m not happy'
Massoud says it’s better to offer constructive criticism to work on in the future. Your hairdresser will learn, and you may discover how to communicate exactly what you want more effectively the next time.
3. ‘I will treat my hair better out of the chair’
Damage control is a big part of most hairstylists’ work right now, but it can be avoided. Steer clear of over-colouring at home, try and pursue one hair brand at a time and never, ever use a straightener on still drying hair, pleads Massoud.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Scores
Rajasthan Royals 160-8 (20 ov)
Kolkata Knight Riders 163-3 (18.5 ov)
if you go
The flights
Emirates flies to Delhi with fares starting from around Dh760 return, while Etihad fares cost about Dh783 return. From Delhi, there are connecting flights to Lucknow.
Where to stay
It is advisable to stay in Lucknow and make a day trip to Kannauj. A stay at the Lebua Lucknow hotel, a traditional Lucknowi mansion, is recommended. Prices start from Dh300 per night (excluding taxes).
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Engine: 2.4-litre four-cylinder
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Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
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Scoreline
Al Wasl 1 (Caio Canedo 90 1')
Al Ain 2 (Ismail Ahmed 3', Marcus Berg 50')
Red cards: Ismail Ahmed (Al Ain) 77'
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