Core Viewpoint - The excavation and research of the Camel Mountain paleontological site in Dalian has entered a new phase, integrating fossil protection and development with the region's tourism resources, aiming to establish a world-class cultural tourism IP in Northeast Asia [2][8]. Group 1: Excavation and Research Progress - The Camel Mountain site has yielded over ten thousand vertebrate fossil specimens, covering more than 120 species of mammals, including newly discovered species like the Dalian post-mole and Jinpu American leopard [5][6]. - The research team has established a high-resolution biostratigraphic framework for the late Cenozoic era in Northeast China, publishing over 30 papers in core journals [6][8]. - The excavation site, known as Jinyuan Cave, has a unique geological and biological significance, with a stratigraphic record spanning from 3.6 million to 300,000 years ago, documenting five major geological and biological events [4][6]. Group 2: Fossil Analysis and Findings - Fossils discovered include a complete specimen of a giant camel, which lived 1.8 million years ago, providing insights into the evolution of this species and its environment [5][6]. - Analysis of fossilized dung has revealed a complete food chain from 1.6 million years ago, indicating a diverse ecosystem with intermingled coniferous and broadleaf forests [6][8]. - The research has identified five significant biological turnover events that correspond with global climate fluctuations, such as a cooling event around 2.6 million years ago that led to the emergence of cold-adapted species like the woolly mammoth and woolly rhinoceros [6][8]. Group 3: Collaboration and Future Development - The collaboration between the Dalian Jinpu New Area and the Chinese Academy of Sciences has established a national-level research platform, ensuring professional scientific research while promoting fossil resource protection and utilization [8]. - The ongoing excavation and research efforts are expected to continue for at least another 50 years, with the current generation only beginning to uncover the site's potential [8].

Core Insights - The article discusses a significant research study on gibbons, revealing their evolutionary history, population dynamics, and conservation status through extensive genomic sequencing [2][4][9]. Group 1: Research Findings - The research team constructed the most comprehensive gibbon genome dataset to date, covering 18 extant gibbon species and successfully obtaining mitochondrial genomes from three extinct samples, including the "Junzi gibbon" [4]. - The study clarified the controversial evolutionary relationships among the four genera of gibbons: Hylobates, Nomascus, Symphalangus, and Hoolock, resolving a century-old classification issue [4][7]. - Phylogenetic analysis based on ancient mitochondrial DNA placed the extinct Junzi gibbon within the Nomascus genus, negating its status as a separate genus [4][7]. Group 2: Genetic and Ecological Insights - The research indicated that historical changes in gibbon population sizes and habitat suitability were consistent with past climate changes [5]. - Comparative genomics and transgenic mouse experiments identified a deletion of 205 base pairs in the Sonic Hedgehog (SHH) gene, which is linked to the elongated limbs characteristic of gibbons [6][7]. Group 3: Implications for Conservation - The findings advance the understanding of gibbon evolution, biology, and conservation efforts, providing critical information for the protection of threatened gibbon species [9].

Core Insights - The article discusses the discovery of the earliest known charophyte fossils in the Tarim and Ordos basins of China, which pushes back the geological record of charophytes by approximately 28 million years to the Late Ordovician period, providing crucial fossil evidence for the hypothesis that land plants originated from charophytes [1][2][9]. Group 1: Discovery and Significance - The research published in "Nature Plants" reveals that charophyte fossils were found in carbonate rock layers from the Early Late Ordovician, indicating a significant evolutionary step towards land plants [1][7]. - This discovery challenges previous assumptions about the timeline of land plant evolution and supports the hypothesis that land plants originated from freshwater charophytes [1][2][9]. Group 2: Research Background - The lead researcher, Liu Lijing, began her investigation into these fossils in 2010 while pursuing her PhD, initially studying various algal fossils from the Tarim and Ordos basins [9][14]. - Over the years, Liu and her team conducted extensive research, analyzing over 10,000 carbonate thin sections and documenting around 100,000 images of algal fossils, which laid the groundwork for identifying the charophyte fossils [9][14]. Group 3: Evolutionary Implications - The findings indicate that key morphological innovations, such as multicellular branching and oospore reproduction, had already emerged before the Early Late Ordovician, highlighting the evolutionary link between charophytes and land plants [9][14]. - The research team confirmed the evolutionary relationship between land plants and charophytes through phylogenetic analysis of 62 traits across 13 groups of land plants and charophytes [7][9].