2016年古生物学热点回眸

A sample of hot research topics in paleontology in 2016

2016年国际古生物研究领域见证了一系列重要事件和研究热点。本文回顾2016年在地球早期生命研究、琥珀中的特异保存化石、中生代羽毛的颜色的分子证据、志留纪古鱼、早泥盆世植物根系、古DNA等研究方向的重要进展,盘点了国际古生物研究领域的前沿及热点,部分展示了中国古生物学界做出的突出贡献。

The year of 2016 witnessed a number of research frontier advances in paleontology, including discoveries of the earliest fossil records （e.g., 3.7 Ga stromatolites, 1.56 Ga macro-muhicellular orgasms, and new Ediacaran animals described）, meticulously preserved feathered dinosaur tails and special insects in ambers, new Silurian fishes, Early Devonian plant root system, and ancient DNA revealing archaic modern human＇s genetic input to the Neanderthals, among others. It is noted that prominent contributions were made by Chinese paleontologists.