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A 225-million-year-old crocodile walked on two legs, scientists confirm an asteroid will not hit the moon in 2032, and Little Foot gets a new face.

       -Monica Cull, Digital Editor

A newly described Triassic reptile may have changed the way it moved as it grew. Fossils indicate this crocodile relative began life on four legs before shifting to two as an adult — a dinosaur-like posture that likely evolved independently in the forests of ancient Arizona.

Earlier concerns that asteroid 2024 YR4 might slam into the moon in 2032 have now been ruled out. New observations from the James Webb Space Telescope show the space rock will instead pass the moon at a distance of about 13,200 miles, ending the possibility of a lunar impact.

After years of minimal activity, the world’s largest acidic geyser in Yellowstone’s Norris Geyser Basin has erupted again. The feature, known as Echinus, is now sending bursts of acidic water up to about 30 feet high every few hours.

Hi Reader,

Arizona’s Petrified Forest National Park is dry and vast. It’s full of sagebrush and sloping badlands, but the most striking feature is the colorful petrified wood left over from ancient trees. Besides these ancient trees, the park is home to a plethora of fossils from the Triassic period, back when this desert landscape was full of lush forests and water.

Among the recently found fossils were the remains of a small crocodile-like species named Sonselasuchus cedrus. Like most crocodile species, S. cedrus walked on all fours — at first anyway. Fossil evidence indicates that this species began life on all fours but later moved to walking on two legs as it grew. This, some researchers believe, could be the precursor to dinosaurs walking on two legs. You have to crawl before you can walk, right?

There’s still more to learn, like that Yellowstone’s largest acidic geyser is erupting again and where scientists detected a record-breaking neutrino.

So, keep reading and stay curious.

Monica Cull

Digital Editor

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