The uppermost Famennian (Upper Devonian) is marked by the reappearance of trilobites following their almost complete disappearance at the end of the Frasnian. Among these trilobites, the latest Famennian phacopids represented by Omegops are recorded and illustrated from the carbonate succession of the Arshakiaghbyur Horizon in the Armash section (Ararat Province), located 70 km southeast of the capital, Yerevan. Although the assemblage displays a low taxonomic diversity, it includes a newly identified species, Omegops armeniensis. The age of the fossil-bearing interval is constrained by the presence of the conodont species Icriodus raymondi in the lower part of the studied section and of Polygnathus inornatus and Siphonodella praesulcata in the upper part of it, indicating a time span from the Middle expansa to praesulcata zones. These trilobites represent the youngest known phacopids and are among the victims of the Hangenberg Crisis that took place near the Devonian–Carboniferous boundary. The Armenian phacopid fauna formed a trilobite association inhabiting a shallow shelf together with diverse brachiopod and coral communities. At a global scale, this occurrence is in agreement with the interpretation of a shallow and near-shore marine habitat for Omegops species during the latest Famennian.

Cambrian trilobites from two separate allochthonous limestone blocks of La Cruz olistoliths at the Quebrada Oblicua (Precordillera of Mendoza, Argentina), originally described by the naturalist Carlos Rusconi in the 1950s, are revised herein. One of the olistoliths is dominated by the late Guzhangian cedariid Cedaria puelchana Rusconi, whereas the other block contains Pseudagnostus cf. P. idalis Öpik, Dunderbergia punctata (Rusconi) new combination, Sigmocheilus cf. S. sigmoidalis (Palmer), Litocephalus obliquoanus (Rusconi) new combination, and Onchonotopsidae? gen. et sp. indet., which indicate a late Paibian age (Dunderbergia Zone). The genera Dunderbergia Walcott (=Tabalqueia Rusconi), Sigmocheilus Palmer, and Litocephalus Resser (=Cayupania Rusconi) are reported from South America for the first time. In line with previous studies on Cambrian faunas from the Precordillera, the assemblages revised here show North American (Laurentian) affinities.

In this article, we report new marine reservoir age correction (ΔR) values from the Marine20 calibration for the Penghu Islands in the Taiwan Strait over the past 6700 cal BP, derived from 14C and U-Th ages of Holocene corals. Since secondary calcite from diagenetic processes can influence coral 14C ages, we developed a pretreatment protocol that ensures low calcite content (<1%, 0.8±0.2%) using a combination of thorough physical cleaning and repeated XRD measurements. We compare our new measurements with published ΔR values from the region, recalculated to conform to the Marine20 dataset. The results show larger temporal variation (∼300 yr) in ΔR from 5500 to 6700 cal BP for the Penghu Islands and ∼400 yr variability at several SCS sites from 5500 to 8200 cal BP. Relatively smaller ΔR variability is observed from 0–5500 cal BP: ∼220 yr in the Penghu Islands and ∼320 yr for South China Sea sites. The weighted mean ΔR value of –155±59 14C yr for the past 5500 cal BP is determined as the marine reservoir age correction around Taiwan and northeastern SCS, and this value is consistent with modern values inherited from the North Equatorial Current, the upstream source of the Kuroshio Current that feeds the northeastern SCS and the Taiwan Strait.

The present study addressed the influence of lithological variability on hydrothermal alteration processes in the Çubuk region of Ankara, recognized globally for its agate occurrences. The objective was to clarify how differing host rocks, tuff and ignimbrite in Karadana, and perlitic units in Yukarıemirler, affect secondary mineral formation and alteration pathways. A combination of mineralogical (X-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, field-emission scanning electron microscopy) and geochemical (energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, whole-rock geochemistry, δ18O–δD) methods was utilized to characterize alteration assemblages and fluid conditions. The alteration sequence progressed through five stages, beginning with unaltered volcanic rocks. In the second stage, smectite-group clays, particularly montmorillonite, were formed under mildly alkaline and low-temperature conditions (pH 7.5–9.0; T 43–50°C). This initial clay formation was followed by zeolitization along two distinct pathways: clinoptilolite crystallized (K-rich, Si/Al ~4.2) in the Karadana tuff–ignimbrite units, while heulandite formed (Ca-rich, Si/Al ~2.7) in the perlitic host rocks of Yukarıemirler. These variations are attributed to differences in host-rock composition, permeability, and hydrothermal fluid chemistry. In more advanced stages, mordenite and chabazite precipitated under progressively higher pH and temperature conditions (pH 9.5–10.0; T 70–80°C). In the final stage, opal–quartz formed due to silica supersaturation triggered by a drop in pH, despite rising temperatures (pH ~8.5–9.0; T ~250°C). The paragenetic sequence confirms that clay mineral formation preceded zeolitization in both zones. Variations in zeolite types reflect strong lithological and hydrochemical controls, as well as the origin of the hydrothermal fluids; clinoptilolite formation in Karadana is associated with Na- and K-rich supergene fluids, while Ca-rich hypogene fluids promoted heulandite precipitation in Yukarıemirler. This study presents the first detailed paragenetic model for zeolite–clay alteration in the Çubuk volcanic system and offers new insights into post-caldera hydrothermal evolution in Central Anatolia.

Cancer, a multifactorial and heterogeneous disease, poses a significant global health challenge. Despite current treatments such as surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy, tumour recurrence and treatment side effects are common. These pitfalls necessitate a dire need for alternative therapeutic strategies with minimal side effects. This necessity has broadened the horizons of drug discovery into the marine domain, an exciting frontier for novel therapeutic agents. The marine ecosystem serves as a hub of diverse chemical groups with potential anti-cancer properties. Few marine-derived drugs are approved for cancer, and preliminary studies show that marine lead compounds can inhibit cancer cell growth and induce apoptosis. In this context, this review encapsulates an overview of ‘the current state of marine biodiscovery’. It explores the ‘potential of marine natural products in combating cancer’ with a particular focus on glioblastoma multiforme as a case study. Additionally, it discusses the ‘key strategies for advancing marine-derived anti-cancer compounds from the research stage to clinical use’. By tapping into the vast, unlocking the hidden treasures of the ocean, marine natural compounds could offer a hopeful perspective in the fight against cancer.

Recent development in the Upper Ordovician conodont biostratigraphy of Baltoscandia highlights the mismatch between the traditionally used conodont zonation and ranges of the eponymous species. Practical application of the zonation is further complicated by the fact that the morphology of the long-ranging species Amorphognathus tvaerensis, the key taxon of the eponymous conodont zone, changes through its distribution interval, and its older and younger representatives are quite different. The latter one was recently described as a new species, A. viirae. Also, it appeared that the specimens assigned earlier to A. ineaqualis in the northern Baltoscandian region are conspecific with A. tvaerensis and A. ineaqualis is missing here. As a result, the A. ineaqualis Conodont Zone has to be abandoned from the regional zonal scheme. Restudy of conodont collections from the Bliudziai-150 (Lithuania) and Kovel-1 (Ukraine) core sections demonstrated the absence of A. ineaqualis and the presence of A. viirae also in the southern Baltoscandian area and Ukraine. This paper contains a formal description of the new, emended conodont zonation for Sandbian and the lowermost Katian of the Baltoscandian Palaeobasin and its correlation to the regional chemostratigraphic standard.

This pioneering study examined the wound healing and regeneration abilities of the upside-down jellyfish Cassiopea at the Cnidarian Laboratory of the ICAR-Tuticorin Regional Station, Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI), India. A total of nine specimens (5.8 ± 0.4 cm) were studied, including six control medusae, one accidentally injured jellyfish (cut into four unequal fragments), and two amputated jellyfish (each divided into four equal fragments, totalling eight fragments). All specimens were maintained in a recirculatory aquarium system under optimal seawater conditions. Species identification of the control was confirmed through Basic Local Alingment Search Tool (BLAST) analysis of the 16S rRNA gene, showing 98.91% similarity with Cassiopea xamachana (Bigelow 1892), from the United States of America (USA) GenBank Accession No. ON545804.1, and validated through phylogenetic analysis. Microscopic and morphological observations revealed that the oral arm tissue lacked pulsing activity and could not regenerate its body structure. In contrast, fragments of umbrella tissue from both amputated and injured specimens exhibited pulsing and successfully regained symmetry within 7–15 days. The first phase of self-healing involved the reformation of umbrella symmetry, regeneration of bell tissue, and resumed functions similar to those of the normal medusa. The development of canal systems, including anastomosing vessels radiating from the centre, oral arms extending from the mouth, vesicles from the arms, and the central disc, was documented. The experimental observations revealed sequential wound healing through regeneration and morphogenesis in amputated and injured medusa. This study established Cassiopea as a promising cnidarian model organism for regeneration studies, highlighting its remarkable self-repairing and regenerative capabilities.

This article examines the parallel yet divergent histories of Indiaʼs and Chinaʼs Antarctic programmes, exploring their geopolitical, scientific, and cultural dimensions. Both nations, initially excluded from the Western-dominated Antarctic Treaty System (ATS), joined in the 1980s, marking a shift in their approach to the southern polar region. India, driven by post-colonial solidarity and environmental concerns, has focused on scientific research and conservation, while China has expanded its activities to include resource extraction and satellite surveillance, aligning with Russia to influence ATS policies. Both countries have leveraged their Antarctic presence to reinforce civilisational narratives—Indiaʼs Akhand Bharat and Chinaʼs tian xia—extending their cultural and geopolitical spheres. This article highlights their shared ambivalence towards ATS governance, their evolving strategies, and the role of Antarctica in their broader worldmaking projects. It argues that understanding these intertwined histories is crucial for addressing the conceptual clash between Global North-led environmental restrictions and Global South approaches to common resources, with implications for global climate and environmental governance.