2015 Event Scientists discover a cache of skeletons of a new species of human ancestor, named Homo naledi, in a South African cave; the hominids are thought to have possibly lived up to three million years ago 2015 Event Archaeologists report on the findings in Kenya of stone tools over a half-million years older than known species of human ancestors, raising questions regarding human evolution and use of tools 2015 Event A new birdlike dinosaur, Yi qi, has been discovered in China; the fossils suggest that it lived about 160 million years ago and had membranous, bat-like wings that not been seen in other dinosaur species 2014 Event A male of the rare northern white rhino species has been found dead at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya; only six animals remain in the world, of which only one is a breeding male 2014 Event Fossils of a new species of giant penguin, named Palaeeudyptes klekowskii, have been found on Seymour Island in Antarctica; the penguins lived about 40 million years ago and likely weighed about 250 pounds 2014 Event Fossils of prehistoric bird species Pelagornis sandersi have been uncovered at the Charleston, S.C. airport; the species is the largest-known bird discovered to date, with a wingspan of approximately 24 feet 2014 Event A fossil unearthed in China has been identified as a new pterosaur species; named Kryptodrakon progenitor, the fossil is the first of its kind to show traits of pterodactyls, giant flying reptiles 2014 Event Royal Caribbean's cruise liner, Explorer of the Seas, returns to port after 700 of its 3,050 passengers become ill with gastroenteritis; the illness is suspected to be the Novovirus, a variant strain of the species Norwalk virus 2013 Event Australian scientists discover three new species of marsupial in Queensland: the Tweed Volcano Antechinus, the Buff-footed Antechinus and the Kroombit Antechinus 2013 Event Scientists in the Australian state of Queensland discover three previously unknown species in a rainforest located in Cape York Peninsula: a leaf-tailed gecko, a golden-colored skink, and a boulder-dwelling frog 2013 Event In Brazil, scientists discover a new species of lizard, about the size a coin and weighing less than a gram 2013 Event Scientists describe the 160-million year-old fossile of Aurornis xui as the most basal species of Avialae, possibly shifting the evolutionary position of the Archaeopteryx as the oldest known bird 2013 Event In Sri Lanka, a researcher discovered Poecilotheria rajaei, a new species of tarantula slightly smaller than a dinner plate, with a leg span of eight inches 2013 Event Lazarus Project scientists reveal that they successfully recovered frozen tissue from the 1970's and rejuvenated the cells of Rheobatrachus silus, a species of frog that has been extinct since 1983 2012 Event A new species of freshwater fish are discovered; the new species of darter fish, Etheostoma obama, are named after U.S. President Barack Obama 2012 Event In the Philippines, four new species of freshwater crab are discovered; the crab are bright purple in color 2012 Event Scientists discover two new species of prehistoric penguins, Kairuku waitaki and Kairuku grebneffi, which stood over five feet tall 2011 Event A previously unknown species of bottlenose dolphin is identified by researchers at Australia's Monash University, who named it Tursiops australis 2011 Event In South Africa, scientists find Australopithecus sediba skeletons are 2 million years old, suggesting the hominid species could be a transitional fossil between apes and humans 2010 Event Russ Mittermeier and colleagues in northeast Madagascar, confirm a new species of fork-marked lemur in Madagascar 2010 Event A new species of ancient crocodile, Khoratosuchus jintasakuli, is identified by a fossil in Thailand 2010 Event The Census of Marline Life 10-year study reports that 230,000 species of animal live in the world's oceans 2010 Event Scientists announce the discovery of three new animal species that spent their entire lives without oxygen; the species are phylum Loricifera 2009 Event A new species of a giant carnivorous plant, Nepethes attenboroughii, is discovered in the central Phillipines highlands 1997 Event Span scientists announce new human species in 780,000 year old fossil 1975 Event U.S. Department of Interior designates grizzly bear a threatened species 1973 Event President Nixon signs Endangered Species Act into law 1943 Birthday Alan Rudolph, actor, Endangers Species, Love at Large, Made in Heaven 1941 Birthday Glenn Randall, Jr., stuntman, Species, Mrs. Soffel, Return of the Jedi 1894 Event 1st comic strip "Origin of a New Species," by Richard Outcault 1882 Death Charles Robert Darwin, evolutionist, Origin of Species', dies at 73 1859 Event Charles Darwin publishes "On the Origin of Species" 1848 Birthday Hugo de Vries, Dutch botanist, How species emerge 1809 Birthday Charles Darwin, England, discovered evolution, 'Origin of Species' 1712 Death John Luyken, poet/etcher (species company), dies at 63
