Piddocks (Pholadidae) are bivalves adapted for boring in substrates such as wood, rocks, and fossil resins. While the trace fossils associated with their boring behavior (Teredolites and Apectoichnus) are well documented, their body fossils are much rarer in the fossil record, particularly as amber inclusions. This work reports inclusions of fossilized piddocks and the first known barnacle inclusions from the Early Miocene simojovelite (Chiapas amber). We examined seven amber specimens containing over 90 piddock inclusions, representing at least five distinct morphotypes. The amber preserved various developmental stages, from juveniles with open pedal gaps to fully mature individuals with well-developed accessory plates. Taphonomic analysis, observed orientations, and the presence of diagenetically altered inclusions suggest that these piddocks inhabited waterlogged wood of Hymenaea and possibly semi-hardened resin before entrapment. This study highlights fossil resins as an overlooked preservational medium for marine invertebrates, providing new data on piddock behavior, fossil resin taphonomy, and the Miocene coastal environments of the Chiapas region.
Abstract Phenotypic intraspecific variation of organisms is essential for evolution and, thus, has the potential to provide crucial insights into evolutionary dynamics. Additionally, ontogeny is often intricately linked with the evolutionary trajectories of organisms. In this study, we explore the relationship between the magnitude and ontogenetic pattern of intraspecific variation, and the interrelationships of organisms, their geographic distribution, and species duration. We analyzed the intraspecific variation in the whorl expansion rate (WER) of several Late Cretaceous ammonoid species, including Hypophylloceras ramosum, Phyllopachyceras ezoense, Gaudryceras tenuiliratum, Tetragonites glabrus, T. popetensis, Damesites damesi, Tragodesmoceroides subcostatus, Subprionocyclus minimus, Yezoites puerculus (all from Hokkaido, Japan), as well as Scaphites whitfieldi and Hoploscaphites comprimus (both from North America). Our results reveal a weak to moderate, negative correlation between the magnitude of intraspecific variation and geographic distribution. The correlation between intraspecific variation and species duration is weak. Notably, scaphitid and phylloceratid ammonoids exhibit a higher degree of intraspecific variation compared to other species, although no significant differences are apparent within each family. Additionally, scaphitid species from both Japan and North America display similar ontogenetic patterns of intraspecific variation. Hypophylloceras ramosum exhibits a pattern of intraspecific variation, differing from other normally coiled ammonoids. In other taxa, the pattern among species cannot be distinguished. These discoveries suggest that intraspecific variation, geographic distribution, and species duration are, at least, not positively correlated. However, contrary to previous studies, our data suggest a potential link between intraspecific variation and the interrelationships of species (relative phylogenetic position). Further research involving the analysis of more taxa, multiple morphological parameters examined over longer ontogenetic stages, and the development of a robust phylogenetic hypothesis are necessary to better understand these associations.
Creating detailed 3D human avatars with fitted garments traditionally requires specialized expertise and labor-intensive workflows. While recent advances in generative AI have enabled text-to-3D human and clothing synthesis, existing methods fall short in offering accessible, integrated pipelines for generating CG-ready 3D avatars with physically compatible outfits; here we use the term CG-ready for models following a technical aesthetic common in computer graphics (CG) and adopt standard CG polygonal meshes and strands representations (rather than neural representations like NeRF and 3DGS) that can be directly integrated into conventional CG pipelines and support downstream tasks such as physical simulation. To bridge this gap, we introduce Tailor, an integrated text-to-3D framework that generates high-fidelity, customizable 3D avatars dressed in simulation-ready garments. Tailor consists of three stages. (1) Seman tic Parsing: we employ a large language model to interpret textual descriptions and translate them into parameterized human avatars and semantically matched garment templates. (2) Geometry-Aware Garment Generation: we propose topology-preserving deformation with novel geometric losses to generate body-aligned garments under text control. (3) Consistent Texture Synthesis: we propose a novel multi-view diffusion process optimized for garment texturing, which enforces view consistency, preserves photorealistic details, and optionally supports symmetric texture generation common in garments. Through comprehensive quantitative and qualitative evaluations, we demonstrate that Tailor outperforms state-of-the-art methods in fidelity, usability, and diversity. Our code will be released for academic use. Project page: https://human-tailor.github.io
In an effort to improve how robots function in social contexts, this paper investigates if a robot that actively shares a reaction to an event with a human alters how the human perceives the robot's affective impact. To verify this, we created two different test setups. One to highlight and isolate the reaction element of affective robot expressions, and one to investigate the effects of applying specific timing delays to a robot reacting to a physical encounter with a human. The first test was conducted with two different groups (n=84) of human observers, a test group and a control group both interacting with the robot. The second test was performed with 110 participants using increasingly longer reaction delays for the robot with every ten participants. The results show a statistically significant change (p$<$.05) in perceived affective impact for the robots when they react to an event shared with a human observer rather than reacting at random. The result also shows for shared physical interaction, the near-human reaction times from the robot are most appropriate for the scenario. The paper concludes that a delay time around 200ms may render the biggest impact on human observers for small-sized non-humanoid robots. It further concludes that a slightly shorter reaction time around 100ms is most effective when the goal is to make the human observers feel they made the biggest impact on the robot.
Recent advances in generative artificial intelligence (AI) have created models capable of high-quality musical content generation. However, little consideration is given to how to use these models for real-time or cooperative jamming musical applications because of crucial required features: low latency, the ability to communicate planned actions, and the ability to adapt to user input in real-time. To support these needs, we introduce ReaLJam, an interface and protocol for live musical jamming sessions between a human and a Transformer-based AI agent trained with reinforcement learning. We enable real-time interactions using the concept of anticipation, where the agent continually predicts how the performance will unfold and visually conveys its plan to the user. We conduct a user study where experienced musicians jam in real-time with the agent through ReaLJam. Our results demonstrate that ReaLJam enables enjoyable and musically interesting sessions, and we uncover important takeaways for future work.
As AI art generation becomes increasingly sophisticated, HCI research has focused primarily on questions of detection, authenticity, and automation. This paper argues that such approaches fundamentally misunderstand how artistic value emerges from the concerns that drive human image production. Through examination of historical precedents, we demonstrate that artistic style is not only visual appearance but the resolution of creative struggle, as artists wrestle with influence and technical constraints to develop unique ways of seeing. Current AI systems flatten these human choices into reproducible patterns without preserving their provenance. We propose that HCI's role lies not only in perfecting visual output, but in developing means to document the origins and evolution of artistic style as it appears within generated visual traces. This reframing suggests new technical directions for HCI research in generative AI, focused on automatic documentation of stylistic lineage and creative choice rather than simple reproduction of aesthetic effects.
Generative AI assistants offer significant potential to enhance productivity, streamline information access, and improve user experience in enterprise contexts. In this work, we present Summit Concierge, a domain-specific AI assistant developed for Adobe Summit. The assistant handles a wide range of event-related queries and operates under real-world constraints such as data sparsity, quality assurance, and rapid deployment. To address these challenges, we adopt a human-in-the-loop development workflow that combines prompt engineering, retrieval grounding, and lightweight human validation. We describe the system architecture, development process, and real-world deployment outcomes. Our experience shows that agile, feedback-driven development enables scalable and reliable AI assistants, even in cold-start scenarios.
Abstract Fossilization, or the transition of an organism from the biosphere to the geosphere, is a complex mechanism involving numerous biological and geological variables. Bacteria are one of the most significant biotic players to decompose organic matter in natural environments, early on during fossilization. However, bacterial processes are difficult to characterize as many different abiotic conditions can influence bacterial efficiency in degrading tissues. One potentially important variable is the composition and nature of the sediment on which a carcass is deposited after death. We experimentally examined this by decaying the marine shrimp Palaemon varians underwater on three different clay sediments. Samples were then analyzed using 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing to identify the bacterial communities associated with each clay system. Results show that samples decaying on the surface of kaolinite have a lower bacterial diversity than those decaying on the surface of bentonite and montmorillonite, which could explain the limited decay of carcasses deposited on this clay. However, this is not the only role played by kaolinite, as a greater proportion of gram-negative over gram-positive bacteria is observed in this system. Gram-positive bacteria are generally thought to be more efficient at recycling complex polysaccharides such as those forming the body walls of arthropods. This is the first experimental evidence of sediments shaping an entire bacterial community. Such interaction between sediments and bacteria might have contributed to arthropods’ exquisite preservation and prevalence in kaolinite-rich Lagerstätten of the Cambrian Explosion.
Yuchong Zhang, Miguel Vasco, Mårten Björkman
et al.
This paper presents findings from an exploratory needfinding study investigating the research current status and potential participation of the competitions on the robotics community towards four human-centric topics: safety, privacy, explainability, and federated learning. We conducted a survey with 34 participants across three distinguished European robotics consortia, nearly 60% of whom possessed over five years of research experience in robotics. Our qualitative and quantitative analysis revealed that current mainstream robotic researchers prioritize safety and explainability, expressing a greater willingness to invest in further research in these areas. Conversely, our results indicate that privacy and federated learning garner less attention and are perceived to have lower potential. Additionally, the study suggests a lack of enthusiasm within the robotics community for participating in competitions related to these topics. Based on these findings, we recommend targeting other communities, such as the machine learning community, for future competitions related to these four human-centric topics.
CECILIA E. CALVERT, TYLER C. HUNT, NIALL S. WHALEN
et al.
Among non-avian dinosaurs, Heterodontosaurus tucki is unique for possessing complex dental features including
both morphological and proportional heterodonty, sub-hypsodonty, tooth occlusion, and extensive low-angled wear
facets—a collection of derived traits made additionally noteworthy by their appearance in one of the earliest-branching
ornithischian lineages. In many taxa with similar dental characteristics, complex suites of modified dental tissues shape
functional occlusal surfaces through wear. It remains unknown if H. tucki possesses similar histological complexity.
Here, we investigate the histology and enamel microstructure of H. tucki maxillary cheek teeth from the Early Jurassic
upper Elliot Formation of South Africa. Despite possessing a superficially complex dentition, the maxillary teeth exhibit
a thin, relatively simple, three-layered enamel schmelzmuster (basal unit, columnar unit, and parallel crystallite) with
enamel tubules. On the labial face, the enamel thins out drastically (<6 µm) and is discontinuous with a more simplified
enamel microstructure. Surprisingly, a thick band of wear-resistant, histologically distinct dentine arises concurrent with
the thinning enamel and appears to form the primary cutting crest of the functional occlusal surface, a role typically
filled by enamel. This represents both the phylogenetically and chronologically earliest known acquisition of this form
of modified dentine within Ornithischia.
A new gigantic titanosaur Bustingorrytitan shiva gen. et sp. nov. is described. The four specimens upon which this
species is erected come from Neuquén Province, Argentina, from levels of the Huincul Formation (Cenomanian).
Bustingorrytitan shiva gen. et sp. nov. exhibits some autapomorphic characters such as posterior dorsal vertebrae with
spinodiapophyseal laminae bifurcated in two, very well developed anterior and posterior spinodiapophyseal lamina
rami, which limit a deep, vertical, socket-like fossa; posterior dorsal neural arches with forked centropostzygapophyseal
laminae; hyposphene in anterior caudal vertebrae; humerus with deltopectoral crest strongly expanded distally; and
femur with a low longitudinal crest on the lateromedial half of the anterior face, bifurcated in two minor crests, which
are directed to their respective condyles. The phylogenetic analysis performed recovers B. shiva gen. et sp. nov. as a
lithostrotian, the sister taxon of Saltasauridae. The estimated body mass is 67.297 metric tons (with a standard error
of ±17.228), which makes B. shiva gen. et sp. nov. one of the largest sauropods ever recorded. The record of this new
sauropod corroborates the idea that gigantism (evolution of forms over the 50 metric tons) would have evolved many
times within Eutitanosauria.
Galaxy-wide outflows driven by active galactic nuclei (AGN) are an important ingredient in galaxy evolution. Analytical calculations suggest that such outflows have significant inertia and can persist long after the AGN itself fades away. We use hydrodynamical simulations of outflows in idealised galaxy bulges to investigate the propagation of these `fossil' AGN outflows. We find that fossil outflows should be common in gas-poor galaxies but form only rarely in gas-rich ones; in general, fossil outflows should outnumber driven ones by a factor of a few in the local Universe, and possibly more at high redshift. When they do form, fossil outflows tend to be lopsided and detached from the nucleus, and colder than their driven counterparts, with a more prominent molecular phase. Spatially resolved and/or multiphase observations can help distinguish fossil AGN outflows from star formation-driven ones, which have similar integrated properties. We discuss a number of spatially-resolved observations of outflows, suggesting that most show evidence of fossil outflow existence, sometimes together with driven outflows on smaller scales.
Describing our interaction with Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems as 'collaboration' is well-intentioned, but flawed. Not only is it misleading, but it also takes away the credit of AI 'labour' from the humans behind it, and erases and obscures an often exploitative arrangement between AI producers and consumers. The AI 'collaboration' metaphor is merely the latest episode in a long history of labour appropriation and credit reassignment that disenfranchises labourers in the Global South. I propose that viewing AI as a tool or an instrument, rather than a collaborator, is more accurate, and ultimately fairer.
NICKOLAS A. BRAND, ANDREW B. HECKERT, ISRAEL SANCHEZ
et al.
We describe a microvertebrate assemblage from the J&M site, of the Upper Cretaceous (Campanian–Maastrichtian) Williams Fork Formation. Breakdown of fossil bearing matrix was achieved with the use of heated dimethyl sulfoxide. Nine of the recovered taxa are new to both the J&M site and the Williams Fork Formation. The sharks Lonchidion griffisi, Chiloscyllium sp., and Cantioscyllium markaguntensis are the first non-batoid elasmobranchs reported from the Williams Fork Formation and are all represented by teeth. The rays Cristomylus and Psuedomyledaphus are also newly reported from teeth. The most common identifiable fossils were teeth of indeterminate amiids, most likely belonging to Melvius. Osteichthyan fossils new to the Williams Fork Formation include teeth of Paralbula, an indeterminate pycnodontid tooth plate fragment, and an indeterminate lungfish tooth fragment. A tooth of the teiid Peneteius is also the first reported from within the Williams Fork Formation. Alligatoroid teeth are relatively common and are extremely similar to those of the contemporaneous durophage Brachychampsa but are generically indeterminate. Terrestrial taxa were recovered in much smaller numbers. Theropod dinosaur fossils included isolated tooth fragments belonging to an indeterminate dromaeosaurid and, possibly, to Richardoestesia. We recovered both multituberculate and metatherian fossils in the form of isolated teeth. Some of these taxa are known from marine and estuarine deposits and, given that so many of these marine associated taxa have been recovered together, it seems likely that the J&M site is recording marine or estuarine influence within at least part of its depositional history. The mammalian taxa suggest a Judithian–Lancian age for the site, while records of the squamate Peneteius and the ray Myledaphus, suggest that the J&M site may be temporally transitional between other late Campanian and late Maastrichtian-aged localities.
Mohamed Djeha, Antonin Dallard, Ahmed Zermane
et al.
Bidirectional object handover between a human and a robot enables an important functionality skill in robotic human-centered manufacturing or services. The problem in achieving this skill lies in the capacity of any solution to deal with three important aspects: (i) synchronized timing for the handing over phases; (ii) the handling of object pose constraints; and (iii) understanding the haptic exchanging to seamlessly achieve some steps of the (i). We propose a new approach for (i) and (ii) consisting in explicitly formulating the handover process as constraints in a task-space quadratic programming control framework to achieve implicit time and trajectory encounters. Our method is implemented on Panda robotic arm taking objects from a human operator.
A. Briguglio, G. Vannucci, Clarissa Bruzzone
et al.
The modern-day decline of coral reefs due to bleaching events has been recognized as one of the major consequences of man-driven climate change. However, also eutrophication has been highlighted as an equally great danger for coral reefs and as such for biodiversity hotspots. In the latest years this phenomenon has moved to the forefront in the scientific community. Fossil reefs play a key role in studying the emergence, development and faunal/floral diversity of reef environments under eutrophic conditions. Their importance as valuable data sources for studying long-term changes of coral reef environments and their resilience cannot be disputed, especially since they may record the complete life cycle of a reef complex. In this study, nine sections nearby the town of Dego (Savona Province, NW Italy) are presented and discussed with regards to their lithostratigraphic and paleontological contents. Due to the extensive amount of data, the original morphology of a fringing reef, consisting of core, flank and fore reef, under strong fluviatile influence could be reconstructed. This study emphasizes the importance of the coralline red algae association in such biocarbonatic build-ups as major constituent and as substrate stabilizers. The sections record the original colonization event of the local basement by the builder community, the emergence of the coral reef and finally the suffocation by the fluviatile sediments. The variation of the red algae association reflects a deepening trend and is possibly correlated to enhanced fluvial input, which tends to deteriorate ecological conditions and functions as a major trigger for initial reef suffocation.
Jerzy Fedorowski, E. Wayne Bamber, Barry C. Richards
Colonial Rugosa and Tabulata from the lower and middle Viséan Flett Formation of the Liard Basin (Canada) are described. Michelinia expansa is the first tabulate coral described from the Flett Formation. The new generic name Cordilleria is introduced for the North American Lithostrotionidae and its differences from the European Siphonodendron are documented. Extremely wide variability in all characters and the small size of the studied collection allowed description of numerous Liard Basin specimens in open nomenclature only. Discussion of the most important characteristics of Cordilleria gen. nov. forms an introduction to the comprehensive revision of the North American Lithostrotionidae. The state of preservation of a colony identified as Stelechophyllum cf. banffense emphasizes the necessity of recognizing the diagenetic alterations of specimens prior to their taxonomic identification.