AI Method Helps Identify Which Dinosaurs Made Fossil Footprints

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Scientists have developed a new artificial intelligence method that helps determine which dinosaurs made specific fossilized footprints, addressing a long-standing challenge in paleontology. Footprints are among the most common dinosaur fossils, yet matching them to the correct species has often relied on subjective interpretation. The new approach uses AI to analyze eight measurable traits in each footprint, offering a more objective classification system.

The research, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, analyzed nearly 2,000 footprint silhouettes spanning 150 million years. The algorithm identified key features such as toe spread, heel position, load distribution, and left-right asymmetry, which together explain differences in footprint shape. Experts then mapped these traits to known dinosaur groups to guide identification of future discoveries.

Researchers say the method does not eliminate uncertainty, as footprint shape can vary depending on behavior, ground conditions, burial processes, and erosion. Still, it provides a consistent framework to compare tracks across time and locations. One notable result supported earlier findings that certain 210-million-year-old footprints from South Africa resemble bird tracks, despite predating the earliest known bird fossils by tens of millions of years.

The findings suggest AI can become a powerful tool in paleontology, helping scientists reconstruct ancient ecosystems and better understand dinosaur diversity, even when bones are absent and only footprints remain.

China Tightens Crypto Crackdown, Targets RWA Token Issuance

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China has stepped up its crackdown on virtual currencies, banning unauthorized offshore issuance of yuan-pegged stablecoins and pledging stricter oversight of tokens backed by onshore assets, according to a notice published by the People’s Bank of China. The move reinforces Beijing’s long-standing prohibition on cryptocurrencies while drawing a clearer regulatory line around real-world asset (RWA) tokenization.

Authorities said virtual currency-related activities remain illegal financial operations and warned domestic entities—and their overseas affiliates—against issuing tokens abroad without approval. Regulators also barred both domestic and foreign firms from issuing offshore stablecoins pegged to the yuan, underscoring that such instruments effectively replicate functions of fiat currency. Financial institutions were cautioned not to provide banking or clearing services to crypto-related businesses.

While reiterating a hard line on cryptocurrencies, the notice introduces a notable distinction for RWA tokenization. Offshore issuance of tokens backed by Chinese onshore assets will be subject to strict vetting by relevant authorities, a shift some industry observers view as the beginnings of a formal legal framework. Analysts say the policy signals recognition of RWA activity—long operating in a gray area—while maintaining the central bank’s monopoly over digital money via the digital yuan.

Officials cited renewed speculative activity as justification for tighter measures. Market participants now await detailed implementation rules to determine whether regulated RWA issuance can proceed and produce viable use cases under China’s oversight.

Germany’s CDU Considers Social Media Ban for Under-16s

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Germany’s conservative Christian Democratic Union is weighing a proposal to bar children under 16 from social media, though coalition partners have signaled reluctance toward a blanket ban. The debate follows similar moves abroad after Australia introduced age-based restrictions, intensifying scrutiny of social media’s effects on young users across Europe.

Dennis Radtke, head of the CDU’s labour wing, said rapid changes in social media have outpaced media literacy, arguing that platforms amplify hate and misinformation. He welcomed the idea of adopting a minimum age, citing the need to protect children. By contrast, the Social Democrats (Social Democratic Party of Germany), the CDU’s centre-left coalition partners, cautioned against an outright prohibition, calling instead for stronger platform-led safeguards, age verification, and limits on aggressive recommendation algorithms for minors.

The issue is set to feature at the CDU’s national conference later this month, following a motion from the party’s Schleswig-Holstein branch proposing a statutory minimum age of 16 with mandatory age checks. The motion reportedly names platforms including TikTok and Meta Platforms’ Instagram and Facebook.

Germany has intensified its focus on online harms, appointing a special commission last year to assess protections for young people. Regulators say issues such as cyberbullying and hate speech are taken seriously, adding that if voluntary measures fail, stricter interventions—including bans—could be considered as a last resort.