Howard University News March 23, 2015 International Team of Scientists Launch Fossil Database More than 20 paleontologists, molecular biologists, and computer programmers from five different countries have contributed to the design and implementation of The Fossil Calibration Database, a free, open-access resource that stores carefully vetted fossil data. The database was launched February 24, 2015. The database is a result of over five years of work from an international team including Nathan Smith Ph.D., in the Department of Biology at Howard University, Daniel Ksepka Ph.D., Curator of Science at the Bruce Museum in Greenwich, Conn., and James Parham Ph.D., Curator at the John D. Cooper Archaeological and Paleontological Center in Orange County, Calif. "Fossils are essential for understanding the timing of evolutionary events in life's history," Smith said. "The temporal information associated with fossils can be used to calibrate 'molecular clocks,' which allow us to answer diverse questions in biology, such as when certain groups originated, the speed at which genes are evolving, whether or not speciation and extinction rates have changed through time and how biodiversity has been shaped by climatic changes in Earth history." Since its launch in February, the site has logged 5,151 unique visitors, 34,219 page views and 83,431 total views. Science, a highly revered, leading journal of original scientific research, global news and commentary wrote an excerpt on the new database. "This exciting field of study, known as 'divergence dating,' is important for understanding the origin and evolution of biodiversity, but has been hindered by the improper use of data from the fossil record," Parham said. "The Fossil Calibration Database addresses this issue by providing molecular biologists with paleontologist-approved data for organisms across the Tree of Life." "Precisely tuning the molecular clock with fossils is the best way we have to tell evolutionary time," Ksepka said. For more information on the database visit http://fossilcalibrations.org<http://fossilcalibrations.org/>. SANDRA M. PHOENIX Executive Director HBCU Library Alliance sphoenix@hbculibraries.org<mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org> www.hbculibraries.org<http://www.hbculibraries.org/> 800-999-8558, ext. 4820 404-702-5854 Skype: sandra.phoenix1 1438 West Peachtree NW Suite 200 Atlanta,GA 30309 Toll Free: 1.800.999.8558 (LYRASIS) Fax: 404.892.7879 www.lyrasis.org<http://www.lyrasis.org/> Honor the ancestors, honor the children.