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Tully monsters haunted Earth’s oceans 300 million years ago and left behind such bizarre fossils that researchers haven’t even agreed on whether these strange creatures had backbones. Now, more than 60 years after the strange creature’s discovery in 1958, a new investigation using 3D lasers finds that the Tully monster was likely an invertebrate, but not everyone is convinced. 

This alien-looking evolutionary oddball ​​— only found in the Mazon Creek fossil beds in Illinois — had a soft body, eyes on stalks, and a claw-like appendage coming out of its face. Other aspects of its anatomy, however, are open to interpretation.

The latest research, published April 16 in the journal Palaeontology (opens in new tab) , is one of a slew of studies attempting to classify the creature.

Most recent Tully monster (Tullimonstrum gregarium) studies argue that it’s either a vertebrate relative of modern cyclostomes (including lampreys and hagfish) in the chordate group or an unknown invertebrate. Now, researchers in Japan think they’ve cracked the case, with the help of a 3D laser scanner.

“We believe that the mystery of it being an invertebrate or vertebrate has been solved,” first author Tomoyuki Mikami (opens in new tab) , a doctoral student at the University of Tokyo and a researcher at the National Museum of Nature and Science in Tokyo, said in a statement (opens in new tab) . “Based on multiple lines of evidence, the vertebrate hypothesis of the Tully monster is untenable.”

Related: Ancient ‘Tully monster’ was a vertebrate, not a spineless blob, study claims 

The researchers scanned more than 150 Tully monster fossils to create color-coded 3D maps of the animal’s anatomical structures. They also X-rayed one well-preserved proboscis — the claw-like appendage — to examine the creature’s teeth.

The results suggested that features previously used to argue Tully monsters are near cyclostomes taxonomically, including their teeth and gill pouches, were misinterpreted. The teeth analyzed in the new study had bulging bases — unlike cyclostome teeth, which are thinner at the base. The authors said what appeared to be gills was actually just segmentation in the body.

Most convincing of all, the team claims, is segmentation found on the creature’s head. “This characteristic is not known in any vertebrate lineage, suggesting a nonvertebrate affinity,” Mikami said. 

Victoria McCoy (opens in new tab) , an assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, is not convinced, however. McCoy led a 2016 study placing Tully monsters near cyclosomes and a 2020 study that found Tully monster tissues were made up of proteins (opens in new tab) like those of vertebrates — and not chitin, like those of invertebrates.  

“It didn’t change my mind about what the Tully monster was,” McCoy told Live Science. “But it is new information, and that definitely advances our understanding.” 

McCoy was excited by the researchers’ application of 3D imaging but had “minor technical quibbles with some of their conclusions.” She argued that cyclostomes are very diverse in the fossil record and thus some species could have had the bulging-based teeth documented in the study. She also noted that the anatomy of animals preserved in Mazon Creek separates and shifts, which could account for the appearance of segmentation.RELATED STORIES—Trilobites had a hidden third eye, new fossils reveal

—Oops, this 300 million-year-old ‘blob’ fossil was upside down. It’s not a jellyfish after all.

—Oldest ‘fish-lizard’ fossils ever found suggest these sea monsters survived the ‘Great Dying’

“The real-life morphology gets changed a lot during fossilization,” McCoy said. “If you have a thousand specimens, any one feature might be preserved a hundred different ways.”

Deciding where the Tully monster belongs is significant because the species is so unusual that it will expand the diversity of whatever group it ends up in, changing the way we think about that group.

The latest study also puts forward a potential compromise for the discrepancies: that Tully monsters could possibly be nonvertebrate chordates like modern tunicates or lancelets. For now, however, the Tully monster’s place on the evolutionary tree remains unclear.

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Politics

DeFi booming as $11B Bitcoin whale stirs ‘Uptober’ hopes: Finance Redefined

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October 10, 2025

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DeFi booming as B Bitcoin whale stirs ‘Uptober’ hopes: Finance Redefined

DeFi booming as B Bitcoin whale stirs ‘Uptober’ hopes: Finance Redefined

An $11 billion Bitcoin whale returned to crypto markets this week, likely seeking trading opportunities tied to October’s historic crypto rallies and uncertainty in the US.

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Environment

Hiboy launches TITAN & TITAN Pro e-scooters with up to $699 savings, Anker SOLIX F3000 station at new $1,399 low, more

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October 10, 2025

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Hiboy launches TITAN & TITAN Pro e-scooters with up to 9 savings, Anker SOLIX F3000 station at new ,399 low, more


We’re closing out this week’s Green Deals with some more major savings, headlined by Hiboy’s new TITAN Electric Scooter and TITAN Pro Electric Scooter, which are launching with up to $699 in savings starting from $1,001. Right behind them is Anker’s SOLIX F3000 Portable Power Station (and bundles) that is getting its $1,399 Prime Day low extended, as well as Mammotion’s YUKA Mini 500H and 700H robot lawn mowers starting from a $649 low. We also have EcoFlow’s latest 48-hour flash sale, a handy device from Goal Zero, and many other ongoing Prime Day sales waiting for you below – with all the continuing event’s savings collected into our Post-Prime Day Green Deals hub here.

Head below for other New Green Deals we’ve found today and, of course, Electrek’s best EV buying and leasing deals. Also, check out the new Electrek Tesla Shop for the best deals on Tesla accessories.

Hiboy launches new TITAN and TITAN Pro e-scooters with an up to 80-mile range, now starting from $1,001 (Up to $699 off)

As part of Hiboy’s ongoing Better Than Prime Day Sale, the brand has launched two new e-scooters that bring some serious power to commutes and joyrides, complete with bonus savings. You can now hop on Hiboy’s TITAN Electric Scooter at $1,001 shipped, after using the code HST9 at checkout for an additional 9% off, while Hiboy’s TITAN Pro Electric Scooter is down at $1,350 shipped, after using the code HSTP10 at check out for an additional 10% off. These two new models will carry full $1,700 and $2,000 price tags once the initial launch savings end, making this deal all the more enticing. While things last, you’re looking at $699 and $650 markdowns that save you some serious cash on some seriously powerful rides, while also setting the bar for future discounts down the road. You’ll find both these deals coming several hundred dollars under the TITAN and TITAN Pro Amazon pricing.

With these two new releases, Hiboy is showing folks just how fast and wild their e-scooters can get, with many often falling into the more budget-friendly realm. Things start with Hiboy’s TITAN electric scooter that arrives in futuristic industrial style, equipped with a 750W (1,000W peaking) motor and 48V 18Ah battery that provides up to 46 miles of travel at up to 25 MPH top speeds. Among its many features, you’ll find a dual suspension system, dual hydraulic brakes, 10-inch gel-filled tubeless tires, a wider-than-normal deck, zero-start capabilities and a half-twist throttle, a loud horn, dual headlights, a brake-activated taillight, ambient side lighting, a 3.5-inch LED color display, and more.

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On the other end of the series is the TITAN Pro e-scooter that brings more power and speed along for the ride. This supped-up model has been given dual 750W motors (each peaking at 1,000W) and a 48V 36Ah battery that not only ramps its possible top speeds up to 31 MPH, but also extends travel times up to 80 miles on a single charge. It brings along much of the same features as its base TITAN counterpart, with the main difference being the additional multi-function control buttons that allow you to switch between single and dual motor usage.

Hiboy’s Better Than Prime Sale will continue through October 12, giving you plenty of time to make decisions if you’re split between varying models – with prices starting from $320.

refrigerator open behind anker solix f3000 portable power station

Anker’s extended Prime Day savings offer latest SOLIX F3000 station and bundles at new lows starting from $1,399

As part of Anker’s extended SOLIX Prime Day Sale, which is continuing through the rest of the week, you can still score the brand’s latest F3000 Portable Power Station (and bundles) at their best prices starting from $1,399 shipped for the station with a FREE protective cover (valued at $99), beating out Amazon’s post-Prime pricing by $100. It carries a $2,599 MSRP since releasing back in June, which we saw drop down to this rate for the first time on Tuesday, when Prime Day officially began. It’s now continuing through the rest of the week, giving you more time to jump on the $1,200 price cut and score it at the best price we have tracked. Head below for the full lineup of ongoing bundle deals too.

If you want to learn more about this new power station, be sure to check out our original coverage of this deal here.

man and daughter plant tree while Mammotion YUKA mini robotic lawn mower mows grass around them

Mammotion’s YUKA Mini 500H and 700H robotic lawn mowers get $350 price cuts starting from a $649 low

By way of its official Amazon storefront, Mammotion is offering continued Prime Day savings on its YUKA Mini 500H Robotic Lawn Mower at $649 shipped, as well as its YUKA Mini 700H Robotic Lawn Mower at $849 shipped. These two models usually fetch $999 and $1,199 at full price, with this being the second-ever price cut to the YUKA Mini 500H’s all-time low with $350 cut from its tag, while the YUKA Mini 700H is getting the same sized price cut to its second-lowest rate – landing $100 above the one-time low that lasted only three days in September.

If you want to learn more about these two robots, be sure to check out our original coverage of these deals here.

ecoflow 800W alternator charger connected to power station in SUV with smart controls on phone

EcoFlow 48-hour flash sale drops 800W alternator charger to new $289 low, more from $104

As part of its extended Prime Day Sale, EcoFlow is offering a 48-hour flash sale on a power station, a generator, an alternator charger, and a DELTA Pro Ultra expansion battery bundle. The backup power solution amongst the bunch is the TRAIL 200 DC station, which you can score starting from $104 by checking out yesterday’s coverage. From there, it’s a matter of what kind of support or expansion you want to jump on, with the brand’s 800W Alternator Charger sitting at a lower-than-ever $289 shipped, for example, which also matches at Amazon right now. While it carries a $599 MSRP, we more often see it priced between $348 and $499, with some sales taking things lower. It was priced at $305 for the initial Prime Day savings, but is now falling even further to mark a new all-time low price and give you $210 off the going rate. Head below for the full lineup of flash deals.

If you want to learn more about this on-the-go charging solution, as well as the other offers, be sure to check out our original coverage of these 48-hour flash deals here.

man using goal zero torch light to see under hood of car

Goal Zero’s 500 Lumen Torch Light that doubles as a solar-charging 5,200mAh power bank hits $38

Amazon is offering the Goal Zero 500 Lumen Torch Light at $37.89 shipped. Usually fetching $50 outside of discounts, this device dropped to $40 back April, with discounts since returning the costs to this same rate over the rest of the year – including for both July and this month’s Prime Day events. The savings seem to be sticking around after the event ended last night, giving you extra time to pick it up with $12 shaved from the tag at the best price of the year.

If you want to learn more about this handy solar-charging gadget, be sure to check out our original coverage of this deal here.

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Best Fall EV deals!

Best new Green Deals landing this week

The savings this week are also continuing to a collection of other markdowns. To the same tune as the offers above, these all help you take a more energy-conscious approach to your routine. Winter means you can lock in even better off-season price cuts on electric tools for the lawn while saving on EVs and tons of other gear.


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Technology

Govini, a defense tech startup taking on Palantir, hits $100 million in annual recurring revenue

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October 10, 2025

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Govini, a defense tech startup taking on Palantir, hits 0 million in annual recurring revenue

Govini, a defense tech software startup taking on the likes of Palantir, has blown past $100 million in annual recurring revenue, the company announced Friday.

“We’re growing faster than 100% in a three-year CAGR, and I expect that next year we’ll continue to do the same,” CEO Tara Murphy Dougherty told CNBC’s Morgan Brennan in an interview. With how “big this market is, we can keep growing for a long, long time, and that’s really exciting.”

CAGR stands for compound annual growth rate, a measurement of the rate of return.

The Arlington, Virginia-based company also announced a $150 million growth investment from Bain Capital. It plans to use the money to expand its team and product offering to satisfy growing security demands.

In recent years, venture capitalists have poured more money into defense tech startups like Govini to satisfy heightened national security concerns and modernize the military as global conflict ensues.

The group, which includes unicorns like Palmer Luckey’s Anduril, Shield AI and artificial intelligence beneficiary Palantir, is taking on legacy giants such as Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman, that have long leaned on contracts from the Pentagon.

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Dougherty, who previously worked at Palantir, said she hopes the company can seize a “vertical slice” of the defense technology space.

The 14-year-old Govini has already secured a string of big wins in recent years, including an over $900-million U.S. government contract and deals with the Department of War.

Govini is known for its flagship AI software Ark, which it says can help modernize the military’s defense tech supply chain by better managing product lifecycles as military needs grow more sophisticated.

“If the United States can get this acquisition system right, it can actually be a decisive advantage for us,” Dougherty said.

Looking ahead, Dougherty told CNBC that she anticipates some setbacks from the government shutdown.

Navy customers could be particularly hard hit, and that could put the U.S. at a major disadvantage.

While the U.S. is maintaining its AI dominance, China is outpacing its shipbuilding capacity and that needs to be taken “very seriously,” she added.

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