SFI Working Papers contain accounts of scientific work of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views of the Santa Fe Institute. We accept papers intended for publication in peer-reviewed journals or proceedings volumes, but not papers that have already appeared in print. Except for papers by our external faculty, papers must be based on work done at SFI, inspired by an invited vis...

The numerous energy challenges facing the world coupled with the lack of sustainability of the non-renewable “fossil fuels world” has led the search to sustainable alternatives. Biofuel has emerged as an alternative with great promise with quite some problems to contend with; this include the development of feasible technologies such as the search for highly efficient saccharification enzymes; ...

A new genus and species of fossil trachypachid Fortiseode pervalimand Jia & Ren gen. et sp. nov., is described and illustrated. The new fossil with large and strong mandibles, short and robust legs, and pronotum widest near apical angle differs from other members of Eodromeinae. It is the first record of fossil trachypachid from the Mesozoic Yixian Formation of Huangbanjigou, Liaoning, China.

Biogeography played an important role in early developments in evolutionary theory and continues to play an important role in evolutionary studies and paleogeographic reconstructions. The development of a phylogenetic approach to biogeographic analysis has been important; however, fossil taxa have not always played a role in phylogenetic biogeographic studies and their role has been criticized ...

A technique whereby a deformed fossil is restored to its original shape is termed retrodeformation. This paper develops four such techniques designed to encompass a broad range of fossil types. The retrodeformation techniques are tested using fossil forms developed by a three dimensional graphics application programming interface, PHIGS and PHIGS PLUS.

To compare the general equilibrium effects of common environmental policies, I develop a model of directed technical change with endogenous exploration for depletable fossil resources, endogenous innovation in technologies for accessing renewable resources, and endogenous innovation in technologies for converting fossil and renewable resources into energy services. I find that a supply restrict...

The discovery of an exceptionally well-preserved skull permits the description of the new South American fossil species of the rodent, Josephoartigasia monesi sp. nov. (family: Dinomyidae; Rodentia: Hystricognathi: Caviomorpha). This species with estimated body mass of nearly 1000kg is the largest yet recorded. The skull sheds new light on the anatomy of the extinct giant rodents of the Dinomyi...

We build a two-sector dynamic general equilibrium model with one-sided substitutability between fossil carbon and biocarbon. One shock only, the discovery of the technology to use fossil fuels, leads to a transition from an inital pre-industrial phase to three following phases: a pure fossil carbon phase, a mixed fossil and biocarbon phase and an absorbing biocarbon phase. The increased competi...

Cherepanov G. O. (1997), «The origin of the bony shell of turtles as a unique evolutionary model in reptiles,» Russ. J. Herpetol., 4, 155-162.Cherepanov G. O. (2005), «Morphogenesis of the bony shell and a problem of Testudinata origin,» Zoologicheskii Zhurnal, 84, 464-475. [in Russian with English abstract] Clack J. E. (2002), Gaining Ground: The Origin and Evolution of Tetrapods. Indiana ...