One of the World's Oldest Animal Fossils Discovered
- 11 years ago
A sea creature fossil is discovered to be 520-million-years-old.
Scientists have uncovered one of the oldest animal fossils ever. Research findings claim the fossil is that of a 520-million-year-old sea creature.
The fossil is a type of arthropod but with primitive limbs under the head. Its nervous system reaches past the head into the body.
Scientists believe the animal might have used its limbs to push foods into its mouth while exploring the sea floor. The sea creature may have been able to swim short distances.
The new discovery is the first of its kind, considering previous findings of similar creatures were always found in the head-down position covered by a shell.
A co-author for the research project states “These fossils are our best window to see the most primitive state of animals as we know them – including us.”
Last year, scientists made another interesting discovery. The only known fossil of a spider attacking prey caught in its web was found.
The approximately 100-million-year old interaction was a moment captured like a picture when the sap from a tree encased the spider and a parasitic wasp that it was about to eat. The sap then fossilized into amber and was uncovered by researchers from Oregon State University.
Scientists have uncovered one of the oldest animal fossils ever. Research findings claim the fossil is that of a 520-million-year-old sea creature.
The fossil is a type of arthropod but with primitive limbs under the head. Its nervous system reaches past the head into the body.
Scientists believe the animal might have used its limbs to push foods into its mouth while exploring the sea floor. The sea creature may have been able to swim short distances.
The new discovery is the first of its kind, considering previous findings of similar creatures were always found in the head-down position covered by a shell.
A co-author for the research project states “These fossils are our best window to see the most primitive state of animals as we know them – including us.”
Last year, scientists made another interesting discovery. The only known fossil of a spider attacking prey caught in its web was found.
The approximately 100-million-year old interaction was a moment captured like a picture when the sap from a tree encased the spider and a parasitic wasp that it was about to eat. The sap then fossilized into amber and was uncovered by researchers from Oregon State University.