Fossil

10 Mind-Blowing Ancient Fossil Discoveries

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• published: 18 Nov 2015
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Here are 10 extraordinary ancient animal fossils. Many creatures of days long passed bear striking resemblances to their contemporary counterparts, but some were truly unique to their time. Here are 10 extraordinary and recently discovered ancient animal fossils. Number 10. Pig-Nosed Turtle. From the neck down, the roughly 75-million-year-old river dweller looks quite a bit like those we know and love today. The head is a different story, as the animal has a decidedly porcine snout. Researchers say among the turtles they have studied, the feature is a first.  Number 9. Pregnant Horse Predecessor. Paleontologists in Germany were stunned to find a remarkably well-preserved unborn foal still inside a mother’s womb. Estimated to be about 48 million years old, the specimen is the best kept and oldest of the sort on record.  Number 8. Giant Killer Lizard. Finding fossils of fierce reptiles is nothing new, but the tale told by this discovery has an especially scary twist. Researchers aged the remains and determined the predatory creature was roaming Australia at the same time humans were.  Number 7. Coelacanth Lung. While this fish still lives deep in water today, the swimmer has been categorized as a ‘living fossil’ as the species goes back at least 400 million years. One studied not long ago was found to have a defunct lung, leading researchers to believe the aquatic animals once used the organ to breathe.  Number 6. Four-Legged Snake. The scientific community generally believes today’s slithering reptiles evolved from lizards, but there is a great deal of uncertainty about the specifics of the transition. Clearly, this find offers a rare opportunity to gain insights.  One expert admits news of this discovery seemed, “just too good to be true.” Number 5. Fossil-Filled Sea Urchin. Thanks to advanced imaging, an international team was able to get a peek inside the 10-million-year-old specimen. To their surprise and delight, they found evidence of a great number of bivalves inside. The holes made by the tiny, shelled creatures provided enough information for the scientists to identify them as distant ancestors of similar animals living today.  Number 4. Winged Dragon. Velociraptors may get all the great movie roles, but one of the flying menace’s predecessors was possibly every bit as vicious. Though the 125-million-year-old bird-like creature couldn’t fly, the wings it sported may have given the over 6-foot tall killer other advantages.  Number 3. Japanese T-Rex Teeth. Apparently, the area now known as Japan didn’t escape the wrath of giant dinosaurs after all. Two very large tyrannosaurus teeth were found in Nagasaki Prefecture, indicating that the smaller variety known to roam the landscape had some enormous and menacing company.   Number 2. Beach-Strolling Dinos. Footprints of what may have been a parent and baby were found in Germany. Based on patterns of the 142-million-year-old steps, researchers say the dinosaur duo was travelling on wet sand. Also evident is the difficulty the little one had keeping up with the adult’s pace.  Number 1. Michigan Mammoth. A farmer found evidence of the wooly creature’s bones out in a wheat field and generously allowed paleontologists from the University of Michigan to come dig some up. Moving the hefty remains around required large machinery and a flatbed trailer.  Which fossil discovery do you find most extraordinary?