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Oldest 3D Animal Fossil Discovered in Norwegian Sheep Field
Confirmed
In Short: Scientists have unearthed one of the oldest known 3D animal fossils in a sheep field in Norway, challenging previous understandings of early animal life.
Scientists have discovered one of the oldest known 3D animal fossils in a sheep field in Norway, according to the University of Cambridge. This find, known as Charnia, is significant as it provides new insights into early animal life, with subtle ridges, or 'keels,' along its branches that were not previously observed in other, flatter fossils. The discovery, made near an outcrop where hints of Ediacaran life had been seen before, suggests that the earliest animals may have been more widely spread than previously thought.
The fossil, Charnia, is believed to be one of the earliest animals to exist, resembling a fern and lacking a mouth, organs, or any visible means of movement. 'As scientists, we tend to go to the same well-known sites again and again to look for fossils like these,' said Veenma, a researcher involved in the discovery. 'This new site in Norway is a reminder that similar Ediacaran fossils may continue to turn up in unexpected places.
Prior to this discovery, many fossils dating from this period in Earth's history were found as flat impressions, like a flower pressed between the pages of a book. The high-quality preservation of the Charnia fossil, with its subtle ridges, has provided researchers with a more detailed understanding of early animal life. The find is particularly significant as it is the first new major site of its kind found in Europe in decades.
The area of Norway where the fossils were found is near an outcrop where hints of Ediacaran life had been seen before, like strange anchoring structures made by organisms as they attached themselves to the ancient seafloor. However, fossils of the organisms themselves had never been found – until a chance find in a sheep field revealed a rich new seam of fossils.
What's still developing
- Norwegian authorities seized a Russian vessel in the remote Arctic archipelago of Svalbard at the request of Ukraine, drawing condemnation from Russian President Vladimir Putin, who compared it to “state terrorism”.
- It stems from Russia’s 2014 illegal annexation of Crimea and its seizure of Ukrainian energy assets, including gas fields and pipelines.
- The vessel, Professor Molchanov, is used for commercial expedition cruises, including to Svalbard, which sits more than 800 kilometres north of the Norwegian mainland.
- It's known for its stunning snow-covered mountains, fjords and glaciers.
- A large Norwegian study found that students who exercised infrequently were more likely to develop clinically defined depression, anxiety, or another common mental disorder over the following year.
- King Harald V of Norway, Europe’s oldest monarch, has died at the age of 89, after 35 years on the throne.
- His granddaughter Ingrid Alexandra now becomes heir to the Norwegian throne.
- Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said, “a whole nation is in mourning” after Harald’s death, with the people of Norway “left with a deep sense of gratitude for a long life in the service of Norway.” The government declared a national period of mourning, as crowds gathered outside the royal palace in Oslo to pay their respects.