Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

Science

snagglepuss

(12,704 posts) Wed Oct 16, 2013, 07:18 PM Oct 2013

520-million-year-old insect fossil so well preserved that its NERVOUS SYSTEM can be scanned

The earliest known complete nervous system preserved in the fossilised remains of a creature that crawled and swam in the ocean 520 million years ago has been discovered.

Scientists believe it shows the moment the ancestors of spiders and scorpions evolved from other insects and demonstrates how spiders' biting mouth parts evolved from its ancestor's appendages.

The creature is an ancestor of chelicerates which branched off from the family tree of other arthropods, including insects, crustaceans and millipedes.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2463237/520-million-year-old-insect-fossil-reveals-NERVOUS-SYSTEM.html#ixzz2hvis5vGY
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

7 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

520-million-year-old insect fossil so well preserved that its NERVOUS SYSTEM can be scanned (Original Post) snagglepuss Oct 2013 OP

Some these ancient guys were huge -- seven feet long. hunter Oct 2013 #1

I find this fascinating! thanks for posting ejpoeta Oct 2013 #2

520 million years ago! DontTreadOnMe Oct 2013 #3

How incredible to find this. Curmudgeoness Oct 2013 #4

We are getting to the point of the classic Trek tricorder when it comes to scanning. Spitfire of ATJ Oct 2013 #5

I'm confused Tab Oct 2013 #6

The Mail has reported that really badly muriel_volestrangler Oct 2013 #7

hunter

(38,317 posts)

1. Some these ancient guys were huge -- seven feet long.

Reply to snagglepuss (Original post)

Wed Oct 16, 2013, 10:27 PM

Oct 2013

They were the big predators of the time.

ejpoeta

(8,933 posts)

2. I find this fascinating! thanks for posting

Reply to snagglepuss (Original post)

Fri Oct 18, 2013, 06:54 AM

Oct 2013

DontTreadOnMe

(2,442 posts)

3. 520 million years ago!

Reply to snagglepuss (Original post)

Fri Oct 18, 2013, 08:08 PM

Oct 2013

Wow, God is really old.

Curmudgeoness

(18,219 posts)

4. How incredible to find this.

Reply to snagglepuss (Original post)

Fri Oct 18, 2013, 09:29 PM

Oct 2013

It was really small. I have to give credit to the paleontologists who do this work.

But what really is disturbing to me is all the comments about the age of this fossil, and how it is impossible to pinpoint the age. Or even worse, how the earth is not that old. Will these people never give up?

Spitfire of ATJ

(32,723 posts)

5. We are getting to the point of the classic Trek tricorder when it comes to scanning.

Reply to snagglepuss (Original post)

Sat Oct 19, 2013, 03:30 PM

Oct 2013

Tab

(11,093 posts)

6. I'm confused

Reply to snagglepuss (Original post)

Sat Oct 19, 2013, 07:16 PM

Oct 2013

The Republican evangelists say humans (and creatures) have only been here for 4,000 year (and co-existed with the dinosaurs), not 520,000,000. Could they be wrong?

muriel_volestrangler

(101,321 posts)

7. The Mail has reported that really badly

Reply to snagglepuss (Original post)

Mon Oct 21, 2013, 12:43 PM

Oct 2013

The whole point of this find is that the animal was not an insect. They have shown that it was a chelicerate - the spider/scorpion/horseshoe crab group. Neither does this "show the moment" that group 'evolved from insects' (and certainly not 'evolved from other insects' - they are not insects). It shows the moment was some time before this.

Reply to this discussion