Bhopal: Fossils of a 57 million year old creature have been found. The 57 million year old fossil was found in the Bhimbetka Cave, 40 km from Bhopal. It is reported to be the remains of the oldest living creature on earth, Dickinsonia. This is the first fossil of Dickinsonia found in India.
Reports on the fossils have been published in the journal Gondwana Research. Two scientists from the Geological Survey of India visited the site as part of an upcoming conference in Bhimbetka and found a flat leaf-like fossil stuck to a rock. At first they thought it was one of the cave paintings, but on closer inspection it was suspected that it might be a fossil of Dickinsonia. Then more pictures were taken and subjected to three-dimensional examination.
They are shaped like a large flat chapati and can be up to four feet in diameter. But it is 17 inches larger than the one found in Madhya Pradesh. Dickensonia has previously been found only in Australia, Russia, and Ukraine. The general assumption is that they lived at sea and on land. Although it is claimed that these are variants of fungi and protozoa, many scientists claim that they are animals. Their first fossil was discovered in Australia in 1947.
Post Your Comments