Stunning fossil discovery challenges the origins of animal life
Scientists revisiting mysterious 540-million-year-old microfossils from Brazil have overturned a major idea about early animal life. What were once thought to be trails left behind by tiny worm-like creatures are now believed to be fossilized communities of bacteria and algae — some with remarkably preserved cells and organic material still intact.
What happened
Scientists revisiting mysterious 540-million-year-old microfossils from Brazil have overturned a major idea about early animal life. What were once thought to be trails left behind by tiny worm-like creatures are now believed to be fossilized communities of bacteria and algae — some with remarkably preserved cells and organic material still intact. The development sits squarely in the the news cycle cycle that our editors have been tracking this week, touching on discovery, scientists, stunning.
Why this matters
This story sits at the intersection of several themes our editors have been tracking. We'll be watching to see how it ripples through the rest of the week.
The bigger picture
This release fits into a broader pattern our team has been tracking across the daily news cycle.
What to watch
We'll update if the story develops materially in the coming hours.
Originally reported by Sciencedaily. Read the original report for full context.