X-Rays Reveal Tiny Half-Billion-Year-Old Creature in Astonishing Detail

Researchers have uncovered the internal anatomy of a prehistoric creature the size of a poppy seed using powerful X-rays. The 520-million-year-old fossil reveals microscopic blood vessels and a nervous system, providing insight into one of the earliest ancestors of modern insects, spiders, and crabs. The fossil, preserved in its larval stage, offers a rare glimpse into developmental stages crucial for understanding evolutionary and developmental processes.

Lead researcher Dr. Martin Smith described the find as a dream fossil due to its preservation in an immature stage. The fossil was discovered in China among “prehistoric grit” and later scanned with intense X-rays at Oxford’s Diamond Light Source facility. The scans revealed three-dimensional images of the larva’s brain, digestive glands, circulatory system, and nerve traces, showcasing nearly perfect preservation likely due to high phosphorus concentrations in ancient oceans.