The University of Cambridge has discovered a gigantic centipede. He would have lived there 326 million years ago.
What if England was once a land of animals from a science fiction movie? In fact, for weeks, ancient groups on the British Isles have been making a series of tremendous discoveries. When the country is already there It is full of human history spanning several thousand years, Now researchers are beginning to find traces of a life we do not even suspect.
In fact, a few million years ago, the earth was nothing like it is today. Very different species, a world where everything was so big. Long before dinosaurs, About 100 million years before their arrival, the world was already inhabited by strange creatures, XXL dimensions.
Fossil older than dinosaurs
Among them is a centipede about three meters long, the fossil of which was found in a sandstone cliff near a cliff on the shores of Hovik Bay in Northumberland on the Scottish border. Discovered in January 2018, the fossil is believed to be 326 million years old.
For researchers, this is an important discovery to better understand life on Earth. Before the dinosaurs. It is actually the third model to be discovered in the world, and it is the largest and oldest ever discovered.
With a fossil about 75 centimeters long, the scientists found that the “only” animal weighing 50 to 60 kilograms must have measured 2 meters 70. Thanks to this discovery, scientists at the University of Cambridge who studied the fossil record can now say that they lived in the UK 326 million years ago in the tropical climate, in the forests of this ancient centipede ocean.
Very different land from ours
With continental drift, the British island moved across the entire northern hemisphere of the planet, but the latter at one time was at the center of the earth, at the equator, providing its people with warmer and humid climates. According to scientists, the peak of oxygen in the atmosphere occurred at the end of carboniferous (300 million years ago), which is responsible for this enormous amount.
Researchers also believe that this giant centipede benefited from a protein-rich diet, which allowed it to gain even more height throughout its life.
Centipedes as we know them today live in the UK, but they do not measure more than 20 centimeters for larger specimens. In size, they show only 2 or 3 grams far from 50 kg of distant ancestor.
The text of the study can be found here Here
Edward Langley is a contributor to Nintendo-power.com, covering a wide range of topics including news, business, technology, entertainment, lifestyle and current affairs. He focuses on delivering clear, balanced and accessible reporting that helps readers stay informed about important developments and emerging trends. With an emphasis on accuracy, relevance and useful insights, Edward aims to provide engaging stories and practical information that matter to audiences in the UK and beyond.