This 288-Million-Year-Old Fossilized Scrap of Skin Is the World's Oldest

January 14, 2024 7:27 PM

This 288-Million-Year-Old Fossilized Scrap of Skin Is the World's Oldest. The remains, found in an Oklahoma cave, belonged to a lizard-like reptile.
posted by chariot pulled by cassowaries (3 comments total)

As a geologist, and a paleontologist, this is amazingly cool.
posted by Windopaene at 8:22 PM on January 14 [3 favorites]

"The newly uncovered fossils are the oldest record of preserved skin yet found, about 130 million years older than the previous record holder, containing not only the exterior texture of the skin but also the internal structure of the epidermis."

That is insane.
posted by brundlefly at 1:30 AM on January 15 [1 favorite]

wow!
posted by supermedusa at 1:48 PM on January 15