In the distant past, many of the organisms that inhabited the Earth were much larger than modern animals. There were also monstrous millipedes and giant sharks. The parade of giants was presented by a BBC Earth correspondent.
The heaviest animal that has ever lived on Earth is the blue whale, weighing more than 150 tons. As far as we know, no living organism in history has had a similar mass. But some creatures could boast larger sizes.
Sarcosuchus imperialis may well have eaten small dinosaurs
Dinosaurs enjoy, perhaps, the undeserved close attention of the public, because besides them, many other animals of enormous size lived on Earth, which we will never see in the flesh.
Some of them are giant ancestors of living creatures, while others did not leave offspring, and therefore seem especially amazing.
The remains of prehistoric giants can shed light on the gradual changes in living conditions on Earth, since the size of animals often directly depends on the environment.
In addition, there is something fascinating about extinct giants, whose appearance we can only imagine.
We offer our readers the ten most amazing creatures that we are no longer destined to meet in nature.
Aegirocassis benmoulae
Aegirokassida filtered seawater, absorbing plankton
What might the fruit of love between a whale and a lobster look like? If such a creature existed in the world, it is possible that it would resemble an aegirocassid.
This two-meter-long prehistoric shrimp lived on Earth about 480 million years ago. She belonged to the now extinct genus Anomalocaris.
The animal looked like a space alien. Using mesh processes on its head, it filtered plankton from sea water.
The life of aegirocassids occurred during a period of increasing species diversity of plankton. As a result, these animals did not compete in the search for food with most other anomalocaris - carnivorous predators with sharp teeth.
It is possible that aegirocassida will help us figure out how the limbs of arthropods, represented by modern spiders, insects and crustaceans, developed.
Fossil remains of Aegirocassida
Studying the fossilized remains of Aegirocassida, scientists came to the conclusion that it had paired lobes
Until recently, based on the findings of incompletely preserved fossils, scientists believed that Anomalocaris had only one pair of flexible lateral lobes for each body segment. However, analysis of the remains of Aegirocassida indicates that each segment of these creatures had two pairs of blades used for swimming.
Scientists once again studied previously found fossils of other species of the genus Anomalocaris and came to the conclusion that they also had paired lobes. They concluded that in some species fusion of the lobes occurred during evolution.
This led scientists to the conclusion that Anomalocaris were prehistoric arthropods. This idea has previously been criticized due to the strange body structure of representatives of this genus.
Until 1985, paleontologists believed that the appendages on the heads of Anomalocaris were shrimp, their tooth-strewn mouthparts belonged to jellyfish, and their bodies belonged to sea cucumbers.
Rakoscorpion (Jaekelopterus rhenaniae)
This is what a prehistoric crustacean scorpion probably looked like
Cancerscorpio is the worst nightmare of an arachnophobe (a person who has a pathological fear of spiders). This giant, 2.5 meters long, claims to be the largest arthropod to ever inhabit the Earth.
In English the creature is known as the "sea scorpion".
This title is inaccurate. Rakoscorpio was not a scorpion in the literal sense of the word, and, most likely, it was found not at the bottom of the seas, but in rivers and lakes. He lived about 390 million years ago and ate fish.
This species was first described in 2008: a fossilized claw 46 cm long was found in a quarry near the German city of Prüm - all that remained of the animal. However, the ratio between the size of the claw and the entire body in crayfish is very constant, so the researchers concluded that J. rhenaniae reached a length of 233 to 259 cm.
This find is further evidence that prehistoric scorpions were very large.
No one knows for sure why scorpion cancers grew to such gigantic sizes.
Some scientists suggest that the answer lies in the composition of the Earth's atmosphere: in some periods of the past, the level of oxygen in it was much higher than now.
Others point to the relatively small diversity of vertebrate predators that lived then, including fish.
Arthropleura
Millipede
The modern millipede fits in the palm of your hand; now imagine the same one 2.6 m long - it will be like an arthropleura
Another contender for the title of the largest arthropod in history is Arthropleura from the genus of millipedes, reaching 2.6 m in length.
Arthropleura lived from 340 to 280 million years ago and it is possible that they owed their gigantic size to the high oxygen content in the atmosphere.
No one has yet managed to find the entire fossilized arthropleura. Skeletal fragments up to 90cm in length have been discovered in southwest Germany, and traces believed to have been made by these millipedes have been found in Scotland, the USA and Canada.
Researchers believe that the body of Arthropleura consisted of approximately 30 segments, covered on top and sides with protective plates.
Since no fossil remains of Arthropleura jaws have yet been discovered, it is difficult to say for sure what it ate.
Paleontologists who studied the fossilized excrement of this creature identified fern spores in them, which indicates the likelihood of the presence of plant foods in their diet.
Arthropleura was popularized by filmmakers - it is mentioned in the BBC popular science series Walking with Monsters (2005) and First Life (2010).
Meganeura
Imagine an insect similar to a dragonfly, with a wingspan of 65 cm - Meganeura could be something like this
Gigantism among arthropods was first associated with high oxygen levels in the atmosphere in 1880 after the discovery of Meganeura remains in France.
These dragonfly-like creatures lived about 300 million years ago and fed on amphibians and insects.
Their wingspan reached 65 cm. We are talking about one of the largest species of flying insects that ever inhabited the Earth.
Strictly speaking, meganeuras belonged to the genus of dragonfly-like insects. They were distinguished from the dragonflies known to us by certain structural features of the body.
Limitations on the size of insects are imposed by the method of delivering oxygen from the air to the internal organs. The role of the lungs is performed by the tubular tracheal system.
During the Carboniferous period, 359-299 million years ago, the oxygen content in the air reached at least 35%. Perhaps thanks to this circumstance, Meganeura was able to extract more energy from the air and retain the ability to fly even as it increased in size.
The same hypothesis explains why meganeura did not survive in later periods, when the oxygen content in the air decreased.
Sarcosuchus imperator
Sarcosuchus imperial skeleton Sarcosuchus imperial is also called the “super crocodile”
In the process of evolution, not only insects were crushed. Paleontologists searching for dinosaur remains in Niger in 1997 were surprised to discover fossilized crocodile jawbones that were as long as an adult human.
It later turned out that scientists had found the best-preserved specimen of Sarcosuchus imperator to date, a prehistoric giant crocodile that lived in the deep rivers of northern tropical Africa 110 million years ago.
The animal, which is informally called a super crocodile, reached 12 meters in length and weighed about eight tons, that is, it was twice as long and four times heavier than the largest living crocodiles.
It is quite possible that in addition to fish, Sarcosuchus also fed on small dinosaurs.
Its narrow jaws reached 1.8 m in length and were studded with more than a hundred teeth. There was a massive bone growth at the tip of the upper jaw.
The eyes of Sarcosuchus moved vertically in their sockets. Apparently, this monster looked like the Ghanaian gharial living in India and Nepal, which is listed in the Red Book.
Despite its unofficial name, Sarcosuchus imperatoris was not the direct ancestor of the 23 species of modern representatives of the crocodile order. It belonged to an extinct family of reptiles called Pholidosaurus.
Other, no less large fossil remains of prehistoric crocodile-like reptiles were found, including those belonging to the extinct genus of Deinosuchus.
They were related to modern alligators and may have reached a length of 10 meters.
Crocodiles could grow to such sizes because they lived primarily in water, which supported their weight - something that would have been impossible on land.
In addition, the crocodile skull is very strong. Accordingly, the force of compression of the jaws is also great, which allows the reptile to hunt large prey.
Metoposaurus
The two-meter metoposaur had a wide, flat head with a mouth studded with hundreds of teeth.
It wasn't just crocodiles that prehistoric fish had to fear. Since time immemorial, there were also giant carnivorous amphibians on Earth that looked like huge salamanders.
Fossilized remains of Metoposaurus have been found in Germany, Poland, North America, Africa and India.
Metoposaurus was very distantly related to modern salamanders
Most prehistoric species disappeared from the face of the Earth about 201 million years ago. Then many vertebrates, including large amphibians, became extinct, which gave dinosaurs the opportunity to establish their dominance on the planet.
Metoposaurus was described in March 2005 by Stephen Brushett of the University of Edinburgh and his colleagues. It was named Metoposaurus algarvensis after the Algarve region in southern Portugal where the remains were found.
The two-meter metoposaur had a wide, flat head with a mouth lined with hundreds of teeth. Small, poorly developed limbs indicate that it did not spend much time on land.
Metoposaurus was the ancestor of modern amphibians such as frogs and newts. Despite its appearance, Metoposaurus was very distantly related to modern salamanders.
Megatherium
Megatheriums are considered the ancestors of modern sloths, armadillos and anteaters.
What would an elephant-sized cross between a bear and a hamster be like? Possibly Megatherium.
This extinct genus of giant sloths lived primarily in North America between 5 million and 11,000 years ago.
Although Megatherium was smaller than dinosaurs and woolly mammoths, it was one of the largest land animals. Their length reached six meters.
Megatheriums were relatives of modern sloths, armadillos and anteaters.
The Megatherium skeleton was extremely strong. The animal probably had great strength, but did not differ in its speed of movement.
Many scientists believe that megatheriums used their long forelimbs, equipped with large claws, to tear leaves from trees and strip bark at heights inaccessible to smaller animals.
However, it has also been suggested that megatheria could also feed on meat. The shape of their ulna bones suggests the ability to move their forelimbs quickly. It is possible that megatheriums killed their prey with a wave of their paws.
“Terrible Birds” (Phorusrhacidae)
Flightless birds could swallow a medium-sized dog or similar animal in one fell swoop
In recent years, scientists have been attempting to clone extinct animal species, including the Iberian ibex, the marsupial wolf, the passenger pigeon and even the woolly mammoth.
Let's hope that they will not think of experimenting with the DNA of representatives of the Fororacoceae family - or, as they are also called, “terrible birds” from the order Craniformes.
These flightless birds reached three meters in height, ran at speeds of up to 50 km/h and could swallow a medium-sized dog in one fell swoop.
Thanks to its height and long neck, such a “terrible bird” could detect prey at a great distance, and its long, powerful legs allowed them to develop the high speed necessary for hunting.
With their downward-curving beaks, forarokos tore at prey in much the same way as modern birds of prey do.
The "Terrible Birds" lived between 60 and two million years ago. Most of the fossil remains known to us were found in South America, and some in North America.
At one time, some scientists claimed, based on finds in Florida, that these birds became extinct only 10,000 years ago, but later it turned out that the age of the remains found was much older.
It is believed that the closest living bird relatives of the Forarocosidae are the cariamidae family, native to South America, whose representatives reach 80 cm in height.
Megalodon (Carcharodon megalodon or Carcharocles megalodon)
Fossil megalodon was much larger than a modern white shark
You may have heard stories about basking sharks that are three times longer than the great white shark and 30 times heavier. Don't worry: such monsters haven't existed for a long time.
They are called megalodons, and no one knows exactly how large they really were. Like all sharks, the megalodon skeleton consisted of cartilage rather than bone, so almost no fossils have survived to this day.
As a result, we have to draw conclusions about the size of this fish only on the basis of the discovered teeth, from which the Greek name for the monsters comes, meaning “huge tooth” in translation, and individual fragments of vertebrae.
Megalodon gets its name from its giant teeth
According to the latest estimates by scientists, the length of the megalodon was 16-20 m. For comparison, the length of the largest modern fish - the great white shark - does not exceed 12.6 m.
In the giant jaws of the megalodon there were over 200 jagged teeth, each up to 18 cm long. The force of compression of the jaws was 11-18 tons - 4-6 times higher than that of the tyrannosaurus.
The idea that megalodon has survived to this day was made in the film “Monster Shark: Megalodon Lives,” shown in 2013 on the Discovery Channel.
The film received scathing criticism due to the fact that it used falsified video footage and comments from actors posing as scientists.
Real scientists believe that megalodon lived from 15.9 to 2.6 million years ago. After that, according to a scientific paper published in 2014, whales became the largest inhabitants of the oceans.
Vertebra of Titanoboa and modern middle snake
This colossal snake looked like a modern boa constrictor, but acted more like today's Amazon jungle anaconda. It was a slimy swamp dweller and a huge predator that was able to eat any animal it hunted. The diameter of his body was close to the waist size of a man of our time.
In the swampy jungle, the Titanoboa's life was surprisingly long due to the constant, incessant rain, abundant vegetation and living creatures. Deep-water rivers allowed the snake to both go deep and crawl around palm trees and hilly jungles.
The river basin in which Titanoboa fed was filled with giant turtles and crocodiles of at least three different species. It was also home to a giant fish, three times larger than the current inhabitants of the Amazon.
On March 22, 2012, a 14-meter-long reconstruction of a Titanoboa skeleton, created for the Smithsonian Channel's popular science program Titanoboa: Monster Snake, dedicated to Titanoboa, was presented at Grand Central Station in New York.
Development of minerals on organic residues. Fossils
Fossils, or biomorphoses(Russian: biomorphosis, English: biomorph, German: biomorphose) - pseudomorphoses minerals and their aggregates from organic remains of animals (zoomorphosis) or plants (phytomorphosis).
Based on what can we learn about what animals lived in prehistoric times, what they looked like and what paths the evolution of the animal world took? - This is the most interesting science, paleontology. Based on the finds of mollusk shells, fish bones, parts of the skeleton of dinosaurs and other ancient organisms, paleontologists reconstruct not only the appearance and structure of extinct animals, but also the age of the rocks in which organic remains were buried, conditions on the planet in different geological eras, and much more. . By the way, dinosaur bones exhibited in paleontological museums are no longer bones, but stones in the form of bones, since the bone tissue was destroyed and replaced by mineral matter millions of years ago, leaving the so-called. "fossils". Fossilized bones arose as a result of the saturation of the bone remains of ancient animals with mineral substances from aqueous solutions, which gradually filled the pores and deposited certain minerals in them over a long period of fossilization (from the English “fossil” - “fossil”, “fossil”), while maintaining the external shape of the skeleton and the internal structure of the tissues. Most often, fossil remains of ancient marine animals are found, because their remains, quickly sinking into the muddy bottom, were reliably preserved from decomposition under the influence of bacteria by layers of geological sediments. Imprints of hard tissues imprinted on stone in dense sedimentary rocks are also found.
In sedimentary rocks, organic residues can either literally be replaced by mineral matter or play the role of a kind of active seed, on (around) which concentration and selective precipitation of certain minerals occurs. Thus, in the Jurassic clays of central Russia, pyrite biomorphoses, pyritized shells of mollusks, in particular ammonites, belemnite rostra, etc., are widespread. And in the underlying carbonate rocks of Carboniferous age, biomorphoses of calcite and minerals of its group on the shells of ancient mollusks and stalks of crinoids are common, as well as biomorphoses of minerals of the silica group (quartz, chalcedony, opal) or flint on single and colonial corals, bryozoans, mollusk shells, sea urchin needles, algae colonies, etc. Often there are also remains of organisms (shells, bones), different parts of which are replaced several different minerals at the same time.
Ammolite is a mother-of-pearl layer of fossil ammonite shells with iridescence in green and red tones, which is used as a rare gemstone. It is mined in the eastern foothills of the Rocky Mountains in the United States and Canada. In 1981, ammolite was officially given the status of a gemstone, after which its industrial mining began in the Bear paw deposit in the south of the Canadian province of Alberta.
Pseudofossils are false fossils. Natural formations that, having a structure or mineral composition of inorganic origin, can resemble and be mistaken for an organic fossil. For example, the phenomena of selective growth of concentric-zonal silica aggregates on the surface of a number of pseudomorphs are widespread. (Palaeontologist, be vigilant! - Internet publication about rhythmic aggregates of chalcedony on belemnite rostra, brachiopod shell valves, etc.).
With a broader interpretation of the term, many more can be conventionally classified as boimorphoses. nodules, formed around some biogenic formation, creating around itself a geochemical environment favorable for the deposition of minerals. For example, the presence of pyrite in sedimentary rocks is a sign of the presence of organic matter in them.
According to the results of research by academician. N.P. Yushkina (1966, 1968), the role of microorganisms in the formation of mineral aggregates can manifest itself even at the stage of formation of crystalline nuclei. In particular, under exogenous conditions, a microbiological method of generation of native sulfur, goethite (limonite), manganite, todorokite and some other minerals is carried out; in this case, the mineral substance either accumulates in the cell, completely mineralizing and replacing it, or is either released by the cell into the external environment in the form of tiny crystals and concretions. For example, in deposits where modern sulfur formation occurs, thiobacteria cells secrete microscopic, but already completely crystallized sulfur crystals.
The role of microbial cells as seed particles and condensation centers during the nucleation of minerals and the formation of small mineral bodies is also great. Along with the microbiological path, the macrobiological path of mineral formation is also widely manifested in nature, associated with higher plants and animals (crystallization of minerals in plant tissues, the formation of shells and skeletons, mother-of-pearl and pearls, and many others).
Anoxic conditions promote the accumulation of organic matter, which participates in the microbiological reduction of sulfates according to the reaction: SO2- + 3C + 2H2O → 2CO32- + H2S. This is accompanied by a decrease in Eh, an increase in pH and the precipitation of carbonate after the water is saturated with bicarbonate and carbonate ions. As a result, in particular, on the walls of the voids that were air chambers in the body of ammonites, drusy crusts of calcite crystals are formed (see photo).
In the presence of hydrogen sulfide (H2S), it precipitates iron almost completely from solutions. Therefore, the usual companions, in particular, of coal-bearing rocks - carbonaceous shales, black clays or bauxites, are fossils in the form of pseudomorphs of organic remains and (or) concretions of sulfides such as pyrite and marcasite developing around them. Crystals of these minerals often also cover the walls of voids in large fossils and air chambers in ammonites.
In 2014, in Yunnan province in southwest China, researchers discovered the remains of a marine reptile with an unusual skull, the jaw bones of which were curved downwards, like a flamingo's beak. These jaws were literally littered with hundreds of tightly packed, needle-shaped teeth.
The species received its Latin name Atopodentatus unicus- it reflects the characteristic features of the structure of the ancient animal and consists of the words “unique” and “strangely toothed.”
The creature supposedly reached 2-3 meters in length, had a short neck and flippers. An estimate of the age of the fossils showed that the reptile lived on our planet about 243-244 million years ago, that is, in the Middle Triassic.
This is approximately 6-8 million years after the Permian mass extinction, during which 96% of all marine and 70% of terrestrial vertebrate species disappeared from the face of the Earth.
Marine reptiles of the Triassic period were primarily predators. Therefore, based on the available material, paleontologists decided that A. unicus fed on some kind of animals that burrow into the bottom soil, for which it needed such jaws. However, there was one problem - the fossil's skull was literally flattened, and it was not possible to determine its original shape.
New and much better preserved fossils have revealed some details about the structure of the reptile's skull and forced scientists to reconsider their original position. They were studied by an international team of researchers led by Nick Fraser from the National Museum of Scotland.
The main discovery was precisely skull shape, Which was T-shaped and resembled a hammer. The front edges of the fossil's lower and upper jaws were covered with teeth that resembled sharpened pegs and were very similar to similar teeth in land-dwelling herbivorous dinosaurs such as Diplodocus.
Initial idea of the head shape of Atopodentatus unicus
A refined view of the head shape of Atopodentatus unicus
The upper row of teeth in A. unicus was single, and the lower row was double. The remaining surface of the edge of the jaws was occupied by needle-shaped, thinner teeth, located very close to each other (similar to a kind of mesh).
“In order to find out how the jaws of a fossil reptile actually worked, we bought clay for children’s creativity and inserted toothpicks into it,” the authors do not hesitate to describe the course of their reasoning and flight of fancy in the research press release. “We looked, how they close and described it."
Scientists unanimously decided that with such teeth, most likely, it is simply impossible to catch and chew an animal, but peacefully gobbling up algae in underwater pastures is very convenient.
In their paper, published in the journal Science Advances, the authors say that reptiles of this species probably grabbed algae with their front teeth, tearing them off at the roots, after which the flow of water filtered the plants onto smaller teeth. Losses with this method of nutrition should have been minimal.
Paleontologists continue their work in the hope of finding new skeletons of A. unicus and confirming their theory, which clearly illustrates how unusual forms nature can resort to in order to continue its existence and successfully adapt to the constantly changing conditions of life on our planet.
Ecology
When we find common fossils of ancient shells on the beach, they are very easy to recognize. However, there are fossils of very ancient living creatures that are difficult to recognize even for specialists.
The problem also lies in the fact that many of them are poorly preserved or have come to us in incomplete form. It's not surprising that until better specimens are found, fossils of long-extinct creatures will often be mistaken for completely different species. We invite you to learn about these mysterious fossils, which have been mistaken for mysterious things at various times.
1) Ammonites
Ammonites are common in fossils, but have been misidentified for a long time. Even in Ancient Greece they believed that these were ram horns. They were named after the Egyptian god Amon, who wore such horns. In ancient China they were called horn-stones for the same reason. In Nepal, they were considered as holy relics left by the god Vishnu. The Vikings believed that ammonites were the sacred offspring of the serpent Jormungandr, who turned into stone.
In the Middle Ages in Europe they were called snake stones, were believed to be the fossilized bodies of coiled snakes that were turned into stones by Christian saints. Some enterprising traders even carved snake heads from ammonite fossils and sold them as souvenirs.
Today we know that these are just fossilized shells of squid-like creatures that lived on our planet 400 million years ago and lived until the death of the dinosaurs. More complex fossils include more than just shells. Fossil shells can be found along with protruding tentacles and misshapen heads that resemble modern nautilus mollusks.
2) Fish teeth
The fossilized remains of fish teeth have been interpreted in different ways. Some ancient fish had hard, flat molars that allowed them to crush mollusk shells. In Greece and later in Europe, these fossils were considered magical jewelry and were often called toad stones, since people believed that large toads wore them as decorations on their heads. The teeth were used to make talismans; it was believed that they could cure epilepsy and poisoning.
In Japan, fossils of flat shark teeth have been identified as claws shed by the terrible Tengu monsters. In Europe, shark teeth were seen as hardened tongues of the devil.
It was only in the 17th century that the Danish anatomist Niels Stensen seriously studied these fossils and concluded that most of the "devil's tongues" found were just shark teeth. He also realized that fossils did not appear spontaneously in the earth and that they were located next to the remains of ancient animals long dead.
3) Trees
Lepidodendron- an ancient tree-like plant with bark resembling a pine cone, which has long been extinct. The leaves of this plant looked like grass stems and lepidodendron was still closer to herbs than to modern trees. Most of the European coal deposits are the remains of these ancient plants. Lepidodendron fossils are very interesting. Long tree trunks were often preserved entirely in fossils; such a trunk could reach 30 meters in height and about a meter in width.
At fairgrounds in the 19th century, these fossils were often displayed as the bodies of scaly snakes and dragons. People could pay a small fee to admire the ancient "monsters" and listen to fictional tales of their dramatic fate. Various Christian saints could also appear in the stories. More complete fossils might include not only trunks, but also branches, roots, leaves and cones, which provided evidence that these were once trees and not mysterious fairy-tale creatures.
4) Foraminifera
On the Pacific coast in southern Japan you can sometimes find unusual grains of sand. Many of them are shaped like tiny stars, less than 1 millimeter in size. Local legends say that these are the remains of unfortunate children from the divine union of two stars. These “children” died because they fell to Earth or were killed by sea monsters living off the coast of the Japanese island of Okinawa. Their fragile skeletons wash up on the shore, and this is all that remains of the poor creatures.
In fact, these are the remains of various forms of earthly life, creatures similar to amoebas, which are called foraminifera. These creatures and their modern descendants are single-celled creatures that build themselves a protective shell. When they die, their needle-like shells remain, and if you look through a microscope, you can see the tiny chambers and structures in great detail.
5) Protoceratops
Dinosaurs called protoceratops were relatives of more famous Triceratops. They walked on 4 legs and were comparable in size to a large dog, although they were somewhat heavier. They definitely had a large skull with a bird's beak, in the back of which there was a bony outgrowth with holes.
Protoceratops lived in large herds, so they left behind a large number of fossils. For many people who were not yet familiar with dinosaurs, the found skulls seemed like the remains of fantastic and strange creatures. Because of their size, it was believed that Protoceratops were small lions. However, the distinctive feature of the skulls of these animals suggested that they were lions with curved beaks, like those of eagles. The animals' feet resembled the paws of eagles with claws rather than the paws of lions. People thought the creature was a mixture of a lion and an eagle. Apparently, legends about these creatures most likely appeared after people found fossils of Protoceratops.
6) Belemnites
Belemnites are extinct ancient animals that resemble modern squids. Unlike squids, belemnites had 10 “arms” of equal length, which were covered with tiny hooks, and, remarkably, these sea creatures had a skeleton. Belemnites lived during the age of dinosaurs and are well preserved in fossils.
The most commonly found fossilized remains of their skeletons are cylindrical objects with a tapered end without any structures such as tentacles. These fossilized skeletons are shaped like a bullet.
In Europe, they were believed to be "thunderbolts" - objects that fell to earth from the heavens, producing the sound of thunder when they struck the surface of the earth. They were associated with various thunder gods. Many people kept them in different parts of their homes in order to divert lightning. Others believed that belemnites were associated with elves, not gods. They believed that these were the fingers of elves. People used them in various superstitious medicinal practices, such as to treat snake bites or relieve headaches. They applied the fossils to the affected area of the body and cast various spells.
7) Ankisaurs
Ankysaurs were one of the groups of early dinosaurs. These herbivores had long necks and tails and were relatives of the more familiar ones brontosaurus And diplodocus. Ankysaurs were smaller in size than their later ancestors and grew no more than 2 meters in length. They evolved from bipedal ancestors and did not stand entirely on 4 legs, although their front legs were well adapted for locomotion. They reared up on their hind legs when needed and used their front paws to grasp things.
Ankysaurs have attracted particular interest because they were initially misidentified. They were confused with the creature that would seem to be the least like a dinosaur: a human. Strangely, the long neck and tail, lizard-like body, reptile-like skull, and other features were simply ignored! Just the fact that the creature was the size of a man helped make everyone believe that these were the remains of our ancestor.
After other fossils of these creatures were found over the course of several decades, the name "dinosaur" was coined and people recognized that these fossils were not of humans at all, but of reptiles. The fact that you can confuse a lizard with a person shows how people can be mistaken.
8) Mastodons and mammoths
Just a few thousand years ago, mastodons and mammoths roamed the icy land. They looked like elephants, but had warm fur and tusks several meters long. Mass species extinction, climate change and hunting have led to their extinction. Like modern elephants, these animals had very strong muscles in their trunks that were stronger than other muscles in their body.
The trunk of mammoths and mastodons required that there be a hole in the middle of the animal's skull. Modern elephants have the same feature. People who live in areas where elephants live have seen animal skulls more than once, so they know this feature. Others who found skulls of ancient relatives of elephants with giant holes in the middle imagined this creature as a huge humanoid giant with one eye socket. The legend of the Cyclops seems to have its roots in a time when people found skulls of ancient animals outside of Africa.
9) Sea urchins
Sea urchins are spiny, round-shaped creatures whose fossils are commonly found off the coast. They belong to a group of animals called echinoderms. These creatures have lived on our planet for hundreds of millions of years, and their distant ancestors left behind a lot of fossils. Although ancient sea urchins have many similarities with modern species, their fossils have long been mistaken for completely different creatures.
In England, they were believed to be supernatural crowns, loaves of sacred bread, or magical snake eggs. In Denmark, they were believed to be “thunderstorm” stones: it was believed that they began to release moisture before storms, which helped people predict inclement weather.
The five lines found on many sea urchin fossils were considered a good omen and were kept as a good luck charm in India. The magical powers associated with sea urchins reflected how each culture interpreted them. They were believed to be able to cure snake bites, help prepare bread, protect against storms, and bring good luck.
10) Hominids
Many of man's relatives, the apes, left behind fossils. These fossils were often misinterpreted before people began to think about human evolution. Fossils that were found in Europe and America sometimes “proved” the existence of various mythical characters mentioned in the same Bible, such as giants or demons. Others said that these were the ancestors of apes, although modern apes have very different features.
Some are sure that these skeletons belong to aliens, and not fairy-tale monsters. Apparently, fossils found in Asia inspired people to create legends about the Yeti. Some believe that some hominids could have coexisted with humans, so the creators of the legends were inspired not by their fossils, but by these living creatures themselves.