Top 7 Oldest Fossils Ever Found

Fossils provide valuable glimpses into the ancient history of our planet, allowing us to study and understand the organisms that lived long before our time. These fossilized remains or traces of organisms are significantly old, typically dating back thousands, millions, or even billions of years.

These fossils provide crucial evidence for the existence of past life forms and offer insights into their anatomical structures, behaviors, and ecological interactions. Analyzing old fossils involves various techniques, including paleontological excavation, laboratory analysis, and advanced imaging technologies.

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Here we would like to share with you the top 7 oldest fossils in the world to ever be found.

7. Tortotubus (~440 Million Years)

Tortotubus is an extinct organism that represents one of the earliest known branches of the Tree of Life. It is a fossilized organism that lived approximately 440 million years ago during the Early Silurian period.

The name "Tortotubus" is derived from the Latin words "tortus," meaning twisted, and "tubus," meaning tube. This name reflects the unique and distinctive morphology of this ancient organism. The fossils of Tortotubus consist of branching tubes that measure about 0.2 to 0.3 millimeters in diameter and are preserved in ancient marine sediments.

Some researchers propose that Tortotubus represents an early form of fungi, while others argue that it may be an early type of red algae.

6. Metaspriggina (~505 Million Years)

Metaspriggina is an ancient fossil that represents a pivotal discovery in the field of paleontology. It is an extinct fish-like organism that lived around 505 million years ago during the Middle Cambrian period. The fossils of Metaspriggina were first discovered in the Burgess Shale formation in Canada, one of the world's most famous fossil deposits.

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The name "Metaspriggina" is derived from the Greek word "meta," meaning after or beyond, and the genus name "Spriggina," which refers to another early fossil organism. Metaspriggina fossils are incredibly important because they provide valuable insights into the early evolution of vertebrates, the group of animals that includes fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals.

The fossils of Metaspriggina reveal a slender, elongated body form, measuring around 10 to 20 centimeters in length. It had a streamlined shape and a series of muscular segments or myomeres along its body.

5. Redlichiida (~520 Million Years)

Redlichiida is an ancient order of trilobites that represents one of the earliest and most diverse groups of these marine arthropods. Trilobites were a highly successful group of organisms that lived from the Cambrian period to the end of the Permian period, roughly 505 million years ago.

The name "Redlichiida" is derived from Redlichia, a genus of trilobite that was named after a geologist, Karl Friedrich Redlich. Redlichiida trilobites have been discovered in various locations around the world, including Australia, China, the United States, and other Cambrian-aged fossil-bearing deposits.

The fossil had an elongated oval or subrectangular body shape, divided into three distinct regions: the cephalon (head), thorax (body), and pygidium (tail). The body was protected by a hard exoskeleton composed of a series of segments and a pair of large, prominent compound eyes.

4. Pikaia (~523 Million Years)

The Pikaia fossil represents an ancient organism of significant importance in the study of early animal evolution. Pikaia is an extinct genus of chordate that existed during the Middle Cambrian period, approximately 523 million years ago. It is considered one of the earliest known relatives of modern vertebrates.

The name "Pikaia" comes from the Pikaia gracilens species, which was first discovered in the Burgess Shale formation in Canada. Pikaia had a slender, elongated body shape, resembling a primitive fish or an eel-like creature. It measured around five centimeters in length, making it relatively small compared to other organisms of its time.

Pikaia also holds significance in our understanding of the Cambrian explosion, a period marked by the rapid diversification of multicellular life forms.

3. "Seaweed-Like" Fossils (~1.56 Billion Years)

The term "seaweed-like" fossils refer to ancient remains or impressions that resemble the structures and morphology of modern seaweeds or macroalgae. Seaweed-like fossils can take various forms depending on the preservation and fossilization processes. 

They may include impressions, carbonized remains, or mineralized structures left behind by the ancient seaweeds. Some ancient seaweed-like fossils date back hundreds of millions or even billions of years ago, representing various geological periods.

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The identification and classification of seaweed-like fossils can be challenging due to the limited preservation of soft tissues and the convergence of structural features among different algal groups.

2. Stromatolites (~3.5 Billion Years)

Stromatolites are ancient fossils that provide a remarkable record of some of the earliest life forms on Earth. They are layered structures formed by the growth and trapping of sediment by microbial communities.

The word "stromatolite" originated from the Greek words "stroma," meaning layer, and "lithos," meaning rock. These unique structures are formed by the activities of cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae, and other microbial communities. 

Stromatolites are found in various geological formations around the world, ranging in age from a few thousand to billions of years. Some of the oldest stromatolites date back over 3.5 billion years. These ancient stromatolites have been discovered in places like Western Australia, South Africa, and Canada.

1. Hematite Tubes (~4 Billion Years)

The Hematite Tubes fossils represent an intriguing discovery that provides valuable insights into the ancient history of Earth and the potential for life in extreme environments. The Hematite Tubes fossils are typically found in association with hydrothermal vent systems, which are underwater geothermal environments characterized by hot, mineral-rich fluids.

The extreme conditions, including high temperatures, pressure, and chemical gradients, make hydrothermal vent systems challenging environments for life. The origin and biological nature of Hematite Tubes fossils are still the subject of ongoing research and debate. 

One hypothesis proposes that the tubular structures were formed by microbial communities, potentially representing ancient biofilms or microbial mats associated with hydrothermal vent systems.

Nevertheless, it is still considered the oldest fossil to ever be found with an age of approximately 4 billion years.

Source:

• New York Times

• Washington Post

• Slate

Also read: Top 8 Oldest Artifacts Ever Found