Scientists discover oldest human ancestor, and it's terrifying
The Saccorhytus does look pretty creepy
Updated: 6:37 PM PST Feb 1, 2017
By: Fernando Ramirez, Houston Chronicle
Of all the strange fossils dug up by archaeologist, nothing may be worse than this intriguing eye-sore recently discovered by the University of Cambridge. Saccorhytus, a tiny bag-like sea creature measuring no more than a millimeter in size, is not only the stuff of nightmares -- it's also our long, lost cousin. The University of Cambridge and Northwest University in Xi'an, China, worked together to identify the odd creature, which they believe could be the earliest known species in the evolutionary path that eventually led to humans. "This may represent the primitive beginnings of a very diverse range of species, including ourselves," said Simon Conway Morris in a news release, Professor of Evolutionary Palaeobiology at Cambridge University. "To the naked eye, the fossils we studied look like tiny black grains, but under the microscope the level of detail is jaw-dropping." Researchers theorized that Saccorhytus probably lived between grains of sand on the seafloor 540 million years ago, engulfing food particles or even other creatures with its large mouth. One strange detail that has even grossed out scientists is the fact that they were unable to find any evidence of Saccorhytushaving an anus. "If that was the case, then any waste material would simply have been taken out back through the mouth, which from our perspective sounds rather unappealing," said Conway Morris.
Of all the strange fossils dug up by archaeologist, nothing may be worse than this intriguing eye-sore recently discovered by the University of Cambridge.
Saccorhytus, a tiny bag-like sea creature measuring no more than a millimeter in size, is not only the stuff of nightmares -- it's also our long, lost cousin.
The University of Cambridge and Northwest University in Xi'an, China, worked together to identify the odd creature, which they believe could be the earliest known species in the evolutionary path that eventually led to humans.
"This may represent the primitive beginnings of a very diverse range of species, including ourselves," said Simon Conway Morris in a news release, Professor of Evolutionary Palaeobiology at Cambridge University. "To the naked eye, the fossils we studied look like tiny black grains, but under the microscope the level of detail is jaw-dropping."
Researchers theorized that Saccorhytus probably lived between grains of sand on the seafloor 540 million years ago, engulfing food particles or even other creatures with its large mouth.
One strange detail that has even grossed out scientists is the fact that they were unable to find any evidence of Saccorhytushaving an anus.
"If that was the case, then any waste material would simply have been taken out back through the mouth, which from our perspective sounds rather unappealing," said Conway Morris.