The tiny fossils are part of South China's Doushantuo Formation, a limestone bed deposited between 635 and 551 million years ago that contains layers composed almost entirely of fossil embryos.
The team behind the research believes the fossils are the developing offspring of extremely primitive sponge-like creatures.
To resolve the delicate internal structures, the scientists used a technique known as microfocus x-ray computed tomography (microCT). The method allowed the team to construct 3D images of the tiny fossils.
THAT, is a big deal. I mean whoohoo, a zebra subspecies, but that's no the point. It's humans attempting to bring back something that is extinct. That's the hugeness of this news.
Thats what fascinated me about this. We already breed animals for certain traits, and we can now map genes. Breeding existing animals to match a gene map of a bygone animal is a whole new area.
Hey Alex--I'm currently sticking my tongue out at you, out loud. ;-)
I like the fact that humans are genuinely trying to bring back something that humans made extinct through their own ignorance. It gives me hope that we haven't thoroughly mired ourselves in exactly that thought of "Oh well, that's just the way it goes, it's dead and gone but WE must go on, etc."
And frankly, it's better research than engineering a subcutaneous bra... ;-)
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So the quagga is extinct - we humans live on and have improved living conditions since the late 19th century. Why do we need a zebra subspecies?
Just thinking outloud.
Now, if it was a giant woolly mammoth, THAT'll be different! :)
I like the fact that humans are genuinely trying to bring back something that humans made extinct through their own ignorance. It gives me hope that we haven't thoroughly mired ourselves in exactly that thought of "Oh well, that's just the way it goes, it's dead and gone but WE must go on, etc."
And frankly, it's better research than engineering a subcutaneous bra... ;-)
--TwoDragons