4 ms·

Ancient reptile footprints are rewriting the history of when animals evolved

32 points by gmays 1y ago

veunes 1y ago
The detail that really stuck with me was the presence of claws. That small anatomical feature says so much
- singularity2001 1y ago
  on the other hand I have seen fish with claws
- metalman 1y ago
  And now I need to take a closer look at a small trackway that I brought home, after I might add watching a greater portion erode out of a cliff face and disapear into the surf over a few years, not that there is any shortage of animal fossils and other things like fossilised rain and wave impressions, literaly 1000's of km³. As to the information that can be extracted from a trackway, it would be intetesting to run these past indiginous trackers and have them consult with scientists to train field workers doing palentological research, a realy realy cold trail.
  - veunes 1y ago
    How much information is just sitting in those little impressions, waiting to be interpreted
adityaathalye 1y ago
Getting Silurian Hypothesis vibes [1], thinking about subduction, glaciers, the rise and abatement of sea levels, and just plain ol' erosion and corrosion. That something so incredibly ephemeral as footprints in dirt could survive longer than the rings of Saturn is breathtaking. Except Sharks. Sharks are not only breath-taking, they are forever [2]. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silurian_hypothesis https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silurian_hypothesis [2] https://www.reddit.com/r/Astronomy/comments/dp7key/things_in_the_universe_younger_than_sharks/ https://www.reddit.com/r/Astronomy/comments/dp7key/things_in...
- hydrogen7800 1y ago
  >Except Sharks My favorite shark fact is that they pre-date trees.
  - adityaathalye 1y ago
    I think it's good that Sharks pre-dated, and not predated Trees. Because then we wouldn't be around talking about them.
    - hydrogen7800 1y ago
      Ha, nice catch. I considered the pun as I posted, but decided to just leave it as an easter egg.
gnabgib 1y ago
The paper's very readable: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-08884-5 https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-08884-5 (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44033911 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44033911)

32 points by gmays 1y ago

veunes 1y ago

The detail that really stuck with me was the presence of claws. That small anatomical feature says so much

singularity2001 1y ago
on the other hand I have seen fish with claws
metalman 1y ago
And now I need to take a closer look at a small trackway that I brought home, after I might add watching a greater portion erode out of a cliff face and disapear into the surf over a few years, not that there is any shortage of animal fossils and other things like fossilised rain and wave impressions, literaly 1000's of km³. As to the information that can be extracted from a trackway, it would be intetesting to run these past indiginous trackers and have them consult with scientists to train field workers doing palentological research, a realy realy cold trail.
- veunes 1y ago
  How much information is just sitting in those little impressions, waiting to be interpreted

adityaathalye 1y ago

Getting Silurian Hypothesis vibes [1], thinking about subduction, glaciers, the rise and abatement of sea levels, and just plain ol' erosion and corrosion. That something so incredibly ephemeral as footprints in dirt could survive longer than the rings of Saturn is breathtaking. Except Sharks. Sharks are not only breath-taking, they are forever [2]. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silurian_hypothesis https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silurian_hypothesis [2] https://www.reddit.com/r/Astronomy/comments/dp7key/things_in_the_universe_younger_than_sharks/ https://www.reddit.com/r/Astronomy/comments/dp7key/things_in...

hydrogen7800 1y ago
>Except Sharks My favorite shark fact is that they pre-date trees.
- adityaathalye 1y ago
  I think it's good that Sharks pre-dated, and not predated Trees. Because then we wouldn't be around talking about them.
  - hydrogen7800 1y ago
    Ha, nice catch. I considered the pun as I posted, but decided to just leave it as an easter egg.

gnabgib 1y ago

The paper's very readable: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-08884-5 https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-08884-5 (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44033911 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44033911)