alt.hn

5/18/2025 at 11:18:51 PM

Ancient reptile footprints are rewriting the history of when animals evolved

 https://apnews.com/article/oldest-reptile-footprints-australia-963e3c38c8d5782e7ac20f5405f15f89

by gmays

5/22/2025 at 8:25:15 AM

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

[2] https://www.reddit.com/r/Astronomy/comments/dp7key/things_in...

by adityaathalye

5/22/2025 at 5:20:42 PM

>Except Sharks

My favorite shark fact is that they pre-date trees.

by hydrogen7800

5/23/2025 at 11:34:31 AM

I think it's good that Sharks pre-dated, and not predated Trees. Because then we wouldn't be around talking about them.

by adityaathalye

5/22/2025 at 7:48:55 AM

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

by veunes

5/22/2025 at 8:53:29 AM

on the other hand I have seen fish with claws

by singularity2001

5/22/2025 at 10:12:51 AM

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.

by metalman