Science is Fun Fridays!

 #FossilFriday


This is a 500 million year old fossil of Stanleycaris hirpex, found in the Burgess Shale.  It is one of 84 exceptional specimens found by the Royal Ontario Museum in Canada.

These fossils include three eyes and visible brains, and they're even able to make out fine details such as visual processing centers.

The species was a Radiodont, whose closest living relatives are arthropods.

What they've noticed in the brain are two components - one connected to the eyes and the other to frontal claws, which are depicted in this artist representation.


Since modern arthropods have three sectors, this is an important piece of the evolutionary chain.


IFL Science

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