By Sheetal Kumari | April 4, 2025
A 558-million-year-old fossil uncovered Earth’s oldest known animal — say hello to Dickinsonia, a bizarre animal from ancient Ediacaran oceans.
(Image: The Australian National University)
With no head or limbs, Dickinsonia resembled nothing like today’s animals. Its shape mystified scientists for almost 75 years.
(Image: AI generated)
Dickinsonia fossils were discovered in isolated cliffs in northwestern Russia, excellently preserved in sandstone.
(Image: AI generated)
Scientists found cholesterol molecules — a fat that only animals produce — in the remains of Dickinsonia, which confirmed its identity.
(Image: Wikipedia)
Dying more than half a billion years ago, Dickinsonia belonged to the enigmatic Ediacaran biota, which scientists had misunderstood for decades.
(Image: AI generated)
Dickinsonia’s oval, segmented body and absence of obvious features such as organs made it challenging to classify for decades.
(Image: Wikimedia Commons)
Scientists retrieved fossils by hanging off 100-metre cliffs, collecting massive sandstone blocks with Herculean effort.
(Image: AI generated)
Sponges and jellyfish were long thought to be the earliest animals, but there was limited or dubious fossil evidence.
(Image: Wikipedia)
Dickinsonia’s established animal status is a huge step forward in deciphering early animal evolution and ancient life on Earth.
(Image: AI generated)
This find paves the way for additional molecular fossil work, assisting scientists in mapping the earliest branches of life.
(Image: Wikimedia Commons)