September 16, 2022 08:49
Scientists believe they have discovered what may be the oldest heart ever, dating back 380 million years.
The British news agency “PA Media” reported that this muscular organ is specific to a fossilized jawed fish that swam in the waters during the Devonian period, between 419 million and 359 million years ago.
She noted that in addition to the “beautifully preserved” heart, the researchers also found a fossilized stomach, intestine and liver.
The findings, published in the journal Science, indicate that the organs are specific to the body of a fish from the arthropod family – an extinct group of armored fish that has an anatomy similar to that of a modern shark, according to the scientists.
Scientists hope that this discovery will shed light on how creatures, including humans, evolved.
The fossils were found in the Gogo Formation in the Kimberley region of Western Australia, a coral reef that preserves unique animals and plants from the late Devonian period.
Source: agencies
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