00:00Finding fossils can tell us a whole lot about the creatures that lived on our planet millions of
00:07years ago, but observing the bones and skin can only tell us so much. That's why this 520 million
00:13year old fossil is so amazing, as it still has the brain and all of the other insides intact.
00:19The prehistoric creature was discovered in China, and it's only around the size of a sesame seed.
00:23However, the discovery is gargantuan, as it is a new genus and species of your arthropod
00:29called Wai Yuanqi. It was found complete with all of its internal systems still in there,
00:33and since it's related to all modern spiders, crabs, and insects, this single find should help
00:38researchers fill in many evolutionary gaps in our current biological understanding.
00:42The researchers used 3D imaging to get a better look inside, finding the creature was at a
00:47particular point in its developmental period of evolution, one rarely seen by scientists.
00:52Paleontologist Martin Smith says,
00:54This find is literally a dream come true, saying recently,
00:57I already knew that this simple worm-like fossil was something special. But when I saw the amazing
01:02structures preserved under its skin, my jaw just dropped. How could these intricate features
01:06have avoided decay and still be here to see half a billion years later?
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