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From real beasts behind Appalachian folklore to the discovery of Earth’s first animal, nature is full of astonishing secrets. Could these findings change everything we know about life on our planet?
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00:00Have you ever wondered what animals look like when they first appeared in the ancient oceans over half a billion
00:07years ago?
00:08Well, scientists have been scratching their heads about this for more than a century.
00:11And now, they believe that they finally found the answer.
00:15So let's take a look at their discovery.
00:18You see, our ancient ancestors probably lived 600 or 700 million years ago.
00:24They were soft-bodied, so unfortunately, they didn't leave any fossils behind.
00:29Scientists decided to uncover the secrets of these ancient creatures by comparing them to all the animals that exist today.
00:37First, we need to ask ourselves, what is an animal?
00:40Well, we know that they're incredible creatures with heads, innards, muscles, and brains.
00:46And we know that humans are part of this animal gang, too.
00:49We're called bilaterians, and we have all these cool features that evolved around 500 million years ago during the Cambrian
00:57explosion.
00:59But there are also awesome creatures with very simple body plans.
01:03We've got jellyfish, sea anemones, sponges, tenophores, and many more.
01:10They may not have fancy brains or muscles like us bilaterians, but they still have the essential qualities of animal
01:16life.
01:17For example, they develop from fertilized eggs into living beings.
01:22So, researchers decided to take a look at them to figure out which group was the earliest branch on the
01:28tree of life.
01:29To solve this mystery, they used a technique called DNA sequencing.
01:33They looked at the genes of these animals.
01:36The similarities and differences in the genes helped scientists understand how creatures are related and how they evolved.
01:43By comparing DNA, scientists could piece together their evolutionary family tree.
01:49The list narrowed down to two candidates.
01:51Sponges, which are basically lazy filter feeders.
01:55And comb jellies, which are fierce predators cruising through the oceans.
02:00But the controversy remained.
02:02Who came first?
02:04Sponges may seem to be simple fellows.
02:07After their free swimming phase, they settle down and filter tiny food particles from the water.
02:12No nerves or muscles for them, but their hard parts make excellent scrubbers.
02:17For a long time, scientists believed that sponges were the very first branch of the animal family tree.
02:24They thought that, before anything else, there had been these tiny, single-celled creatures called protozoans.
02:30Then, these protozoans came together and formed colonies that eventually evolved into sponges.
02:36And from there, sponges became the ancestors of all animals, including humans.
02:42But, hold on.
02:44Meet the comb jellies, those mesmerizing creatures you often see in aquariums.
02:49They may resemble jellyfish, but they're not even close relatives.
02:53Instead of squishing through the water,
02:55ctenophores use rows of beating cilia, like combs, to propel themselves.
03:01You can spot a sea gooseberry, a common ctenophore, along the California coast.
03:06It's about an inch in diameter and quite fascinating to observe.
03:11Anyway, now we have two contenders.
03:14To find out whether sponges or comb jellies were the first,
03:18the biologist turned to an unexpected superhero – chromosomes.
03:22You see, each species has its own unique chromosome number and gene distribution along those chromosomes.
03:28For example, humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes.
03:33So, scientists didn't just look at the genes each animal had.
03:37They also checked where those genes were located on their chromosomes.
03:41You see, as animals evolve, their chromosomes rearrange, and genes move around.
03:46Once they move, it's really hard for them to go back to their original spots.
03:51So, the clever biologists figured that the animal with the least shuffling of genes on their chromosomes must have appeared
03:58first.
03:59They basically had to find a puzzle with the least shuffled pieces.
04:03To crack this mystery, the scientists compared the gene placements in sponges and comb jellies
04:09to their closest single-celled non-animal relatives.
04:12These single-cell relatives were like cousins to the first animal and held clues about the original genome.
04:18The closer an organism's genome was to the original, the less it had changed and the more likely it was
04:25to be the sister.
04:27So, the research team discovered something incredible.
04:31Despite more than a half a billion years of independent evolution,
04:35sponges, jellyfish, and many other invertebrates share similar sets of genes on their chromosomes.
04:41It basically meant that animal chromosomes evolved slowly.
04:45It also gave the researchers a golden opportunity to digitally reconstruct the chromosomes of the ancient common ancestor.
04:54There was another big problem, though.
04:57We had no idea what the chromosomes in comb jellies looked like until the year 2021.
05:03That's when brilliant biologists finally cracked the code.
05:06They discovered the chromosome structure of a particular comb jelly with a pretty complicated name.
05:12Yeah, I'm not even going to try.
05:15Anyway, let me tell you, it was like nothing they had seen before.
05:20Strangely, the chromosomes of these comb jellies were totally different from the chromosomes of other animals.
05:25The scientists were perplexed.
05:28Is it because they had changed a lot over millions and millions of years?
05:32Or is that because they actually appeared before all other animals?
05:37It took scientists some time and a lot of hard work to fill in those missing pieces.
05:42And guess what?
05:43Finally, they found the answer.
05:46It turns out the first branch of the animal tree belonged to comb jellies.
05:52Sponges came next, and then all the other animals, including us humans.
05:58So, let's discuss this little funny creature from which we all originated.
06:03Jellies, including comb jellies, are simple creatures with few specialized organs.
06:08They can sense chemicals in the water to find their food,
06:12and they even have a special structure called a statocyst that helps them orient themselves in the water.
06:18Comb jellies are also known as tinofores.
06:21They're cute little creatures that live all around the ocean, from the north and south poles to the sunny equator.
06:27They can be found from the surface all the way down to the deepest part of the sea.
06:32These amazing animals belong to the group of invertebrates, which means they don't have a backbone like we do.
06:39They come in various sizes, depending on the species.
06:42And by the way, despite their extraterrestrial appearance,
06:46their soft bodies are perfectly designed for their underwater world.
06:49They're more than 95% water, which makes them lightweight and agile.
06:56Comb jelly is a fascinating creature with an oval shape and 8 rows of tiny comb-like plates.
07:02It uses these combs to swim gracefully through the water.
07:06And guess what?
07:07When it moves, its combs create a magical rainbow effect as they diffract the light.
07:12It's like swimming through a shimmering prism.
07:15But they aren't as cute or harmless as they seem.
07:18In reality, comb jellies are voracious predators.
07:22They love to feast on other jellies.
07:24And some of them can even stretch their stomachs to hold prey that's almost half their own size.
07:30So, their diet consists of other comb jellies, as well as some salps and siphonophores.
07:36Talk about having a big appetite!
07:39And here's another interesting fact.
07:42Even though comb jellies got a head start in branching off from the tree,
07:46both they and sponges have been evolving since then.
07:49They've been on their own journeys, adapting to their environments and developing new features over time.
07:56It's a reminder that evolution is an ongoing process.
08:00It also shows how important it is to take care of these unique creatures and their environment.
08:06Changes in jelly populations can be a sign of bigger issues, so it's crucial to protect their habitats.
08:13But why is all this so important?
08:16Well, these discoveries help us understand how animals have developed.
08:20By studying the early branches of the animal tree of life,
08:24we can understand about the characteristics and traits that all animals share.
08:29For example, how they sense their surroundings, eat, and move.
08:33We can also learn all sorts of cool things about how animals first emerged and evolved into the wondrous array
08:40of species we have today.
08:42The scientists were really excited about their discovery.
08:46They knew that they had found a relic from a very ancient time.
08:50So, there you have it!
08:52This discovery is like a magical time machine that allows us to peer deep into the past.
08:57It's a treasure trove of knowledge about the origins of animal life.
09:01I'm sure scientists will find out more interesting things in the future.
09:05So, stay tuned.
09:08In the middle of a dense, foggy forest, you spot glowing red eyes.
09:14Suddenly, a strange clicking sound breaks the silence.
09:17It's not just in your head.
09:19Stretching over 2,000 miles from Newfoundland to central Alabama,
09:23the Appalachian Mountains hide terrifying creatures like Bigfoot and the Wampus Cat.
09:29You might think they're just myths, but there's actually a chilling explanation behind them.
09:36First up, the Mothman.
09:38This creature is a superstar in the world of horror stories,
09:41but not many people know that its legend actually started in the heart of Appalachia,
09:46in Point Pleasant, West Virginia.
09:48Back in 1966, two couples were driving when they suddenly came across a human-sized moth,
09:55about 7 feet tall, with glowing red eyes.
09:59They totally freaked out and sped up, but the strange creature flew and chased after the car,
10:05making a screeching sound until it finally disappeared.
10:09After this encounter, the group told the police that the creature looked like a tall,
10:13muscular man with huge, white wings, but they couldn't see its face because of the hypnotic effect of its eyes.
10:21Since then, the Mothman has become a famous urban legend.
10:26People swear they've seen similar creatures in other parts of the U.S., like Chicago and Gallipolis, Ohio.
10:33Theories about what people saw range from a balloon with a flashlight tied to it,
10:37to extraterrestrial beings visiting Earth.
10:40But it's also possible that it was just a bird, more specifically, a barred owl.
10:47People probably mistook a bird for this creature because the barred owl looks eerie in the dark.
10:53It has spooky eyes and makes creepy clicking sounds.
10:56Still, these birds aren't huge, so it's strange how they've been mistaken for such a scary monster.
11:03Wait, what did people actually see then?
11:07The second strange beings are known as the Moon-Eyed People.
11:11This was a group of bearded, flat-faced, pale people with big blue eyes,
11:16who supposedly lived all across Appalachia.
11:20Why did I say supposedly?
11:22Well, because no one could ever prove they actually existed.
11:26The stories about them were part of the Cherokee folklore,
11:29so we don't really know how reliable the information is.
11:34Still, their legends creeped out both locals and visitors in Appalachia.
11:39The Moon-Eyed People were said to come near a house at night,
11:43and people inside would hear them talking.
11:46But they were warned not to go outside,
11:48and no matter what happened, they couldn't watch them.
11:51In the morning, they'd find their corn gathered, as if someone had helped them.
11:55Or the opposite, fields completely cleared like a whole group of men had been working there
12:01and taken all the crops.
12:03One of the most famous stories about them involves a mysterious stone wall
12:08found at Fort Mountain State Park.
12:11It was built between the years 500 and 1500,
12:14but no one knows who actually built it.
12:17Some people believe it was the Moon-Eyed People's work,
12:20and the ruins today are proof they really existed.
12:25They might not be delusional, though.
12:28One theory suggests that the Moon-Eyed People were actually Welsh people.
12:32At the time, they were in Appalachia, mining the mountains.
12:36And the Cherokee gave them this nickname
12:38because they lived underground and had great night vision.
12:42Hey, kitty, kitty, come here.
12:44Oh, wait, what's that?
12:47According to legends, the Wampus Cat is a half-dog, half-cat creature
12:51that roams the Appalachians after dark, or just before dawn.
12:56And it can run totally upright on two legs.
12:59So if it comes running after you like a human would,
13:02you'd better hide fast and don't look at it.
13:05Rumor has it that its yellow eyes can pierce the hearts and souls
13:09of anyone unlucky enough to cross its path,
13:12driving them to the edge of madness.
13:15Okay, that's probably just folklore.
13:18But the real-life creature that might be hiding behind these legends isn't much friendlier.
13:23The stories describe the Wampus Cat as a kind of underwater panther,
13:27so some experts believe it sounds a lot like a mountain lion.
13:32Apparently, they're really strong swimmers and cross a large lake without much difficulty.
13:38Now, let's say you're driving in the Appalachian region at night.
13:42Suddenly, you spot an animal in the middle of the road.
13:46You slow down and take a closer look.
13:48It looks like a deer, but there's something...
13:52It's eyes are too close together.
13:54It's head is misshapen.
13:56It's neck is too long.
13:57And it's legs move in unnatural ways,
14:01almost like a puppet on strings.
14:04Oh, and even if you honk,
14:06this creature won't move.
14:08It's definitely not afraid of you.
14:11This is the not-deer.
14:13Although some people have reported sightings as far away as Texas and even Norway,
14:18it's definitely an Appalachian myth.
14:21One young woman said she was hiking when she spotted a doe.
14:25Suddenly, the animal looked right at her,
14:27and she noticed that all of its knees were bent backwards.
14:31Any direction a deer's knee is supposed to go,
14:34the deer's knees did not.
14:36Oh, my.
14:37Anyway, the internet is flooded with people talking about the not-deer
14:42and its creepy behavior.
14:44But the thing is,
14:45we can't find a single photo or video that proves it actually exists.
14:50So what could it be?
14:52One explanation points to sick animals.
14:55There's a neurological condition known as CWD
14:59that affects different deer species like elk, moose, and even reindeer.
15:04It causes the brains of infected animals to degenerate,
15:08leading to loss of body functions and abnormal behavior.
15:12Since the symptoms match what some people describe as not-deer behavior,
15:17it makes sense to think this condition could be behind the strange sightings.
15:22The last creature on our list,
15:25the one and only Bigfoot.
15:27You know, that large, hairy, human-like creature that walks upright and roams the dense forest in the U.S.
15:34In the Appalachian Mountains,
15:36there have been Bigfoot sightings from the Adirondacks in New York
15:39all the way down to the Blue Ridge Mountains in North Georgia.
15:43This bizarre figure has haunted our imagination for decades,
15:47but scientists believe it could actually be a humble black bear in disguise.
15:53It turns out the American black bear is found in many of the same areas
15:58where people claim to have spotted Bigfoot.
16:01Studies show that for every 1,000 increase in the bear population,
16:05there was a 4% increase in Bigfoot sightings.
16:08And there are two main reasons why the American black bear could be the perfect imposter.
16:14The first reason, they're big.
16:17Adult males can weigh up to 660 pounds and grow up to 6 feet long.
16:22The second reason, while we think they primarily walk on four legs,
16:27they are perfectly capable of standing upright.
16:30In fact, not only are they capable, they do it all the time.
16:34They stand up to get a better look at something,
16:37sniff the air, or just to appear bigger when they feel threatened.
16:41When they do that, they definitely look like a human-like figure.
16:46And for those people who aren't used to being around bears,
16:49it's easy to mistake them for something more sinister and out of this world.
16:54Now, you might be wondering why so many strange sights and creatures are said to live in the Appalachian,
17:00and the answer might be linked to the region's age.
17:03The process that led to the creation of these mountains has been going on for over 480 million years,
17:10which means they're older than Saturn's rings, for example.
17:15Over all this time, the region has gone through some drastic changes in its composition,
17:21creating a huge number of ecological niches with varying elevations, slopes, aspects, temperatures, and rainfall.
17:28And according to experts, the reason the region is so full of bizarre legends
17:33isn't just because the mountains are old, but because they still look old.
17:38Since a large part of Appalachia is basically untouched by humans,
17:43much of that ancient biodiversity is still around and seems unknown to us.
17:48This has created a landscape full of deep forests, mist-covered valleys, and winding rivers.
17:55A place where secrets seem to be hiding in the fog.
17:59And over the centuries, the isolation of the Appalachians only allowed these stories to grow.
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