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300 Million Year Old Insects Pictured In 3D

New mareacaspica writes with this snippet from Nature: "Researchers have constructed 3D models of two different insects, in their nymph stage by scanning their fossils with a novel technique called X-ray microtomography. They obtained sections, two centimeters long, and from the sections constructed the models. Such fossils of juvenile insects are very rare during that ancient period, and the research could provide a better understanding not only of insects, but also other animals, as the technique develops." Original Paper.

15 comments

  1. 300 Million Year Old Insects Pictured In 3D by Anne_Nonymous · · Score: 2

    Doesn't look a day over 150 million years.

    1. Re:300 Million Year Old Insects Pictured In 3D by WGFCrafty · · Score: 1

      That's probably because to be viable fossils they need to be stable from the tike formation is complete until now, otherwise we would be scanning a pile of dust.



      I realize you were joking (levity no matter how weak, right?).

    2. Re:300 Million Year Old Insects Pictured In 3D by MaskedSlacker · · Score: 2

      You must be great at parties.

    3. Re:300 Million Year Old Insects Pictured In 3D by Tarlus · · Score: 1

      You mean you weren't turned on by that?

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      /* No Comment */
  2. Found an apt quote, given this thing's appearance by Empiric · · Score: 3, Interesting

    When you see your likeness, you are pleased. But when you see your images that came into existence before you, which neither die nor become manifest, how much you will have to bear!

    --Darwin

    Oh wait...

    --
    ~ Whence do you come, slayer of men, or where are you going, conqueror of space?
  3. Re:Found an apt quote, given this thing's appearan by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Or there's always this one:

    "God has an inordinate fondness for stars and beetles" - JBS Haldane

    Fossils of the latter one too, apparently :-)

  4. 300 Milion Year Old Insects? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    and one of them is running for president,
    on the republican ticket.

  5. Re:Found an apt quote, given this thing's appearan by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Metamodded offtopic for an arbitrary interpretation of that quote from the gospel.

  6. Re:Found an apt quote, given this thing's appearan by wonkey_monkey · · Score: 1

    At least he put his name to it.

    --
    systemd is Roko's Basilisk.
  7. Is there an ant? by antdude · · Score: 1

    What about an ant? :)

    --
    Ant(Dude) @ Quality Foraged Links (AQFL.net) & The Ant Farm (antfarm.ma.cx / antfarm.home.dhs.org).
  8. Well... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Isn't this just a fantastic conversation-starter!
    I, for one, welcome our 300 million year old juvenile insect overlords!
    Also, something about hot grits... and in soviet Russia, insects construct 3D models of YOU!

  9. Can I print one with Makerbot Replicator? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Not seeing this creature on Thingiverse.com...

  10. Flat by egr · · Score: 1

    Looks like someone has stepped on it...