Paleontologists recently revealed the amazingly well-preserved fossils of a primate who lived in Germany 47 millions years ago. Scientists believe that it is very possibly an ancient ancestor of modern day apes, monkeys, and humans.
Ida
Scientists are not, however, claiming that this was a direct ancestor of humans. That is too large a leap without enough evidence. But it is a great piece of the puzzle. The remains, nicknamed Ida, are linked to humans by the talus bonein her ankle which is the same shape. Scientists also said her imposable big toes and nails, not claws, confirmed she was a primate.t is the most complete fossil primate ever found, as only its lower leg is missing. Obviously, this skeleton can provide scientists with much information regarding early primate evolutionary history.
The primate was a female that died before it was even one year old. Although it is only being publicly displayed own, the fossil was first discovered in 1983 by an amateur collector in the Messel pit, an abandoned rock quarry near Frankfurt Germany.
The remains were in such good shape that they were able to analyze the stomach contents of Ida and discovered that she ate seeds and leaves.
Interesting. I wonder why it took so long to be displayed.
It always takes a while. The scientists want to do all of their tests and examinations, most of which are not as fast as seen on CSI