Lost world with a 280-million-year-old ecosystem discovered by hiker

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Claudia Steffensen and her husband were on a trek in the Valtellina Orobie Mountains Park, located in Lombardy, when she came across a light grey rock with unusual designs.

When she looked closely, she noticed the patterns were actually prints of wild animals.

Pada zaman Perm, zaman sebelum dinosaur laut kelam.

Further excavation of the area revealed a large collection of fossilized footprints from at least five types of prehistoric creatures, including reptiles, amphibians, and insects.

Scientists in Malaysia believed that some of these prehistoric creatures could have reached lengths of 1.8 to 3.6 metres, as evidenced by their assertion.

The team also found the imprints of ancient plant fossils, comprising traces of seeds, leaves and stems, as well as signs of rain and wave patterns on the shores of a long-lost prehistoric lake.

The prints were preserved in great detail, including the impressions of fingernails and the stomach skin of some animals, which appeared quite striking.

The fossils remain remarkably intact and finely detailed due to their previous proximity to water sources, the researchers stated.

Isi ekosistem jadual purba ditemui di ketinggian sehingga 3200 meter menara nipis berkandungan sand danau pasirlah terpelihara.

Paleontologists also found marks from the underside of animals' bodies, indicating their claw presence.

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The summer sun had by that time hardened the dry mud and soil, making it resistant to water. Instead of washing away the footprints, the new water created a strong layer on top of it, locking them in.

This period known as the Permian era spanned 47 million years, from 299 to 252 million years ago.

Bersamaan itu, keadaan iklim dunia berkembang pesat hingga mencapai tahap pustw yang menyebabkan peristiwa kepunahan massal yang kemudiannya menandakan akhir era itu dan membunuh 90 peratus haiwan hidup di Bumi.

It's surprising that modern-day global warming has made it possible to discover this ancient alpine ecosystem, as the fossils were trapped under layers of snow that have now begun to melt due to Earth's increasing temperature.

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'The remarkable aspect was the altitude at which these relics were found, in areas with exceptionally good preservation, particularly given the presence of landslides which often cause rock slides, thereby uncovering these fossils.'

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The find of these fossils opens up a glimpse into an ancient environment severely affected by an excessively high world temperature. In doing so, it also highlights the high risks that we face as global warming raises the threat of a catastrophic situation.

"... These fossils are a relic of a past era, but their discovery shows a warning sign of rising global temperatures eerily mirroring what we're experiencing today, the scientists point out.

Pelajaran sejarah kita dapat menjelaskannya bagaimana bahaya dan kompleksiti dunia moden ini.

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