Scientists have discovered the oldest complex organism

Fossils have been found in the municipality of corumbá in Western Brazil.

Scientists from the University of Manchester in the UK found traces of the most ancient multicellular creatures that lived 555-542 million years ago. This animal lived on the sea floor, moved in the soil by undulating movements, and its width was comparable to human hair. Article researchers published in the journal Nature Ecology&Evolution.

Fossils have been found in the municipality of corumbá in Western Brazil. They belonged to the ediacaran period, which preceded the Cambrian, when there was intensive formation of new species and groups of living organisms. The thickness of the traces reached 50-600 micrometers.

Researchers have studied the discovery using x-ray microtomography, which allows to determine the internal structure without damaging the integrity of the sample. Scientists discovered that the footprints belonged to an animal that could squirm through their muscles. These creatures were bilateral, that is, their body is possessed bilateral symmetry, and had head, back and tail. This structure was typical of the Cambrian.

According to the researchers, such complex creatures could have formed even earlier. New findings could help more precisely determine the time of their origin.

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