With today’s media such as video games and movies over-portraying fictional animals we can easily doubt the existence of such creatures. Not many people easily believe the possible existence of an abnormal big headed dragon fly that is capable of swooping down and inject deadly poison into the human blood stream, resulting in fatality within a matter of seconds. Surprisingly scientists have found fossil tracks of something along the line of unbelievably organism.
I must admit that I felt a bit iffy when I stumbled upon an article about big-headed fossil flies that existed in an early ecological revolution. According to British Columbia’s own Dr. Archibald and Dr. Mathewes from Simon Fraser University (along with Dr.Hehlmaier), three new species of big-headed flies were uncovered by fossil records. Though not big enough to swallow whole human, big headed flies have a bizarre image with most of its head composed of huge eyes and venom containing-sacs that makes them part of the diverse insect predators. It can be difficult to imagine such insect at first but we must keep in mind that evolution, with time, can make any creatures possible.
Another recent finding is the set of fossils of Tiktaalik Roseae, a transitional fish species that existed more than 375 million years ago. This species resembles a large whale with limb-like fins that functions much like a crocodile’s limb. When initially discovered this species was very different from what researchers know about limbed vertebrates. Tiktaalik fossil may possibly explain the origin of of four-legged animals, also known as tetrapods.
- Image of Tiktaalik by Kirsten Uhler via Flickr
Both the big-headed flies and Tiktaalik Roseae set of fossils are only few of the species that have previously existed but yet hard to imagine that these abnormal organism lived and interacted on the same Earth that humans populate today. The idea of evolution has made it possible for such creatures to exist and in a way it adds the wonder of abnormality to life. Evolution itself started as a doubted theory and required many scientists to have an open mind to adopt and accept the concept that such theory is possible.
We should not be so quick to decide that if something is out of the ordinary it probably does not exist. The evidence provided by preserved fossils has showed that many bizarre organisms actually once reigned our planet. So next time when you hear about a wacky and strange creature from the news don’t be afraid but rather remind yourself that the existence of abnormal organisms is part of Earth’s long history.
Below is a video that describes the finding of Tiktaalik.
[youtube]http://youtu.be/yvDQCa7rleI[/youtube]
-Blog post by: Tien Vu.
