450-million-year-old 'golden beast' fossil found in US

In the state of New York, USA, scientists have discovered remarkable “golden” fossils of a previously completely unknown marine creature that lived on Earth 450 million years ago. The new species has been named Lomankus edgecombei.

The most astonishing aspect of the archaeological finds is that these organisms, unlike typical fossils, have been preserved in almost perfect condition. Over millions of years, their small bodies were gradually replaced by metal — pyrite, resulting in the shape and anatomy remaining nearly unchanged.

According to Oxford University paleobiologist Luke Perry, pyrite forms in an oxygen-free environment when bacteria decompose organic tissues. Under such conditions, the gases they release react with iron and form sulfide.

“These specimens resemble miniature islands where ideal conditions for pyrite formation arise,” Perry says.

Thanks to the exceptionally precise, three-dimensional preservation of this collection, specialists can study in greater depth the structure and evolutionary stages of ancient arthropods. Particularly important are the findings that show how the “extra” limbs of that era transformed into antennae, claws, or tooth-like structures.