Mammal ancestors laid eggs, and this 250-million-year-old fossil finally proves it
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A 250-million-year-old fossil egg has been discovered, providing evidence that mammal ancestors laid eggs. The fossil, containing a curled-up Lystrosaurus embryo, was found in South Africa and confirms a long-standing theory about early mammal evolution.
Scientists have made a groundbreaking discovery in South Africa, uncovering a 250-million-year-old fossil egg containing a Lystrosaurus embryo. This find confirms that mammal ancestors laid eggs, resolving a decades-old mystery. The fossil was identified using advanced imaging technology. Lystrosaurus, a plant-eating ancestor of mammals, thrived after the End-Permian Mass Extinction. The eggs were likely soft-shelled, making them rare to find. The discovery provides insight into the reproduction of early mammals. The fossil was discovered in 2008, but it wasn't until recently that scientists were able to confirm the embryo inside using synchrotron x-ray CT scanning.
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