"286-Million-Year-Old Fossilized Skin Unveils Ancient Creature's Secrets"

The discovery of mummified skin from a reptile-like creature that lived 290 million years ago, predating the dinosaurs, has set a new record as the oldest fossilized skin ever found. The skin, with pebble-like scales and hinged regions, resembles features of ancient reptiles, dinosaurs, and crocodiles. Preserved in clay sediments in Oklahoma, the skin fossil provides insight into the transition of species from aquatic to terrestrial environments and the evolution of terrestrial vertebrates. Although the species and body part of origin remain unidentified, the discovery sheds light on the critical role of skin in the success of early terrestrial vertebrates.