NEED TO KNOW Scientists analyzed fossil records spanning 540 million years to identify places where previously unknown prehistoric species may hide. The researchers found that some of the biggest opportunities for new discoveries lie in more recent geological periods, rather than in the distant past. Their new map could help paleontologists decide where to look for fossils and discover missing pieces of Earth’s ancient history. Scientists have created what amounts to a treasure map of prehistoric life, pinpointing places around the world where fossils of previously unknown species may still be waiting to be discovered. The map is the result of an extensive analysis of 540 million years of marine fossils, which revealed surprising gaps in what researchers know about Earth’s ancient creatures. According to a Nov. 12 report published by ScienceDaily, some of the best opportunities for new discoveries may lie in more recent geological periods, rather than in the distant past. The research was conducted by paleontologists Thomas A. Neubauer of the Bavarian State Collections of Natural History in Germany and Mathias Harzhauser of the Natural History Museum in Vienna. Look below? Fossils offer a glimpse of the creatures that inhabited the planet millions of years ago, but only a small fraction of ancient organisms were preserved. Even fewer have been found, leaving scientists with an incomplete picture of the animals that once lived in Earth’s oceans. Paleogeographic map. Credit: Staatliche Naturwissenschaftliche Sammlungen Bayerns Some regions have been explored extensively, producing countless fossils, while others have received relatively little attention. To identify where important discoveries might be hiding, Neubauer and Harzhauser examined records of animals that lived in shallow marine environments over the past 540 million years. years. Using the Paleobiology Database, a global collection of published fossil records, they mapped where ancient marine species have already been found and, equally important, where evidence is still lacking. Although the Paleozoic and Mesozoic eras, which together span hundreds of millions of years, have produced important fossil discoveries, researchers found that many of their shallow marine deposits have already been studied extensively. Instead, the Cenozoic Era, which began about 66 million years ago, appears to offer particularly promising opportunities to expand the fossil record. That means some of the most valuable lost pieces of prehistoric history could be found in rocks that are relatively young compared to those containing dinosaur-age fossils. The researchers hope their findings will help paleontologists spend less time searching in well-studied places and focus on places with greater potential to reveal new information. The approach could also help scientists identify overlooked discoveries in museum collections, where fossils sometimes remain unexamined for years. “The fact that many regions of the Earth remain unexplored offers hope for valuable new discoveries,” Neubauer said in a statement shared by the Bavarian State Collections of Natural History. PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. And while the map doesn’t guarantee that scientists will discover a new species, it offers a way to make the search more specific. “But precisely because expanding the fossil record is quite challenging and moving slowly, our work can help researchers around the world focus their research specifically on these still largely unexplored areas,” Neubauer explained. “We provide valuable guidance for planning future projects and excavation campaigns,” he continued. “The same applies to examining existing museum collections awaiting scientific analysis. Through judicious prioritization, we can strategically fill gaps in the fossil record.” Read the original article in People
