United Kingdom.- In an impressive collaboration with scientists, the Netflix series ‘Life on our planetIt brought to virtual life Arthropleura, giant extinct millipedes that inhabited the Earth about 300 million years ago. The prehistoric giant, the size of a car, has been meticulously recreated in a video showing the male arthropod moving through an ancient forest in search of a mate, according to reports. Live sciences.
Arthropod fossils were first discovered 170 years ago, and thanks to an almost complete skeleton found 5 years ago, scientists from the Universities of Leicester and Bristol in United kingdom They were able to accurately reconstruct this creature that roamed the lands of modern Britain, continental Europe and North America.
It is about 2.6 meters long and 0.5 meters wide. it is expected that Arthropods It weighed about 50 kg, making it the largest centipede to ever exist on Earth. This exceptional size is due to the high levels of oxygen that characterized the Earth’s atmosphere more than 300 million years ago. In that distant time, the Earth was inhabited by giant arthropods and other insects of enormous proportions, such as bird-sized dragonflies and giant cockroaches.
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Although modern centipedes usually have side eyesScientists suggest that arthropods, like their descendants, were practically blind. These ancient invertebrates had lateral eyes that provided limited vision, useful for measuring relative levels of light and darkness, but insufficient for detailed vision. Scientists’ theory supports Arthropleura’s lack of known predators, which may explain the lack of need for bright colors on its shell to ward off potential threats.
The Life on Our Planet series not only provides a fascinating look at ancient life on Earthbut it also highlights the importance of cooperation between Science and Technology To re-understand our prehistoric past.
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