The Earth has undergone tremendous changes since its formation 4.5 billion years ago, as it went through successive stages of cooling and warming, which led to a radical change in the ecosystem, caused mass extinctions and gave an opportunity for the emergence of new species.
But the extinct animals left their mark: fossilized footprints and skeletons, and in some cases entire corpses literally frozen over time in ice, peat bogs or tar pits. Read also A multicellular microorganism comes back to life after being frozen for 24,000 years Living creatures that live for a very long time An international team discovers in Morocco the third fossil of giant marine lizards Researcher Sana El-Sayed leads a team to discover marine fish fossils in the Eastern Desert of Egypt
Humans
Of course there are missing pieces, but regions that have preserved the past help us fill in the blanks. Here are some ways that helped preserve prehistoric creatures, provided by a recent Live Science report.
Freezing in icy environments
Freezing is an ideal way to preserve an animal, as cold weather stops the pace of organic decomposition by preventing the growth of bacteria that may feed on the decomposing meat.
Although the Earth has warmed by about 6 degrees Celsius more than it was during the last Ice Age, which ended about 20,000 years ago, many ancient creatures have been found in frozen regions of Russia, Asia and North America.
Their bodies were complete and intact, and the presence of food in the stomachs of these Ice Age animals indicates that freezing occurred quickly, which prevented decomposition.
Peat bogs prevent decomposition
In the absence of ice, there are other ways to preserve body tissues, the lack of oxygen is a very important factor in preventing decomposition.
Peat bogs in Europe have a magical combination of hypoxia, hypothermia, and acidic water, which “pickles” the remains of any animal that ends up in the mud. Over time, layers of algae form on the surface of the bog, releasing chemicals that stop bacteria growth.
Peat bogs are brown, soil-like deposits formed by the partial decomposition of plant material in the moist acidic conditions of bogs, often cut and dried for use as fuel and in horticulture.
Some of the most famous remnants of the past that have been discovered in these swamps include human remains preserved along with a large number of ancient artifacts, and huge quantities of edible waxy substance made from dairy or meat products were sometimes found with these men in peat bogs.
It is believed that these products were stored in swamps to keep them cool and fresh long before man knew the refrigeration, and Smithsonian Magazine reported that this method was so effective that it is believed that this ancient dish (with its food) is still edible, as long as the eater He can ignore the smell.
In 1950, the body of a man was discovered in a swamp near the Danish town of Tollund in such good condition that he was initially thought to be the victim of a recent murder, and the police were called to the scene. However, that body has been resting in peace for 2,300 years, still wearing Iron Age clothes, and is currently in the Museum Silkeborg in Denmark.
Peat bogs may have been ancient burial grounds or even for ritual sacrifices. The body of a Tolund man was found with his neck wrapped tightly with braided leather rope, and it is unclear whether he was hanged or strangled. People may have sensed a connection to the place because it was free of trees, which made it more like heaven, and thus considered it a place of religious significance, according to Smithsonian magazine.
Tar animal trap
Objects may also be preserved if they get stuck in a tar-filled pit. In some parts of the world, natural asphalt springs seep to the surface in the form of dense crude oil, where it accumulates and eventually forms a basin whose surface interacts with the air to become thicker and more viscous.
The animals got stuck in the thick viscous and struggled to free themselves, then the frenzy of the trapped animal attracted predators, and they got stuck too. After thousands of years, hardened tar began to be extracted in the form of asphalt, and buried treasures appeared in it.
La Brea is a world-famous tar pit in Los Angeles, California, that has stuck creatures for more than 50,000 years. According to the La Brea Tar Pits and Museum, the site has been excavated since 1913, and more than 3.5 million samples in it so far.
More than 600 species of animals and plants have been identified from these remains, but most of the finds were the bones of large animals, mostly carnivores such as lions and wolves, on display at the George C. Page Museum at the excavation site.