Bizarre 500-Million-Year-Old Creature Unearthed

[Skywizard]

A new fossilized, cigar-shaped creature that lived about 520 million years ago has been unearthed in Morocco.
The newfound species, Helicocystis moroccoensis, has "characteristics that place it as the most primitive echinoderm that has fivefold symmetry," said study co-author Andrew Smith, a paleontologist at the Natural History Museum in London, referring to the group of animals that includes starfish and sea urchins. Modern echinoderms typically have five-point symmetry, such as the five arms of the starfish or the sand dollar's distinctive pattern.
The primitive sea creature, described today (June 25) in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B, could even change its body shape from slender to stumpy. Researchers say it is a transitional animal that could help explain how early echinoderms evolved their unique body plans, Smith said.

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Read More at: http://news.yahoo.com/bizarre-500-million-old-creature-unearthed-002426314.html

peace...
skywizard

[Snoweagle]

This is an artists impression based on something that was found. So, the consensus amongst the experts is " . . . is a transitional animal that could help explain how early echinoderms evolved their unique body plans".

Yet between, one billion years and five hundred million years, exists the geological and archaeological period of "The Great Unconformity" lasting 500 million years. It bears the name as there exists little evidence from Gaia's natural records or mankinds interpretation of those that are investigated, as to what was going on globally at that time.

So how come, we have a new bizarre animal/creature presented as an artists impression from what quality of evidence?

Blindly accepting this as a fact is worrying without being able to evaluate the source of this preposition being afforded here. Being described today (June 25) in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B is hardly an endorsement (IMO) when the past behavioral denial of truth with regards historical events, artifacts and records are still to this day kept secret and hidden even from their own members.

I err on the side of caution when hearing such pronouncements from inside "the Institution" for I see nothing more than "puppy eyed warmth" generating support for a concept rather than fact. That is very worrying.

I would like to believe it but I anticipate this is a precursor to something else yet to be disclosed. In a nut shell, I do not trust them and their pseudo babble knowledgeable interpretations.

[lookbeyond]

It is quite beautiful! lb

[Ellisa]

I'm still trying to understand the 500 million years bit!!! That's a long time ago, and I am looking here at it (or at least a representation of it). If that doesn't cause tingles nothing will.