A team of researchers was fascinated when it found the fossil of ancient creature which looks quite similar to the Millennium Falcon, spacecraft from one of the most popular Star Wars movie.
A series of tests revealed that the creature could be traced back to the Cambrian period. The strange creature featured a strong shell which was placed on its back. At the tips of this shell, the researchers discovered sharp spikes, which provided a high level of protection. While the body appears to have been impressive, there were some disadvantages.
One of the researchers who were involved in the body has stated that the body of the creature is quite puzzling. Its head and body are large while there are some tiny swimming flaps underneath. It is likely that swimming may have been a bit difficult for the creature since the body is not optimized for the activity.
The ancient creature has an age of 506 million years. It was named Cambroraster falcatus. The genus name references the Cambrian period and the appendages of the creature, which appear to be quite similar to rakes.
In 2012 the researchers discovered the first C. falcatus fossils at a dig site located in the Burgess Shale deposit. The deposit itself can be found in the Canadian Rockies, which are rich in Cambrian fossils, most of the ones which were recovered were also in a great state. Most of the fossils were interesting, but the great discovery took place in 2018 when they found a place filled with C. falcatus fossils. A large number of fossils indicated that this group was traveling in an organized manner as they molded together.
During the study, the researchers learned that C. falcatus was a version of a primitive arthropod known as a radiodont, which is related to many of the contemporary crustaceans, insects, and spiders. More information about the creatures is included in a paper which was published in a scientific journal.
