Snake’s Legs and Ninety Two Million Year Old Fossils

Posted on April 10, 2008 by Timothy McDougald

The BBC has an interesting story about the use intense x-rays at the ESRF in France to image the hidden second leg of a fossil Eupodophis descouensi:

In a process known as computed laminography, many hundreds of 2D images are produced which can be woven, with the aid of a smart algorithm, into a detailed 3D picture.
The finished product, which can be spun around on a computer screen, reveals details that will be measured in just millionths of a metre.

Here are the results:
_44555496_snake_fossil466x400.gif
The top part of the picture shows the visible leg and the bottom shows the hidden leg.
A video of the fossil can be found here

Filed under: Biology, Evolution, Interesting Science News, Reptiles, Snakes | Tagged: |

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7 Responses

  1. Bob O'H, on April 10, 2008 at 11:19 am said:

    I guess this snake was born before 4004BC.

  2. Bob O'H, on April 10, 2008 at 11:19 am said:

    I guess this snake was born before 4004BC.

  3. Bob O'H, on April 10, 2008 at 11:19 am said:

    I guess this snake was born before 4004BC.

  4. afarensis, FCD, on April 10, 2008 at 12:38 pm said:

    Not if you count in biblical years rather than real years…

  5. Kosmo, on April 10, 2008 at 2:10 pm said:

    This is obviously the snake mentioned in the Garden of Eden– sent not only to temp innocents with apples, but afterward, to be fossilized and many years later dug up by scientists, so that Man could be fooled once again.
    *shakes fist in anger* Oh, the diabolical-ness of it.
    http://kosmoslabbook.blogspot.com/

  6. dogmeatib, on April 11, 2008 at 8:51 pm said:

    It’s obvious proof of the Bible story. The snake spoke to Eve, got her to eat the apple, and for his role in the incident was cursed to forever crawl on his belly and eat dust. I bet if these scientists were so smart they’d figure out a way to find that it’s belly is full of dust!!!
    [/sarcasm]

  7. dogmeatib, on April 11, 2008 at 8:51 pm said:

    It’s obvious proof of the Bible story. The snake spoke to Eve, got her to eat the apple, and for his role in the incident was cursed to forever crawl on his belly and eat dust. I bet if these scientists were so smart they’d figure out a way to find that it’s belly is full of dust!!!
    [/sarcasm]

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