In a remote region of the Italian Alps, scientists have made an exceptional discovery: fossils from a prehistoric ecosystem dating back 280 million years, long before the appearance of dinosaurs. These carefully preserved footprints offer a rare glimpse into the flora and fauna of the Permian, a geological period that preceded the age of dinosaurs.
A chance discovery
The discovery was made by Claudia Steffensen during a simple hike around the Val d’Ambriawhich is located in the municipality of Piateda, at 1,700 meters above sea level. While exploring this region of the Alps, she spotted fossilized footprints embedded in rocks. Impressed by the precision of these traces, she shared her discovery with her friend, Elio Della Ferrera, a nature photographer, who quickly sent images to experts at the Natural History Museum in Milan.
After study, scientists confirmed that this was a discovery of major importance: a entire ecosystemfrozen in time, dating from the Permian period.
Experts have identified several types of footprints left by various animals, dating from a time when dinosaurs did not yet exist. The fossils found in the sandstone slabs testify in particular to the presence of tetrapods, ancestors of reptiles and amphibians, as well as traces left by insects and arthropods.
« The very fine grain of the sediments allowed the preservation of impressive details, such as the fingerprints and belly skin of certain animals.“, explains Lorenzo Marchetti of the Leibniz Institute for Research on Evolution and Biodiversity.
Credits: photo by Lorenzo Marchetti/Superintendence of Archaeology, Fine Arts and Landscape of the Provinces of Como, Lecco, Monza-Brianza, Pavia, Sondrio and Varese
Plant fossils and traces of ancient environments
In addition to animal prints, researchers also found plant fossilsincluding fragments of stems, leaves and seeds. They allow us to better understand the environment in which these creatures lived. Scientists also discovered ripples left by waves from ancient lakes and traces of raindrops on the petrified mud. These plant and environmental imprints add to the richness of this discovery, offering insight into the ecosystem dynamics of the time.
The discovered fossils are found today at the top of the Alps due to colossal geological forces at work. The Alps were formed tens of millions of years ago when African and Eurasian tectonic plates collided, causing layers of rock deposited on them to rise. the ancient Tethys sea. This geological phenomenon brought these fossils back up into the mountains.
However, this discovery would not have been possible without global warming. The melting of glaciers and snow caps, an effect of current warming, has indeed made it possible to unearth these vestiges hidden for millions of years.
