Scientists have discovered an exquisitely preserved ancient primate fossil that they believe forms a crucial "missing link" between our own evolutionary branch of life and the rest of the animal kingdom.

The 47m-year-old primate – named Ida – has been hailed as the fossil equivalent of a "Rosetta Stone" for understanding the critical early stages of primate evolution.

The top-level international research team, who have studied her in secret for the past two years, believe she is the most complete and best preserved primate fossil ever uncovered. The skeleton is 95% complete and thanks to the unique location where she died, it is possible to see individual hairs covering her body and even the make-up of her final meal – a last vegetarian snack.

"This little creature is going to show us our connection with the rest of all the mammals; with cows and sheep, and elephants and anteaters," said Sir David Attenborough who is narrating a BBC documentary on the find. "The more you look at Ida, the more you can see, as it were, the primate in embryo."

"This will be the one pictured in the textbooks for the next hundred years," said Dr Jørn Hurum, the palaeontologist from Oslo University's Natural History Museum who assembled the scientific team to study the fossil. "It tells a part of our evolution that's been hidden so far. It's been hidden because the only [other] specimens are so incomplete and so broken there's nothing almost to study." The fossil has been formally named Darwinius masillae in honour of Darwin's 200th birthday year.

"90 degrees counter clock wise"   

Don't you just love that tail? Imagine haute couture today if we still had ours!

There's a special, The Link,  on The History Channel (Monday, 5/25 at 9pm). Here's a link to their website with a trailer:

http://www.history.com/content/the-link/watch-video?HPF_rid=3180394&HPF_mid=2375_T1_Url13

Kris! I really like what you do graphically and so quick! Coincidentally, I had been wondering how we could sit at our pcs if we had tails, you know, would we have specially designed ergonomic chairs to accommodate us, how would they look, and voila, your picture!

 

                 "tail spin" Ouch!

But tails are cute...just think of all those adorable cat girls from so many different anime series.

tail guards would be required on all rolling furniture, imagine getting it caught it the car door