97-million-year-old fossils reveal the earliest known animal “GPS”

Mysterious 97-million-year-old magnetic fossils may be the oldest evidence of an animal using Earth’s magnetic field like a built-in GPS. Their sophisticated magnetic structure could have helped an unknown ocean creature navigate thousands of kilometers with surprising precision. 97-million-year-old fossils reveal the earliest known animal “GPS”.

The evidence comes from tiny magnetic fossils dating back 97 million years. They were preserved in ancient seafloor sediments and appear to have been produced by an organism whose identity remains unknown. Known as magnetofossils, the microscopic structures come in shapes resembling spearheads, spindles, bullets, and needles.

Scientists believe they have a biological origin, although exactly what organism created them and what purpose they served has long remained uncertain. Now, researchers have uncovered evidence that the structures may have functioned as a sophisticated navigation system, allowing an ancient animal to interpret Earth’s magnetic field much like a map. A Magnetic Navigation System From 97 Million Years Ago Scientists from the University of Cambridge and the Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin produced the first 3D images of the magnetic structure inside the fossils.