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| 'Missing link' fossil on display | 'Missing link' fossil on display |
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| A cast of a 47-million-year-old fossil thought by some to be the "missing link" is to go on display on Tuesday at London's Natural History Museum. | |
| The preserved remains of a lemur-like creature - known as Ida - were found in the 1980s, but have recently sparked a frenzy in the palaeontology world. | The preserved remains of a lemur-like creature - known as Ida - were found in the 1980s, but have recently sparked a frenzy in the palaeontology world. |
| Some experts believe Ida could be the evolutionary link between modern higher primates and more distant species. | Some experts believe Ida could be the evolutionary link between modern higher primates and more distant species. |
| Others, however, say they are sceptical about the fossil's real significance. | Others, however, say they are sceptical about the fossil's real significance. |
| The creature - whose scientific name is Darwinius masillae - was unearthed in Germany and until recently has been in a private collection. | The creature - whose scientific name is Darwinius masillae - was unearthed in Germany and until recently has been in a private collection. |
| The investigation into its origin was led by Jorn Hurum, of the Natural History Museum in Oslo, who believes it is "the closest thing we can get to a direct ancestor". | The investigation into its origin was led by Jorn Hurum, of the Natural History Museum in Oslo, who believes it is "the closest thing we can get to a direct ancestor". |
| The key significance of this new fossil is that it is so complete Jerry Hooker, palaeontologistNatural History Museum Scientists hail stunning fossil | The key significance of this new fossil is that it is so complete Jerry Hooker, palaeontologistNatural History Museum Scientists hail stunning fossil |
| Last meal | Last meal |
| A cast of Ida will go on display at the Natural History Museum on Tuesday. | A cast of Ida will go on display at the Natural History Museum on Tuesday. |
| It will allow visitors to see how well it has been preserved, with traces of the creature's fur still visible. | It will allow visitors to see how well it has been preserved, with traces of the creature's fur still visible. |
| Jerry Hooker, mammalian palaeontologist at the museum, said: "The key significance of this new fossil is that it is so complete. | Jerry Hooker, mammalian palaeontologist at the museum, said: "The key significance of this new fossil is that it is so complete. |
| "Darwinius masillae has fur impressions and the remains of its last meal in its gut, letting scientists reconstruct its lifestyle as well as learn much more about a very early stage in primate evolution." | "Darwinius masillae has fur impressions and the remains of its last meal in its gut, letting scientists reconstruct its lifestyle as well as learn much more about a very early stage in primate evolution." |
| "In life it probably looked generally more like a lemur than a monkey, but with a shorter snout and shorter hind limbs." | "In life it probably looked generally more like a lemur than a monkey, but with a shorter snout and shorter hind limbs." |
| The museum's director of public engagement, Sharon Ament, said experts there would keep visitors up to date with the latest research relating to it. | The museum's director of public engagement, Sharon Ament, said experts there would keep visitors up to date with the latest research relating to it. |
| The original fossil will return to the University of Oslo this week. | The original fossil will return to the University of Oslo this week. |
| A documentary about Ida - Uncovering Our Earliest Ancestor: The Link - will be broadcast on BBC1 at 2100BST on 26 May. Naturhistorikmuseum Oslo | A documentary about Ida - Uncovering Our Earliest Ancestor: The Link - will be broadcast on BBC1 at 2100BST on 26 May. Naturhistorikmuseum Oslo |