The World's Oldest Amber Discovered: Dating Back 385 Million Years

Paleontological research in northwestern China has uncovered the oldest known amber samples to date. These amber fragments, found in coal deposits from China's Middle Devonian period, have been dated back approximately 385 million years.This discovery not only predates the previously known oldest amber samples by about 65 million years but also extends back about 150 million years before the emergence of dinosaurs. Amber is formed through the fossilization of resin, which plants secrete to protect themselves against insects, fungi, and environmental factors, over millions of years.The new finding suggests that resin production began much earlier than previously thought, providing significant clues about plant evolution. The team, led by paleontologist Cihang Luo from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, emphasizes the importance of this discovery in understanding how plants adapted to terrestrial life.Previously, it was believed that the oldest amber samples dated back to the Carboniferous period and were produced by seed plants. However, the new findings indicate that seedless vascular plants, which lived before the widespread presence of seed plants, were also capable of producing sophisticated resins. According to scientists, this indicates that resin production was a crucial adaptation that helped plants survive on land.