This spider's eyes still glow, even though it died 110 million years ago

Fossil hunters in Korea discovered long-dead spiders preserved in rock. And to the delight of scientists, the arachnids' eyes are still reflective — some 110 million years after the creatures died. 

It's rare for insects and arachnids — which are far more brittle than shelled sea creatures — to become fossilized in rocks. But for reasons still unknown, a couple of these spiders did fossilize, and the unique shape of their eye structures continue to reflect light — even in their petrified form. 

The reflective eye structure is called a tapetum, and it's often used by creatures who hunt in the dark.  Read more...

More about Science, Spiders, Glow, Palaeontology, and Science


via Tech Republiq