Fossil dating back 410 million years joins museum collection

A 410-million-year-old fossil of Prototaxites has been added to the national collection at National Museums Scotland. The specimen was discovered near Rhynie in Aberdeenshire, an area known for its rich prehistoric deposits. Prototaxites was a giant organism that once grew up to eight metres tall, towering over early plants and animals. It was long thought to be a type of fungus, but new research suggests it belonged to a completely distinct and now extinct branch of life. Scientists say the find offers important insight into early life on land and Scotland’s role in palaeontological research.