Glowing spider fossils may exist thanks to tiny algae’s goo
A sulfur-rich diatom secretion coated the arachnids, helping preserve them, a study suggests
![a fossil spider, with an inset showing the fossil in ultraviolet light that revealed a substance possibly produced by diatoms](https://i0.wp.com/www.sciencenews.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/042122_cg_spider-fossil_feat.jpg?fit=1030%2C580&ssl=1)
This fossilized spider is part of a trove from France, dating to about 22 million years ago. Using ultraviolet illumination (inset), scientists found that the fossil was coated in a sulfur-rich substance possibly produced by ancient diatoms. That substance may have been key to the fossil’s preservation.
A. Olcott