Ancient Sea Monster Fossils Discovered on Arctic Island

Researchers have discovered the oldest known remains of an ichthyosaur, a giant ancient oceanic reptile, on the Arctic island of Spitsbergen in Norway. The fossil, which was found in a deep fjord, suggests that the creature was a more advanced aquatic predator than previously thought, indicating that previous theories about its origins may have been wrong. The study proposes that ichthyosaurs likely evolved before the end-Permian mass extinction and became a dominant predator after the event. The fossil found in Norway was about 10 feet long and was found amid other fossils, including those of fish, sharks, and amphibians.