3D Printed Fish Fossil Offers Clues to the Origins of Human Teeth

Origins of Human Teeth Article

By Brooks Hays

     On September 30, 2016, Australian researchers excavated a fossil of a Placoderm, an extinct armored fish. Upon excavation, scientists couldn't tell whether this 400 million year old fish had a jaw or teeth. After taking a CT scan of the fossil they were able to create a 3D printed model and discover it had both a jaw and teeth. How and when teeth first appeared in evolution remains a mystery, but scientists believe studying the internal tissue structure of the teeth will take us one step closer. It was previously thought that Placoderms had "true teeth" or evolved teeth. More recent findings suggest that they possess a more primitive form of teeth. The research of the internal tissue structure of their teeth will determine if they represent a transitional stage in the evolution of teeth.

     When I think of teeth, evolution doesn't cross my mind. This article does pose an interesting question of when did our teeth start to evolve or even show up in the evolutionary timeline. It is very interesting to know that we can gain information from a 400 million year old fossil may help us determine when teeth started to evolve to suit humans.