Fossils have 65m-year sex session
 

Dont stop now,I"m coming.........................................................


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IN what may be the world's longest act of sexual congress, Indian scientists have discovered two fungal cells in a union that began some 65 million years ago.

"In other words, two cells of the unicellular organisms were found in a fused state," Ranjit K. Kar, one of the scientists, said.
The discovery was made by Mr Kar and a team of scientists at the Birbal Sahni Institute of Paleobotany in Lucknow, the capital of the northern state of Uttar Pradesh. It was reported in the latest issue of the Indian journal Current Science.

Since the cells involved are smaller than a hair's breadth, a scientist and a microscope are required to see the romance in the joining of the Myxomycetes cells, a variety of creeping slime mould.

According to Mr Kar, the organisms were in a state of development known as the "swarm cell" state in which they are mobile - using flagella, or whip-like appendages, to help them move around.

The flagella are lost when the cells sexually unite with other cells.

"The fossil showing two swarm cells in fused position and shedding of their flagella is evidence that the two cells had sex," Mr Kar said.
He said it was the first time the sexual act between two such tiny organisms has been discovered preserved in a fossil state.

"The sexual organs being delicate and the time of conjugation short-lived, it is indeed rare to get this stage in the fossil state," wrote Mr Kar in the journal.

The fossil was discovered in a dry well, 10 metres deep, in a state in central India. The area is known for volcanic deposits and fossil discoveries.

Whats the problem it just is taking him a little while to get off.

Aw man, that was dissappointing.

I thought it'd be something like two cavepeople doing it, and then they got fossilized while they were in mid coitus.

Who goes down in a dry well 10 meters with a microscope looking for organisms having sex?

This guy needs a date.

I thought the same exact thing too.

Meh still interesting.