Hiker accidentally uncovers 280-million-year-old footprints in Italy

A normal hiking trip turned into a time of archaeological find for a mates who recovered prehistoric footprints dating backmost millions of years. 

Claudia Steffensen was hiking with her hubby done the Italian Alps past summertime erstwhile she noticed what she described arsenic "strange designs" connected a rock. 

"It was a precise blistery time past summertime and we wanted to flight the heat, truthful we went to the mountains," Steffensen told the Guardian. "On our mode backmost down, we had to locomotion precise cautiously on the path. My hubby was successful beforehand of me, looking consecutive ahead, portion I was looking towards my feet. I enactment my ft connected a rock, which struck maine arsenic unusual arsenic it seemed much similar a slab of cement. I past noticed these unusual circular designs with wavy lines. I took a person look and realized they were footprints." 

Ancient footprints dating backmost millions of years were recovered erstwhile a hubby and woman were taking a hike done the Italian Alps. (iStock)

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Once she identified the markings arsenic footprints, the uncovering was passed on and further studied by a fig of experts. 

The archetypal measurement Steffensen took aft discovering the footprints was sending on a photograph to a lensman person with a specialization successful the earthy world. 

The lensman past reached retired to a paleontologist astatine the Museum of Natural History successful Milan named Cristiano Dal Sasso, according to the Guardian, who consulted different experts successful the field. 

The footprints recovered by Steffensen, which presented themselves to her arsenic a effect of melting snowfall and ice, were identified by experts arsenic belonging to a prehistoric reptile. 

The footprints recovered belonged to an carnal from a clip play predating dinosaurs. (De Agostini via Getty Images/De Agostini via Getty Images)

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Experts person made galore visits to the country since the archetypal footprints were discovered. Further exploration has led to the find of hundreds much fossilized footprints belonging to prehistoric reptiles, amphibians and insects. Fossils of plants, seeds and imprints of raindrops person besides been discovered successful the area, according to the Guardian. 

The fossilized footprints day backmost to the Permian period, according to Smithsonian Magazine. The clip play took spot betwixt 251 and 299 cardinal years ago, a clip earlier dinosaurs. 

The clip play ended successful "the worst extinction lawsuit successful the planet's history," according to National Geographic, with 90% of marine taxon and 70% of onshore animals being wiped out. 

"Dinosaurs did not yet exist, but the authors of the largest footprints indispensable inactive person been of a sizeable size – up to 2-3 meters long," Dal Sasso said successful a statement, per the Guardian. 

The Natural History Museum has enactment assorted relics from the country connected display. (Eddy Buttarelli/REDA/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

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Steffensen expressed gratitude astatine being portion of the find of what is present referred to arsenic "Rock Zero."

"I’m feeling precise proud, particularly to person made a tiny publication to science," Steffensen told the Guardian. 

Research continues connected the site, with definite relics being brought to the Natural History Museum successful Milan for display.