Moscow, Russia –
Like a scene out of some fantastic Hollywood computer generated animated movie series, a 30,000-year-old seed (nut) was finally pried free from the clutches of a frozen prehistoric squirrel, which was found buried in the permafrost of the Siberian tundra.
Russian scientists initially attempted to extract the seed from the grip of the frozen prehistoric squirrel it was attached to but they were unsuccessful.
“So rather than risk damage to seed, we transported it still attached to prehistoric squirrel back to laboratory in Moscow,” said Dr. Valdimir Boris, one of the botanists credited for the discovery at a press conference.
Scientist believe that during the thawing out process a teardrop from the prehistoric squirrel is what awoken the seed from its 30,000-year-old slumber.
“More seed grew, more prehistoric squirrel cried,” said Dr. Vyksa Natasha, one of Dr. Boris’ lab assistants.
“We didn’t really believe it was teardrop,” said Dr. Boris.
That was until someone in the lab hooked up a series of electrodes as a joke but which were able to pick up faint brain waves and a pulse.
Lab assistants then moved the prehistoric squirrel closer to the seed to further observe any affect the plant and animal had on each other.
Scientists hypothesize that a symbiotic relationship must have existed between the seed and the prehistoric squirrel somewhere in the distant past. Unsure, however, whether that relationship existed between the plant and animal species as a whole or just individually between this flower and this prehistoric squirrel.
Remarkably, the seed blossomed in a matter of hours rather than days, leading scientists to conclude ancient flowers had an even more accelerated life cycle in the past, costing much more money than they do today.
However, as the ancient flower came into full bloom, the prehistoric squirrel flat lined.
“It was if prehistoric squirrel was waiting for flower to come to life before letting go of his,” said Dr. Natasha.
The next day when the scientists returned to the lab, all they found was a puddle of water were the prehistoric squirrel once was and a wilted flower.
“We hypothesize that since there were no 30,000-year-old insects present in the lab at the time to pollinate flower,” said Dr. Boris. “That flower was pollinated by pollen already present in prehistoric squirrel’s teardrop – I mean – water that fell from eye of prehistoric squirrel.”
Near the puddle of water, the outer skin of a seed husk, indicating the flower successfully reproduced itself, passing on life to another generation.
“It appears that sometime during night accelerated growth period of flower came to its fruition, completing life cycle,” said Dr. Natasha.
“Unfortunately, both seed and prehistoric squirrel are missing now thus making our research and findings incomplete and inconclusive,” said Dr. Boris.
As Dr. Boris walked away from the podium, he paused in his steps a moment. And then turned back to the microphone.
“There is something else,” said Dr. Boris. “Something very peculiar. Nothing that would withstand scientific scrutiny, mind you. But something peculiar nevertheless. Something our laboratory cameras picked up.”
Dr. Boris pauses again.
“I wasn’t going to show this,” said Dr. Boris as he turns to Dr. Natasha. She nods in agreement. “But I think you should see it and draw your own conclusions.”
With that announcement, Dr. Natasha slowly dims the lights in the room as a projection screen is lowered.
On the screen, the digitally captured time lapsed image of the ancient flower slowly dying, bending over from both the weight of the seed it was bearing on its stem and its weakened condition as it reached the conclusion of its life cycle.
“As you can see here,” said Dr. Boris, pausing the image.
Caught in the freeze frame, a ghostly figure flashes before the camera for just an instant.
“Whatever it was,” continued Dr. Boris. “It took seed with it.”
Copyright © 2008-2012 by Robert W. Armijo. All rights reserved.