There are plenty of things that can happen when you were president: They can have statues erected in your likeness, streets may bare your name, libraries and academic wings could be dedicated in your honor, and if you’re Barack Obama, there could be an ancient, prehistoric sea creature that can share your name.
Yeah, seriously.
Ancient Sea Creature Named After President Obama: Here’s The Simple Reason Why https://t.co/LcdAMsYIlC pic.twitter.com/oa4gHO7LRK
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USA Today reports that researchers were working in a remote mountain range in southern Australia and found the “tiny, disc-shaped animal (that) was about a 1/2 inch long, with raised spiral grooves on its surface. It spent its entire life embedded on the ocean floor, likely never moving.” The discovery was made by scientists from the University of California-Riverside and was given the name “Obamus coronatus” in honor of the former president’s love of science.
According to the outlet, another creature, an egg-shaped creature that may have looked like a raisin, was also found and named after famed English naturalist David Attenborough. They believe that the creatures were some of the earliest animals to exist on the planet and were found remarkably preserved.
“I’ve been working in this region for 30 years, and I’ve never seen such a beautifully preserved bed with so many high quality and rare specimens, including Obamus and Attenborites,” Paleontologist Mary Doser said of the discovery.
Of course, neither species exist today, but the honor remains and is super cool. Not many presidents can say that they have an ancient, prehistoric sea critter named after them!