German scientists have uncovered fossils that indicate prehistoric creatures had the ability to regrow their limbs, a discovery that could help solve the mystery of human limb regeneration, according to Live Science.
Having uncovered fossils that are 290 million years old, the scientists were able to deduce that tetrapods, the earliest four-legged creatures of the world, had an ability to regrow lost limbs.
This find was particularly important in that it suggests that limb regeneration was possibly a more common trait among animals back then, which could have possibly died off at some point during evolution, the Daily Mail reported.
Salamanders are the only animals today that can regrow lost limbs and their tails.
However, the fossils date back far beyond the first appearance of the ancient salamander by about 80 million years, leading researchers to think that not only did other types of animals hold regenerative capabilities, but there could also be various ways in which the animals regained lost tissue.
One clue science currently holds is that salamanders grow their limbs in a peculiar way, going against the natural growth patterns held in other animals, according to IFL Science.
Understanding how animals from both past and present regenerate could play a role in unlocking the secrets of human limb regeneration.
