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Fossil eyes through time

Eyes are old. Mafangscolex sinensis was looking around about 526 million years ago. Slide through 474 fossil animals, from the Cambrian to the Cretaceous, and try any of their rebuilt eyes on your photo.

Travel back in time

75 million years ago, in the Cretaceous: 99 animals with eyes in this collection.

A simulation made from published eye studies. Not what the animal feels.

What are the oldest eyes in the fossil record here?

Mafangscolex sinensis, from about 526 million years ago, in the Cambrian. Its eyes are rebuilt from fossils, so treat them as a best guess.

When did T. rex live?

Its fossils date from about 83.6 million years ago to 66 million years ago, in the Cretaceous. Its eyes here are a reconstruction from its skull and living relatives.

How do we know how old a fossil is?

From the age of the rock layers it was found in. Each animal here shows the range from its oldest to its youngest dated fossil, from a public fossil database.

Every fossil on the timeline

Grouped by the period of the oldest fossil. Every eye here is a reconstruction from fossil skulls and living relatives: a best guess, not a measurement.

Cambrian: 538.8 to 486.85 million years ago (76)

Permian: 298.9 to 251.902 million years ago (3)

Triassic: 251.902 to 201.4 million years ago (100)

Jurassic: 201.4 to 143.1 million years ago (85)

Cretaceous: 143.1 to 66 million years ago (210)

More to play

The science behind it: every fossil age and its source