Burgess Shale’s Weird Wonders
The fossils found in the Burgess Shale include the 500-million-year-old ancestors of most modern animals
![Cambrian Period](https://th-thumbnailer.cdn-si-edu.com/D5pqA2s55cAQsCnrBlPe0ojDD4o=/1000x750/filters:no_upscale()/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer/Cambian-Period-Burgess-Shale-631.jpg)
Cambian-Period-Burgess-Shale-520
![Cambrian Period](https://th-thumbnailer.cdn-si-edu.com/8mvWvahZ9kY4rxwAt__48hl2UZ4=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer/Cambian-Period-Burgess-Shale-520.jpg)
claws-Anomalocaris-canadensis-2
![Claws of Anomalocaris canadensis](https://th-thumbnailer.cdn-si-edu.com/sV2tXv411i18Oe80xb8IR_YG8yQ=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer/claws-Anomalocaris-canadensis-2.jpg)
Haplophrentis-carinatus-3
![Haplophrentis carinatus](https://th-thumbnailer.cdn-si-edu.com/i85cEHkuCUmjJWtXoS7C3KlcbFE=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer/Haplophrentis-carinatus-3.jpg)
Sidneyia-inexpectans-4
![Sidneyia inexpectans](https://th-thumbnailer.cdn-si-edu.com/wAWOBfDht2FbkYCqi19n6JzlIh0=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer/Sidneyia-inexpectans-4.jpg)
Diagonella-cyathiformis-6
![Diagonella cyathiformis](https://th-thumbnailer.cdn-si-edu.com/p-mpC_EFdno7J0mcUySGMQJJgjg=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer/Diagonella-cyathiformis-6.jpg)
Anomalocaris-canadensis-7
![Anomalocaris canadensis](https://th-thumbnailer.cdn-si-edu.com/t0QLqsCD8mGOrf2bM1nN0nEZLEM=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer/Anomalocaris-canadensis-7.jpg)
Marrella-splendes-8
![Marrella splendes](https://th-thumbnailer.cdn-si-edu.com/3iXMxmrROfyQcemAsz4-mxr2FeU=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer/Marrella-splendes-8.jpg)
Hallucigenia-sparsa-9
![Hallucigenia sparsa](https://th-thumbnailer.cdn-si-edu.com/Vpw5MOxev1xP6IsbPoQEwREQQkU=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer/Hallucigenia-sparsa-9.jpg)