Renowned Australian scientists, including Tim Flannery, have uncovered six new species of ancient monotremes in opalised fossils from Lightning Ridge, NSW.

The fossils date back 100 million years and include the intriguing 'echidnapus,' a semiaquatic creature with characteristics of both the platypus and echidna.

This discovery offers a glimpse into the common ancestor of modern monotremes.

The find provides valuable insights into a time when monotremes thrived in Australia before the rise of marsupials.

The fossils suggest that the evolution of platypus teeth may have been influenced by the arrival of the water rat in Australia.

These rare opalised fossils underscore the significance of continued exploration in unraveling the mysteries of Earth's evolutionary history.