Fayolia sterzeliana - Fossil of the year 2025
Every year, the Paleontological Society honors special fossils with the title "Fossil of the Year". This not only highlights their importance for science, but also recognizes the work of the people and institutions that find, research and exhibit these fossils. For 2025, the choice fell on a particularly remarkable fossil: the fossil shark egg capsule Fayolia sterzeliana from the Lower Carboniferous of Chemnitz-Borna and Chemnitz-Glösa.
Fayolia sterzeliana is representative of a fascinating time when Chemnitz - today a major modern city in Saxony - was not only close to the equator, but even in the southern hemisphere some 330 million years ago. During this time, a climate prevailed that produced exotic habitats with a multitude of fascinating species. The region produced spectacular fossil finds, including the oldest known evidence of the gigantic millipede Arthropleura and the oldest quadruped remains in Germany.
The excellent fossil shark egg capsules come from two different freshwater shark species and represent the oldest known specimens of this species. These remarkable finds allow deep insights into the evolutionary development and lifestyle of prehistoric sharks and provide important information about their adaptability.
In order to present these important fossils to the public in an impressive way, they were digitized by CLAUSS using state-of-the-art technology. The innovative "Cyberglobe" 3D scanner was used for this. The detailed 3D models allow visitors to explore the fossils interactively on a touchscreen. In addition to being able to individually adjust the lighting to make the smallest details and structures more visible, exciting background information on certain features of the fossils can also be called up.
The special exhibition was opened at the Museum für Naturkunde Chemnitz on the occasion of Fayolia sterzeliana being named Fossil of the Year 2025 and can be visited until the beginning of 2026. Visitors are given a lively insight into the flora and fauna of that distant era.
The exhibition was ceremonially opened with a welcoming address by the President of the Paleontological Society. Two renowned experts, Prof. Dr. Jürgen Kriwet from Vienna and Dr. Jan Fischer from the Palatinate, gave a popular scientific and vivid introduction to the fascinating world of prehistoric sharks.
This cultural and scientific event took place as part of the European Capital of Culture 2025 celebrations and was rounded off with specialist lectures and musical entertainment. At the same time, the presentation marked the start of the 50th annual meeting of the vertebrate paleontology working group of the Paleontological Society, which also took place on March 15 and 16, 2025 at the Museum für Naturkunde Chemnitz. This meeting underlined the importance of Chemnitz as a location for international palaeontological research.
Fayolia sterzeliana, the fossil of the year 2025, therefore not only stands for an important scientific discovery, but also for cultural highlights and innovative forms of presentation that bring the past to life and allow visitors to experience it interactively.