A fossil of the winged-seed, Alasemenia, sourced from the Jianchuan mine in Xinhang Town, China. Credit: Deming Wang Researchers have uncovered a new plant seed fossil called Alasemenia, which is among the earliest known examples of a winged seed. Researchers have uncovered one of the earliest known examples of a winged seed, providing valuable insights into the origins and early evolution of wind dispersal strategies in plants. The study, recently published in eLife, details the second-earliest known winged seed – Alasemenia – from the Late Devonian epoch, roughly 360–385 million years ago. The authors use what the editors call solid...