Scientists at the Queen Mary University of London and the Chinese Academy of Science found the oldest sample of animal sperm which was concealed in a 100 million year old piece of amber.

The sample was found in the reproductive tract of an ancient female crustacean enclosed in a resin. The Scientists were also able to make 3D reconstructions, using 3D X-ray reconstructive technology, that were so detailed which helped in the analysis of ostracod specimens, studying their limbs and organs. The fossilized sperm specimens are very rare, the oldest known ostracod sperm are 17 million years old and the previous record age of 50 million years old held by a species of worm.

The analysis done on this 100 million years old ostracod sample, which dates from Cretaceous period, provides "unprecedented insights into an unexpectedly ancient and advanced instance of evolutionary specialization" . Researchers also said that the use of giant sperm 100 milion years old acts a proof of long-term reproductive technology.