250 million years ago, during the Great Mortality, Earth’s most devastating mass extinction event, a strange encounter was immortalized in time.

An amphibian named Broomistega, injured but persevering, found refuge in the den of a Thrinaxodon, a mammal ancestor who was in a state of deep rest known as stivation.

Both animals peacefully shared this narrow space until a mud flood buried them, preserving their remains together for millions of years.

This exceptional finding has been studied with advanced technology like synchrotron scanning, revealing one of the few examples of inter-species coexistence in extreme conditions.

The “prehistoric hug” not only reflects the struggle for survival, but also a unique moment of coexistence in a world facing its greatest challenge.