Page last updated at 14:17 GMT, Tuesday, 19 May 2009 15:17 UK

'Stunning' fossil find unveiled

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The beautifully preserved remains of a 47-million-year-old lemur-like creature have been unveiled in the US.

The preservation is so good, it is possible to see the outline of its fur and even traces of its last meal.

The fossil, nicknamed Ida, is claimed to be a "missing link" between today's higher primates - monkeys, apes and humans - and more distant relatives.

But some independent experts, awaiting an opportunity to see the new fossil, are sceptical of the claim.

BBC science correspondent Christine McGourty takes a look at the fossil.

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