Inside the millipede

Archeologists have dated the millipede to have existed at least as far back as 400 million years during a time called the Silurian Period. Fossil remains from that time show that millipedes of that day were more than 6 feet long. Whether they could kill and eat small dinosaurs is anybody's guess.

There are hundreds of different kinds of millipedes living on Earth today. The largest one by weight lives in Africa and can be more than 13 inches long and 2 inches in circumference. In the year 2020, a few millipedes were discovered in Western Australia that were much longer with more than 300 body segments and over 1,000 legs. Most millipedes have around 20 body segments with two legs on each segment.

This photo of a piece of a dried up millipede shows inner workings that look similar to a network of connecting cords behind a 1990s computer.