Scientists in China discovered a pygmy panda skull that is around two to three million years old and only about half the size of current Giant Pandas.

A skull of the earliest known ancestor of the giant panda has been discovered for the first time in a limestone cave in southern China. The discovery was reported in the US publication “Proceedings of the National Academy of Science”.

The skull fossil was found in 2001 by a team composed of members of the Chinese National Natural Science Foundation and US researchers from the University of Iowa. Ancestors of the modern panda are formally known as the “pygmy giant panda”. Tests on the skull show that they were present in the forests of southern China at least two to three million years ago.

The fossil panda’s teeth and jaw indicate that the species had already adapted to a diet of bamboo. Skull features indicate that the early panda may have been remarkably similar to its descendants, but only about half the size.

Video at the source

While we’re all for the cuddly kind of pandas here at Perfect Pandas, we’re also interested in the many unique items that share the panda theme; this includes automobiles. The Fiat Panda isn’t available here in the US, but available since the ’80s in Europe, this adorable compact car has become especially ubiquitous in Italy where it’s manufactured.

Revealed at the 2007 Frankfurt Auto Show last week, the Panda Aria is Fiat’s eco-friendly concept car. It has a two-cylinder 900cc turbo engine, 80 horsepower and can run on methane, gasoline and hydrogen. Though obviously it’s not going to blow away anyone with it’s power and speed, it’s cut harmful emissions of CO₂ to an impressive 69 g/km. The Panda Aria is also constructed of such recyclable materials as cotton, linen and woven coconut fiber in keeping with the car’s eco-friendly theme.

Once again, it’s proven that the word panda is synonymous with conservation, eco-friendly and adorable. Perfect.

Via Edmunds and Fiat