A 280 million-year-old fossil, once considered a significant find, has been found to be partially fake, with a substantial portion of it being black paint. The fossil, which was discovered in 1931 and is believed to be of a reptile from the alps, has been determined to be an historical forgery, with only part of it being genuine. The discovery has been reported to be a surprising revelation, but details about the extent and nature of the forgery are not entirely clear.