Scientists report that turtles’ evolutionary relationships are clearer after an X-ray study of a fossil from southern Africa. The work addresses a long-standing debate over where turtles fit in the animal evolutionary tree. By using X-ray imaging to examine the anatomy of the fossil, researchers gain new anatomical details that help determine which major group of early animals turtles are most closely related to. The findings are described as resolving key uncertainty rather than adding only incremental evidence. Across the reporting, the central point is that the fossil—studied with non-destructive imaging—provides morphological information used to place turtles more confidently among other early lineages. The studies highlight that prior interpretations have varied, leaving turtles’ exact position disputed. With the new evidence from the X-ray analysis of the South African specimen, palaeontologists now present a more settled placement for turtles, improving understanding of their early evolution and the sequence of traits that led to modern turtle lineages. The results are presented as a step toward consensus on turtles’ branch in the tree of life.