In the vast epic of biological evolution, species on Earth have risen and fallen like the tides, with the overwhelming majority ultimately swept away by the currents of time and driven to extinction. Yet, one ancient marine creature has stood firm like an anchor amid these waves of change: the horseshoe crab, celebrated as a “living fossil.” This remarkable arthropod has thrived on Earth for over 400 million years, surviving multiple mass extinction events, while its form and lifestyle have remained largely unchanged. The astonishing resilience of this creature can perhaps be encapsulated in a profound concept we term “petrification” (Fig. 1).