DENVER — A surprising discovery was made right under the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. A fossilized dinosaur bone was found during a routine geothermal study beneath the museum’s parking lot, about 750 feet (230 meters) deep.
The museum is a favorite for dinosaur lovers, featuring impressive full-size skeletons that thrill kids and adults alike.
Finding a fossil in such a small borehole, only a couple of inches wide, is quite rare. “It’s like hitting a hole in one from the moon,” said James Hagadorn, the museum’s curator of geology. “In a way, it’s like winning the Willy Wonka factory.”
This find is especially notable because only two similar discoveries have been made in boreholes globally. Scientists believe this bone comes from a plant-eating dinosaur that lived around 67.5 million years ago, just before an asteroid wiped out the dinosaurs. Fossilized plants were also found nearby, hinting the dinosaur lived in a lush, swampy environment.
“This area was probably dense with vegetation,” said Patrick O’Connor, curator of vertebrate paleontology at the museum. Over the years, fossils of notable species like Tyrannosaurus rex and triceratops have been discovered nearby, but this fossil is the museum’s oldest and deepest find yet.
Reactions from experts vary. Thomas Williamson from the New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science called it a surprising but not thrilling discovery. Meanwhile, Erin LaCount, director at the Dinosaur Ridge track site, expressed excitement, suggesting the bone may belong to a duck-billed dinosaur or a related species.
The fossil is now displayed at the museum, but officials do not plan to search for more beneath the parking lot. “I’d love to dig deeper, but we really need parking,” Hagadorn joked.
This discovery highlights the ongoing fascination with paleontology and the mysteries that still lie beneath our feet. It’s a reminder of how even familiar places can hold incredible ancient secrets.
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