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Why Are Hadrosaurus Fossils Often Called Duck-Billed?
Spencer Thompson
Hadrosaurus fossils commonly carry the description duck-billed dinosaur, as it shows the presence of a broad, flat mouth that looked so much like a duck's bill. Such a peculiar modification of the mouth was adapted for efficient plant feeding, making them herbivorous dinosaurs from the Cretaceous period. What Is a Hadrosaurus? Hadrosaurus was a genus of herbivorous dinosaur, named after the hadrosaurs, the common name for "duck-billed" dinosaurs. It existed around 75 million years ago during the Late Cretaceous Period, mostly inhabiting areas that constitute modern-day North America. They could walk erect or on all fours with linked hands. Their...
What Rare Clues Do Sloth Fossils Reveal About Extinct Giants?
Anish Arora
Sloth fossils mean more than just ancient bones. They are rare clues about the existence of some strongest land mammal forms that ever walked the Earth. These extinct giants, called ground sloths, used to roam around with a largeness far beyond modern tree sloths. From how they fed, moved, and died, scientists have to piece together the story of these wonderful beings. A Window to Prehistoric Times Fossils depict a time when ground sloths had the size of a small elephant. Once in a while, fossils could show the traces of wear, diseases, or even an injury, offering a clue...
What Are Green River Fossils and Why Are They Special?
Anish Arora
Green River fossils refer to the perfectly preserved remains of plants, fish, and other organisms in the Green River Formation, an ancient lake system that existed about 50 million years ago. Such fossils are special because they preserve incredible details like bones and skin textures. The collection provides a living view of life in the Eocene Epoch. Where Do They Come From? The Green River Formation stretches across Wyoming, Utah, and Colorado. In this area, there were formerly three huge, subtropical lakes. Fine-grained sediments were slowly deposited on the lakebeds, covering the dead organisms and preserving them in limestone layers....
Did the Ankylosaurus Fossil Show Signs of Injuries or Battles?
Anish Arora
The Ankylosaurus fossil indeed shows evidence for injuries and battles, confirming the tough life that this heavily armored dinosaur led. Paleontologists have studied numerous fossil specimens showing healed fractures, bite marks, and damaged armor plates. All these clues depict Ankylosaurus's encounters with predators and defensive transformations in the Late Cretaceous. What Is Ankylosaurus? Ankylosaurus was a large, heavy, and armored dinosaur with a huge body. This herbivore existed 66 million years ago and is most famous due to its heavy armor, specifically bony plates embedded in its skin, acting as a natural shield. Its chief method of defense was using...
How Was the First Maiasaura Fossil Discovered?
Anish Arora
The first Maiasaura fossil was found in Montana in 1978 by the team of paleontologist Jack Horner. However, what made it more marvelous was the nesting site. This was the first direct evidence that some dinosaurs cared for their young, completely rewriting dinosaur-parenting concepts. "Maiasaura" means "good mother lizard" and has been a subject of much fascination ever since. A Nest Full of Clues In contrast to numerous fossil discoveries limited to bones, their site revealed nests with eggs, hatchlings, and adult Maiasaura specimens. "Egg Mountain", as the site is formally called, showed that the dinosaurs lived in colonies and...